Theta Z1 very small scratch

Camera Hardware and Software
1

Hi all,
My Theta Z1 fell over and got a small scratch on the lens. I’m not sure but I think the shadow on the picture is caused by the scratch. Could that be?
The technicians at the repair shop say that the shadow is not caused by the scratch, they want to sell me a new camera for 875€ + VAT.
Replacing only the lens costs 211€

What should I do?

I look forward to your comments

Best regards

ThetaZ1_scratch
ThetaZ1_scratch2560×1280 290 KB

2

if you look at the Z1 lens with a magnifying glass can you see any scratch on the physical lens?

Maybe it’s a small smudge and not a crack?

Have you tried wiping the lens with a photography lens cloth and solution?

I personally use something like this:

image
image1920×892 136 KB

It’s not the best, but it’s cheap and good-enough for my use.

3

Hello, thank you very much for your feedback.
There has indeed been a small scratch on the front lens since the camera was dropped 2 years ago. I only noticed the shadow on the photo much later, it can always be seen in the same place on bright surfaces.
I clean the lenses regularly before each use.
So the question is whether it could be due to this small scratch on the lens or whether the shadow could be caused by internal soiling.

4

it is difficult to guess and a guess would be a personal opinion.

I have seen lenses with a small scratch on the protective coating of the lens that resulted in a small smudge on the picture. So, I think it could be the lens based on my limited experience of what I have seen on lenses and the resulting picture.

However, 211 euro is still a lot of money. Unless it is affecting your business, maybe live with the existing camera and use Photoshop auto-healing or similar to fix the blur before sending it to customers?

The Z1 battery is not intended to be user-replaceable. If you’ve used the camera for 2+ years, the battery may start to age. I wouldn’t want you throwing more money on a largely usable camera that may have other parts such as the battery that are also aging.

The picture you posted looks quite good and is usable to sell the house. Most people would not notice the slight dark area or would think it is just a shadow. My personal opinion is to save your money and use it as is.

5

Hello Craig,

thanks for your opinion, I did a few more tests and came to the conclusion that the scratch on the front lens is causing the shadow. So I will just have the camera glass replaced.

Many thanks again.
Best regards, Oliver

1 Like