Author Topic: Lots of JPEG artifacts E-PL1 (Read 2598 times)

cheguevara · « **on:** February 08, 2011, 05:46:42 PM »

Hi to all
Im new here and i hope you dont mind me coming with a problem.
Most of the time i shoot RAW but sometimes i turn to JPEG for saving space and checking problems with sensor.
When i first bought E-PL1 i had a few hot pixels wich was solved by pixel mapping. and jpeg worked really good. but now i see there is a lot of artifacts in all ISO settings and NR filters and reductions. ive tried all of it to check. Interesting is that at higher ISO there is less artifacts visible couse more digital noise.
This thing really practiclly unables any PS or LR work specially if you need to turn exposure up a bit.
And everything worked just fine a few weeks before.
I've tried pixel mapping and reseting camera to factory settings but it stayed the same.
Artifacts are most visible in grey (shadow) and dark area which are uniform.
And with ISO 200 i think its really bad in turn how it was. I am posting a full PS collage of a problem with photo. Be sure to check it in 1:1 ratio.
I called Oly service, and i have sended them a few images before and now, and im expecting their reply.
Theese two are before JPEGs http://www.flickr.com/photos/draganche/5346397767/# and http://www.flickr.com/photos/draganche/5346369077/# on my flickr page
and this one is one of the new ones with artifact problems
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4144/che52607copy.jpg i am sorry but i see that imagesack doesnot have thumbnail generator for forums now... F***

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

adash · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:44:30 PM »

That looks really odd. Apart from checking your "Curves" setting, I can't think of anything else. Let us wait for Oly support to respond.

cheguevara · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:37:38 PM »

It came out im taking the camera to Olympus tomorow so we will do comparission with one of their cameras there.
Hope it will get done.

cheguevara · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2011, 05:00:14 PM »

Hi again.
I went to OLY today and we did a few shots with same settings and here are results. I see that there is really much more artifacts with my PEN :S
Also i see that it has some exposure problems.
We shoot in P and A mode with ISO 200 fixed mostly.
this is one shot and full uncompressed you can download on rapidshare.
Btw i went to some photo retailer and i tried FD to m4/3 adapter which is really expencive (90 euros) and i put it on my PEN but the screen flickers really badlly like when you shoot tv (the old ones) with shutter over 50 and also it worked only if i find some position and if i move it around a bit it was off. Wierd.
But pics with it are great (Canon 50mm 1.4 SSC)
So here it is (not played with anything in PS LR or so)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5130/comparisionmonitor1comp.jpg and a full versions are here on rapid (so sorry for that)
http://rapidshare.com/files/447285646/Comparision_monitor_1.jpg
and
http://rapidshare.com/files/447285645/Comparision_cars_1.jpg
Btw if you now any other good uploading larger files with thumbnail code for forums pls tell me i feel that im annoying with this large files (i hate this way too)

Panther · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2011, 05:39:14 PM »

Have you tried shooting with noise reduction off?

cheguevara · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2011, 06:23:34 PM »

Yeah ii did tried every posible settings but remember in this last post the cameras ond the left which is mine and the right are the same (EPL1, 14-42, even both champagne color) and with the same settings. and btw i have JPEGs that were more better when i bought it 2months ago than this camera on the right.
I hope they accept my complain and send it to service and change something.
Maybe its software, processor, or sensor who knows.

Panther · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2011, 06:28:26 PM »

I can't see/left right shots...sorry...

cheguevara · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2011, 06:32:35 PM »

oh sorry go here and download http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5130/comparisionmonitor1comp.jpg
Both images are JPEGs straight out of the camera. There is a difference in metering but it doesnt affect those artifacts to much.

adash · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2011, 09:55:10 PM »

It is pretty normal to have slightly different exposure with a manual and a dedicated lens. It is pretty normal to have the same with out-of-the-camera JPEG and jped converted from RAW. It is pretty normal to have different noise levels on the two too.
If you have not dealt any exposure compensation, I would say that your camera meter exposes about 1/2 or one stop to the dark.
What will happen if you dial a 1/7 positive exposure compensation?

cheguevara · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:12:58 AM »

