Is this shadow normal for the paperwhite 3?

OverTwo · 10-06-2015, 10:53 PM

I'm just wondering if this shadow is normal for the paperwhite 3? (ignore the noise in the bottom right on the kindle, that was just my camera). It's really distracting when I read. I can see it in my peripheral vision when I read.

I've not had much luck with ereaders lately. I had to return my new kobo due to a faulty screen. Now I'm wondering if I have to return my paperwhite

Does anyone with a paperwhite 3 want to help me?

imgur link to my paperwhite: http://i.imgur.com/p0KGfvD.jpg

Barbara1955 · 10-06-2015, 11:15 PM

My new PW2 does that after I been reading awhile Clean the screen, just a finger smear

OverTwo · 10-06-2015, 11:30 PM

It's not a smear. It's from the LED lights.

Josieb1 · 10-07-2015, 03:56 AM

You will get some shadowing between the lights but it should be subtle and somewhat uniform between each light. I don't have a PW3 to compare with. You could ask Amazon for a replacement or do you have a retailer near you that might have one on display?

HarryT · 10-07-2015, 04:06 AM

How high do you have the light set in that photograph? LED shadows are generally only visible when the light is at a very high level.

OverTwo · 10-07-2015, 09:33 AM

That is on low light settings. I've emailed Amazon and I'll see if they'll allow me to return it. I compared it to a paperwhite 2 and that kindle is perfect. It has very minimal shadows at the bottom.

Josieb1 · 10-07-2015, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverTwo

That is on low light settings. I've emailed Amazon and I'll see if they'll allow me to return it. I compared it to a paperwhite 2 and that kindle is perfect. It has very minimal shadows at the bottom.

The Paperwhite 2 uses a Carta screen which is a cream colour which helped to hide the shadows, if the PW3 has gone back to a whitish screen then that maybe why the shadows are back again.

OverTwo · 10-07-2015, 11:00 AM

It seems the PW3 also uses the Carta screen. So it can't be that. Does anyone with a PW3 have a uniformly lit screen? Is there any point in me returning this? I don't want to return it if all PW3's have these shadows.

Avwriter · 10-07-2015, 11:53 AM

I believe this largely has to do with the placement and or number of the LEDs at the bottom of the screen. To varying degrees it has been a factor for the PW since its original release. The more expensive Voyage does not suffer from this problem at all, so if it really bothers you, it might be worth returning the PW and upgrading.

Derek87 · 10-07-2015, 02:28 PM

i have some gentle version of those shadows on my PW3, but certainly not bad compared to a few PW2s i've seen (including one i returned). one thing that drives me nuts is that there seems to be a significant amount of variability from unit to unit which speaks to poor quality control or maybe an not perfected technology.

the main shadow i have seen on all of mine that i've encountered (i went through three PW2s (my wife also owns one, and thus i have personal experience with four)) is a slight band where the status is shown (page number, percentage). the finger like shadows were horrible on one unit i had, non existent on another, and marginal on my current one. i think if it bothers you enough, it is worth returning and trying for another. Amazon, i have to say, bent over backwards to try to get me something workable. in the end, i decided my current PW3 was "good enough."

my faint ones are only visible at backlights of 5-7 (where i usually read) but they are faint enough that they don't distract me.

thatworkshop · 10-07-2015, 07:51 PM

My PW3 is nicely and uniformly lit! I'd say that screen is just bad.
Where do you live? Can't you return it for replacement?

JSWolf · 10-07-2015, 08:05 PM

Yes, that is normal. I've seen it on other PW3s.

OverTwo · 10-08-2015, 03:25 PM

I have returned it. I couldn't read with it. It just kept drawing my attention. Thankfully, Amazon lets you return anything within 30 days without asking any questions. I guess I'll just stick with my old kindle until Amazon bring out a kindle that is uniformly lit.

Aeda · 10-08-2015, 06:42 PM

I don't have any shadows like that on my Paperwhite 3, no matter the lighting settings. Mine is completely uniform.

JSWolf · 10-08-2015, 07:02 PM

All front lit eInk Readers that I have seen do have a small shadow at the bottom of the screen. How much it bothers you is an individual preference. Also, how much the shadow shows up depends on how bright the light is.

