The bad...

Got worse.

My HC7 (which was sent in to be fixed for a blotchy LCD) was refused service because the Sony repair center (without receiving any notes about my camera whatsoever) thought it was self-mistreatment that caused my blotches. Not true.

I checked with one guy who also has an HC7 and he came up with this far more viable conclusion:

"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). 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..."

He might be right, here are two photos taken more than one month apart:




We might go together to pick it up and explain this once again clearly that we need to replace the LCD. I hope for the best...