Actually the photos are with same cameras with the same lens (14-42) and the same firmware version. Theese pics are form JPEGs not developed RAW.
Conclusion is that noise leveles are the same with both cameras but the ocurrence of artifacts is not (mine had much more) regardles of exposure.
Raw files exposure (it was shoot with RAW+JPEG) is the same on both but JPEGs from mine come a bit darker and the other slight lighter but neither perfect (probably mine was more close to perfect exposure when compared from RAW.
So i came tio conclusion that probably firmware or processor are not doing their job right (but im not excluding sensor cause when i bought it it had several hot pixels and then i've done pixel mapping to fix it)
Everything worked just fine with JPEGs before (mind hot pixels from the start) untill a week ago or so.

adash · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:28:32 AM »

Is your camera still under warranty? You can claim it. Or update firmware if it is not the latest version.

cheguevara · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2011, 04:06:43 PM »

Yeah, offcourse i got 2 year unlimited waranty from OLYMPUS, the thing is that i just wanted recognition about a problem here couse they are trying to avoid a waranty by making it look like a part of my imagination or something, couse i dont think they dont have repair service here in my country but they are sending it to Hungary or Czech Republic for repair (so i guess they are trying to avois shipping costs)...
Oh yeah and i have the latest body-lens firmware 1.1 and 1.0 at least OLYMPUS Digital Camera Updater says so... i think that there is newer lens firmware like 1.1 but it says i have the latest, wierd... but then again the other camera had the same as i did

cheguevara · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2011, 07:09:44 AM »

Ohhhh, now they are trying to pursuade me that my files are even better then theirs. I find it pittyful. I will claim waranty and demand repair. That arogant mail i haven't read yet. And they have a nerve to say that kit lens is not that good (wich i know is crap btw) but to say that i should buy 17 2.8 which is also crap and i told them on the meeting we had, that if i had need and money i would probably buy Panny 20 1.7 (far superior to any OLY lenses for PEN) but the lens are not the ones to make artifacts, processor does. I just cant believe that Jpegs from idiot Point and shooters are far more superior to this ( just look to my set on flickr to see very extensive photoshop grading on some ).
RAW is way to go and its excellent i must say i really like it and the camera but JPEGs are pretty bad.
Nevertheless maybe ill just sell it and wait for something more pro like from them or nikon, panny (wich i dont even like really) and canon.

adash · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2011, 07:23:11 AM »

Put Gradation to Low key, sharpness to -2 and saturation to -1 and run a test shot again. It might be a setting or two that can make the photos looks drastically worse. If there is a fault in the processor, it will refuse to start at all, and if there is increased noise or hot pixels in the sensor they will show up in a different way....at least I think so.

voyager · « **Reply #14 on:** February 12, 2011, 06:43:26 PM »

I know it's a shot in the dark, but try entirely resetting your camera and taking the battery out overnight.

I wonder if that will have any effect (at the very least it will just entertain the idea).

supernaut · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2011, 09:01:30 AM »

If the pictures are good in raw, I don't see how it can be the sensor or hardware related in anyway. It could certainly be corrupted firmware, but definately reset or set all camera settings to default to see what happens. If that still doesn't fix the problem, and Olympus disputes that there is anything wrong....fry it. I'm serious. Then there will be no argument that the camera is not working. They will likely just replace it rather than attempt a repair. I did this with a cell phone I had that kept shutting off on it's own. Went in for warranty repair three times, it happened again with only 2 weeks left on the warranty, so I killed the phone. Cause I new it would come back still defective but by then the warranty would be finished. Got a new one for all my troubles. Good luck.

Panther · « **Reply #16 on:** February 13, 2011, 09:09:14 AM »

Try shooting without "superfine" enabled for JPG....

madmaxmedia · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2011, 11:02:16 PM »

The original photo in your first post looks really weird, the artifacts look like when people first do too much NR, and then oversharpen to compensate. So parts look unnaturally smoothed out, and parts look like digital noise.

The effect is not as noticeable in the shot of the TV, but it still looks weird- the noise again not uniform when looking at the 100% crop.

Author Topic: Lots of JPEG artifacts E-PL1 (Read 2598 times)

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