I'm having problems with python-imaging 1.1.7-1. (1.1.6-3 version works)
  Whenever I load a greyscale PNG with Alpha ("LA" bands): 

>>> from PIL import Image 

>>> i1 = Image.open("testfile.png")

 >>> repr(i1.im)
 'None'  self.im attribute is not loaded yet.  
And when I try to call self.split(), i get:


 >>> i1.split() Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "", line 1, in    File "/usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/PIL/Image.py",
 line 1497, in split    
 if self.im.bands == 1: AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'bands'
   Image.split function isn't checking if im attribute is loaded, 
and whenever I open a PNG it remains unloaded.   
I have solved it in my program calling Image.load() just after open. 
But the bug remains. 
 >>> i1.load() 
 >>> repr(i1.im) '' 
>>> i1.split() (, )