Sony HC-17 produces black bar - defect?

[Gaussman]

Hi,

I just bought the HC-17 some weeks ago and it worked okay. Yesterday however it started to produce these black bars, as it tryed to compensate the backlight. The lighter the backlight, the deeper went the bar. When I adjusted the light maually, I could light up the scene - but when the bars were disappeared, the whole scene was overlighted. Please have a look at the pictures. Is it typical for the Sony HC-17 or has it got a defect? THX

Gaussman

[drfsupercenter]

Try calling Sony - it looks like a defect to me.