10-06-2015, 10:53 PM	#1
OverTwo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 494132 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	Is this shadow normal for the paperwhite 3? I'm just wondering if this shadow is normal for the paperwhite 3? (ignore the noise in the bottom right on the kindle, that was just my camera). It's really distracting when I read. I can see it in my peripheral vision when I read. I've not had much luck with ereaders lately. I had to return my new kobo due to a faulty screen. Now I'm wondering if I have to return my paperwhite Does anyone with a paperwhite 3 want to help me? imgur link to my paperwhite: http://i.imgur.com/p0KGfvD.jpg

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10-06-2015, 11:15 PM	#2
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,454 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	My new PW2 does that after I been reading awhile Clean the screen, just a finger smear

10-06-2015, 11:30 PM	#3
OverTwo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 494132 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	It's not a smear. It's from the LED lights.

10-07-2015, 03:56 AM	#4
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,015 Karma: 18018738 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Forma, Libra2, Clara 2e, Kindle PW SE & Kindle 2022	You will get some shadowing between the lights but it should be subtle and somewhat uniform between each light. I don't have a PW3 to compare with. You could ask Amazon for a replacement or do you have a retailer near you that might have one on display?

10-07-2015, 04:06 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	How high do you have the light set in that photograph? LED shadows are generally only visible when the light is at a very high level.

10-07-2015, 09:33 AM	#6
OverTwo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 494132 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	That is on low light settings. I've emailed Amazon and I'll see if they'll allow me to return it. I compared it to a paperwhite 2 and that kindle is perfect. It has very minimal shadows at the bottom.

10-07-2015, 11:00 AM	#8
OverTwo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 494132 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	It seems the PW3 also uses the Carta screen. So it can't be that. Does anyone with a PW3 have a uniformly lit screen? Is there any point in me returning this? I don't want to return it if all PW3's have these shadows.

10-07-2015, 11:53 AM	#9
Avwriter Addict Posts: 350 Karma: 1422834 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: GA Device: Sony PRS 505, 600, 350, T-1, PW1, Voyage, Oasis2	I believe this largely has to do with the placement and or number of the LEDs at the bottom of the screen. To varying degrees it has been a factor for the PW since its original release. The more expensive Voyage does not suffer from this problem at all, so if it really bothers you, it might be worth returning the PW and upgrading.

10-07-2015, 02:28 PM	#10
Derek87 Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Aug 2015 Device: Kindle PW3	i have some gentle version of those shadows on my PW3, but certainly not bad compared to a few PW2s i've seen (including one i returned). one thing that drives me nuts is that there seems to be a significant amount of variability from unit to unit which speaks to poor quality control or maybe an not perfected technology. the main shadow i have seen on all of mine that i've encountered (i went through three PW2s (my wife also owns one, and thus i have personal experience with four)) is a slight band where the status is shown (page number, percentage). the finger like shadows were horrible on one unit i had, non existent on another, and marginal on my current one. i think if it bothers you enough, it is worth returning and trying for another. Amazon, i have to say, bent over backwards to try to get me something workable. in the end, i decided my current PW3 was "good enough." my faint ones are only visible at backlights of 5-7 (where i usually read) but they are faint enough that they don't distract me.

10-07-2015, 07:51 PM	#11
thatworkshop hub Posts: 715 Karma: 2151032 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Iranian in Canada Device: K3G, DXG, Kobo mini	My PW3 is nicely and uniformly lit! I'd say that screen is just bad. Where do you live? Can't you return it for replacement?

10-07-2015, 08:05 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,015 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Yes, that is normal. I've seen it on other PW3s.

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10-08-2015, 03:25 PM	#13
OverTwo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 494132 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	I have returned it. I couldn't read with it. It just kept drawing my attention. Thankfully, Amazon lets you return anything within 30 days without asking any questions. I guess I'll just stick with my old kindle until Amazon bring out a kindle that is uniformly lit.

10-08-2015, 06:42 PM	#14
Aeda Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3911712 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3	I don't have any shadows like that on my Paperwhite 3, no matter the lighting settings. Mine is completely uniform.

10-08-2015, 07:02 PM	#15
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,015 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	All front lit eInk Readers that I have seen do have a small shadow at the bottom of the screen. How much it bothers you is an individual preference. Also, how much the shadow shows up depends on how bright the light is.