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General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: mark smyth on August 15, 2012, 09:04:51 AM

Title: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 15, 2012, 09:04:51 AM
My camera or memory card is failing and I hope it's the latter.

Any idea why it's doing this?
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 15, 2012, 02:28:20 PM
Anyone? I need a camera for my survey work
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: JohnLonsdale on August 15, 2012, 02:42:16 PM
Anyone? I need a camera for my survey work

What have you done to troubleshoot the problem?
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Natalia on August 15, 2012, 04:08:27 PM
Mark, describe what exactly there are such defects arise, when you do a series of pictures, or periodically? details are necessary...
But even better question to ask on a photographic forum - for example here http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/ (http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/)  or contact in site Сanon...

At me Nikon and Pentax, but on one of my cameras of the such didn't happen...

Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: David Pilling on August 15, 2012, 04:15:00 PM
I had a Canon A95, and the pictures started to go - purple skies, turns out there was a manufacturing problem with the image sensor and a free repair by Canon. Suggestion Google if it is a known problem with your model.

I'd guess you could test the memory card by plugging it into a PC, I expect there is free software to test cards. They do wear out eventually.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: David King on August 15, 2012, 06:01:56 PM
1. Have you tried the obvious and put another card in the camera?  If it is the card this will tell you immediately.

2. Have you reformatted the card?  Many people just delete pictures from their cards and then carry on from there. Reformatting will clear file system corruption and quickly erase everything on the device so it is clean.

When I return home with new photos I almost immediately download them to my computer and then always reformat the card.  In more than ten years of doing this I have never had a problem with a card.

3.  If it is not the card then there are only two other possibilities.  It is either the camera or you!  Your pictures look as though they are over exposing.  Some cameras (albeit normally more expensive ones) have a function called 'Auto exposure bracketing'.  This takes three pictures at different exposures.  Do you have this and have you accidentally knocked the setting to it.  I wouldn't expect you to have done this but it is a possibility.

4.  If none of the above its the camera.

5.  Two choices.  Repair or throw it away and buy another one.   Think I would do the latter.

5.  There are only three service centres for Canon cameras as far as I know:

 A.J.Johnstone & Company Limited

395-399 Central Chambers
93 Hope Street
Glasgow
G2 6LD

Tel: 0141 221 2106
Fax: 0141 221 9166

Web: http://www.ajjohnstone.co.uk (http://www.ajjohnstone.co.uk)

Colchester Camera Repair Services

6 Kings Court
Off Newcomen Way
Severalls Business Park
Colchester
CO4 9RA

Tel: 01206 843 322
Fax: 01206 843 323

Web: http://www.camera-repair.co.uk (http://www.camera-repair.co.uk)

H. Lehmann Limited 

CRC (Tasktron Ltd)

Unit 3 Wintonlea
Monument Way West
Woking
Surrey
GU21 5EN

Tel: 01483 776 060
Fax: 01483 721 389

Hope all this helps!

 
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 15, 2012, 06:48:46 PM
Thanks for the input everyone.

It's a card fault. I just formatted, is that a word?,  and it didnt help. I've never formatted it  :-[ since I bought the camera in early 2007 but it will now be part of my daily photographing and editing routine.

It took a while to find an old card and it worked.

Thanks again

Maybe I should upgrade to a new compact or go DSLR
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Darren on August 15, 2012, 07:08:53 PM
I had a Canon A95, and the pictures started to go - purple skies, turns out there was a manufacturing problem with the image sensor and a free repair by Canon. Suggestion Google if it is a known problem with your model.

I'd guess you could test the memory card by plugging it into a PC, I expect there is free software to test cards. They do wear out eventually.

I had this issue too David - with similar results to Mark's. That was also a Canon model (A70) with a similar known fault. We used the free repair service too. Glad to see Mark found it was the card though!

Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: David King on August 15, 2012, 07:33:29 PM
Pleased to hear you got it sorted.  Always worth trying every cheap option first before having to take the expensive one.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Maggi Young on August 16, 2012, 01:10:43 AM
I'm interested to hear the fault seems to have been with the card- my first thought would have been that some setting had been accidentally changed -  from where I'm sitting it is all to easy to do stuff like that and not know it! :-[

Ian has several cameras but,you know, it is the wee compact that he uses for  the majority of his shots on the Bulb Log and even for viewing at large size in presenting a talk they perform really well. I wouldn't have believed it could be so good.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Anthony Darby on August 16, 2012, 12:17:00 PM
I can recommend A. J. Johnstone and Co. They repaired a camera of mine and shipped it out here as it the fault took longer than anticipated to fix.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: David Pilling on August 16, 2012, 01:00:43 PM
Ian has several cameras but,you know, it is the wee compact that he uses for  the majority of his shots on the Bulb Log and even for viewing at large size in presenting a talk they perform really well. I wouldn't have believed it could be so good.

After the Canon A95 (above), I have done the DSLR experience - bought all sorts of bits and bobs and lenses. Each lens costs as much as a compact. I'm not convinced. although I'll probably carry on - after all I've got all that kit to use. I've developed stronger wrists, would you believe 750gm for a (modest) lens alone.

If I look at the photos closely then yes the DSLR ones are better, but at a glance, or after they've been scaled down to go on the web, I'm not so sure it makes any difference.

The days of the DSLR seem short, the mirror which gives it its name is on the way out.

Compacts have a smaller image sensor which should give them a better depth of field - more stuff in focus.

Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 16, 2012, 11:45:08 PM
It's the camera  :'( about half of the photos I took today turned out to be like those above
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 16, 2012, 11:57:57 PM
This has been on my wish list for so long
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-230-Digital-Camera/dp/B005I8XMJA/ref=dp_cp_ob_ph_title_0 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-230-Digital-Camera/dp/B005I8XMJA/ref=dp_cp_ob_ph_title_0)
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Paul T on August 17, 2012, 12:20:35 AM
Not good, Mark.  Sounds like time to get a new one unfortunately. :'(
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 17, 2012, 12:58:43 AM
just placed the order. Sadly it takes a different battery
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: David King on August 17, 2012, 08:41:02 AM
Oh dear, option 5 then.  You won't be a happy snapper on Sunday then!
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Maren on August 17, 2012, 12:00:25 PM
Could it be Maggi's idea that you inadvertently chose a different shooting mode? on my camera (Canon Ixus 92) there is a mode which gives me pictures exactly like yours. Can't remember what it's called, though. Good luck.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 17, 2012, 12:33:34 PM
David that's a huge dent out of Sundays spending money

Maren some photos come out good and others are no use. There could be one good one among bad ones
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 18, 2012, 09:47:24 AM
Ordered at midnight on 16th, they will have seen the order yesterday morning and it was at my door 0830 this morning
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Maggi Young on August 18, 2012, 09:56:41 AM
No trouble there then! ;D
Really, the efficiency of some firms is a treat. Pity they are not all like that.
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Brian Ellis on August 18, 2012, 10:20:05 AM
So there will be a happy snapper on Sunday ;D
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 18, 2012, 10:26:39 AM
yes and charging the battery just now.

Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: Anthony Darby on August 18, 2012, 11:57:32 AM
I think the fastest I've received something here was printer ink. Ordered at 10 p.m. and arrived by courier (included in price) at 10 a.m. the next day, before I'd even received the "your order has been despatched" email! :o
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 18, 2012, 07:43:57 PM
One thing I dont like about my new camera is its size. It's thin and light. It's a wee bit thin to hold it one handed without placing a thumb over the screen
Title: Re: camera trouble
Post by: mark smyth on August 18, 2012, 08:02:46 PM
Look at this for quality

photo 1 - original reduced to 700 pixels wide
photo 2 - original photo, petal cropped out and reduced to 700 pixels wide

Tomorrow I'll take some scenes
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