My HC7 LCD has blotches
 

My HC7's LCD has been developing blotches since 1 1/2 weeks ago, now the screen's got 15% blotches, 85% untouched. When you look closer, the blotch actually looks like chipped glass. I was afraid that it might be the nails scratching the LCD screen or something. This is very annoying when I shoot in bright sunlight. So, what should I do? (exchanging and shipping it away to a non-local location is not an option, I'm going to China on July 13th.)

Please answer ASAP.

Hi Jack -
Thought your LCD was losing pixels for a second there... More than likely you've got something on your fingers when touching the screen - it doesn't take much. I'd suggest you use a gentle cleaner or slightly damp cloth - I'll bet those blotches will come off with careful cleaning, and then you might want to put a scren protector on it. It may be a body chemistry thing, or something you handle regularly that left the blotches.

DB>)

Nope, it isn't residue, just tried cleaning it off and it just wouldn't come off.

HMMM -
Can you tell if there are scratches in the screen? That seems like a lot of "wear" for a short period of time...

I can't tell if it's your picture or what, but my HC7 seems to have a much "shinier" screen - yours looks sort of semigloss, mine's actually almost a gloss... any chance there's a protective film on it? Got my cams used, so don't know if they put anything on the screen at the factory, but that's the only other thing I can think of...

DB>)

Here's another picture taken under sunlight instead of flash.

Hi Jack -
All I can say is that screen looks very different from mine - I'll try to snap off a picture tomorrow and post... You might want to at least report it to Sony or whoever you bought it from so it's been noted and you can get it fixed - owned several touch screen cams, and none looked like yours...

Jack, do you still have the protective film sheet over it? Those look like air patches that you would get under a screen protector. Also, some touchscreens get oil smears that water (ONLY) on a soft cloth will remove with a lense cleaning cloth to finish. DO NOT USE a cleaner. Other than that, if those are not it, was it exposed to direct sun in a hot car? Overheating might do something like that.

My HC7's screen after about 2 weeks of use looks nothing like Jack's either. It does look like Jack's screen has a protective film, but I don't recall peeling one off on my new HC7. After cleaning my HC7's screen with a microfiber eyeglass towel it looks like new.

I hate to say it, but I have a weird way of cleaning the LCD when I'm on the run:

Dampen t-shirt with saliva and rub...

could that be it?

And I had to special order the camera from Sony through Future Shop cause none of the retailers in Canada have it. We do have an extended warranty.

So should I fix it? Please answer ASAP.

Update: It's gotten worse! The blotch size has increased, and for a moment, the touch panel malfunctioned! It kept trying to point at one spot whenever I turn on the camera.

I think it's fine now (the touch panel) and it might've been due to a static charge but I'm not sure so I need to send it in for repair and to possibly find out what's wrong with the LCD. The camera can still record though.

Attached is an updated picture of the blotched LCD. (very high resolution)

Hopefully I'll get it fixed tomorrow.

Hi Jack -
Looked at the two pix you've posted, and observe that the problem areas are in the same spots, just enlarged in the second pic, so it's not just dirt/surface... you may have a bad LCD - I'd begin to suspect that one or more of the layers that go into making the actual panel is missing or defective (unless of course there's a protective film that sure doesn't look to be there <wink>). It looks to me like a de-lamination or contamination between two layers of the panel.

I've deconstructed a couple of these LCD panels on defunct digital cameras (no touchscreen) just for amusement and education - they have LOTS of layers, and anything gets in there, and you can get blotches... usually though the blotches would be more indistinct - yours are very well defined and growing...

I'd take it in, and take printouts of the two photos so you can show that the problem existed early on, and is getting worse - that should substantiate the problem enough to get a diagnosis and get it fixed.

I don't know about your cleaning technique - I know some people have really toxic body chemistry that attacks some materials... but I doubt that's the source of your problem as the blotches are in the exact same spots... only bigger!

I've just it taken in for repair but I had to do it via the customer service counter at the place we bought it so no printouts unfortunately. It might be back in two weeks.

Update: Sony refuses to fix my HC7 and charged us $49 as a diagnostic fee.

They say the blotches were caused by self-mishandling that is not covered by the warranty. But I really hoped to have it fixed.

Should we still fix it or is it over? Give me a suggestion quick cause we're pretty pissed about this.

This is really bothering me so can someone quickly reply about this?

Sony refused to fix it, they're in the progress of sending it back, what should I do? Get a local authorized repair shop to replace the LCD after I get it? Or do nothing?

UGH, sorry to hear that Jack -
Well if the blotches don't bother you, use the cam as is... I'd imagine parts are not cheap, but that LCD has many layers, and it may be there's just something that got in between them (maybe your cleaning technique?) that someone who knows their stuff could clean?

I emailed Sony Canada about a cam I bought from a Canadian retailer that won't acknowledge the battery (it's perfect otherwise, and I knew it had the issue, I've got a workaround... and it's a 4th cam anyhow). I wasn't impressed with their responsiveness... maybe it's a Sony Canada thing?

You don't have to tear the cam down too far to get the LCD panel, but it's not for the novice... I fix things for a living, so I'm sort of a bit more qualified to poke at these sorts of things!