Posts Tagged ‘digital camera repair’

Bad Camera Design: Broken Doors, Missing Buttons and Frustrating Design

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Has your digital camera battery door broken off and is missing? Or your battery door has broken tabs on it and no longer holds closed tightly so the batteries don’t make contact and the camera won’t turn on?

Maybe your battery door is removable on your SLR so you can add on a grip with extra batteries… and where exactly did you put it down?

I know what; that little compact flash card door indicator switch broke off and now your camera won’t power!

Oh man… how many cameras out there will not turn on because your memory card door is open, or the battery door is open, even though there really seems to be no reason for it? It’s frustrating… these flimsy little battery doors made from a tiny glob of plastic are ultra thin and snap like a dry twig, (Canon Powershot SD750 battery door .. don’t get me started!) making your camera useless. What were they thinking when they designed this?? Are you SURE somebody tested this design? Did anybody stop for one second and ask what the reason was behind it?

I could work for ANY major digital camera company and tell them exactly what is wrong with the design of any new camera they release and save them hundreds of thousands of dollars in warranty repairs and upset customers! Think they would hire me? No way; I don’t have an Engineering Degree or a PHd is Physics so what do I know, right?

But just look at the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 shutter button , I would never have let them put the camera on the market if they had only asked!!

Well I know plenty having fixed THOUSANDS of cameras over the past 5+ years, I know what is wrong with your camera if it is a certain model before you even tell me.

Sony H2 or H5? Damaged or missing shutter release button. Canon SD850? Jammed lens Canon SD750? Broken battery door… I’m not going to list dozens of cameras here, that’s not what this is about.

What can you do if your camera has a small broken part or a door is missing? You paid hundreds for it and once again the guy at the store tells you “Throw it in the trash, this one is better, it goes to 11.” (A little movie humor there, hey it’s 1:30am I’m entitled) Tell that guy at the store a resounding “NO!” and walk out. Go home, get on the computer and get surfing.

Back we go to eBay… search for your model number and “door” or “parts” and voila, look at what you find!

As a side note here, I was the first and only digital camera parts store in the world on eBay. In the past I bought hundreds of broken cameras, repaired and resold them and then parted the rest. I sold all those annoying little parts that you cannot buy anywhere for dirt cheap! for a battery door and all you do to install it is twist it into place… and that “geek” at the store told you it would be $175 to send it in to Canon or Sony and have them do it for you…

So you don’t find your door or part there, keep looking, don’t give up yet. Don’t want to repair it yourself, no problem, there are places that will do it for you. Hopefully you will find one with decent prices; don’t pay anyone $50 to install a battery door for you… please.

(Google: “affordable digital camera repair” and you will find some help with your camera!)

Broken battery doors and memory card doors are very common. I think we would see a lot more customers asking for them if only they knew they could actually repair it and get their camera back working for less than $25-30! It really is that cheap, with many doors for only -20.

I hope this helps you find your camera repair solution and running again for very little money!

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Best 5 Reasons to Switch From Film to Digital Photography

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

One thing I discovered during my experience with digital photography is that it is very well suited for the portrait photographer. Why is it then that they are slower to switch to digital SLR cameras? It seems that commercial photographers learned about and started using digital cameras long before the average portrait photographer.

My guess is that maybe they’re afraid? Afraid of the learning curve and afraid that the quality just isn’t there unless they spend an ungodly amount of hard earned cash on some scary looking gigantic array of confusing and awkward, let alone “how am I going to learn how to use this stuff” equipment.

Truth is, you can easily get away with as little as a 5 megapixel camera. Digital SLR’s have the quality needed and I’ve seen many photographers with amazing results. Yes, even if you have only a 5 or 6 MP camera.

There are many reasons, here are 5 good ones.

1- Service

These days a real camera repair shop is very hard to fine and service for film cameras is evaporating even more rapidly. Most camera stores will just send your camera to the manufacturer and then charge you more than the flat repair rate that you would get from Sony, Canon or Nikon etc. yourself. If you look online you can still find a real camera repair shop including ones that specialize in digital SLR camera repair and charge much less than the $250-300 flat rate repairs that the manufacturers offer.

Many digital repair parts are replaceable by the consumer such as battery doors, memory card doors and other body parts like zoom switches. There are plenty of people who want to repair their own camera and replace the LCD screen or lens, but many prefer to leave the repair to a professional service instead.

The real problem with finding good Sony digital camera repair for example is lack of knowledge. Most any store you go to and ask about repair will tell you to throw the camera in the garbage and buy a new one. The reason they tell you this is because they have no idea that affordable digital camera repair and do it yourself options actually exist! A couple simple searches on Google will go a long way to help you find a reputable repair shop for your Canon digital camera repair.

2- Quality

The quality of images captured with a high quality lens, properly exposed and well posed is more than enough, even if you shoot JPEGS. Yes, JPEGS. Over 90% of the more than 30-40,000 exposures I put through my camera every year is shot in JPEG mode. Why would a professional want to take pictures in “low quality” JPEG mode? The answer is simple: It works.

Most of the time the average portrait photographer doesn’t need an extremely high resolution image to work with. If they have in the past, they’ve always degraded the image through retouching and other means. It’s ironic if you think about it? Yes of course you can shoot in RAW if you prefer, but it’s not always required.

3- Control

People want their photos fast. We live in a drive-through world and minutes count. Even a small studio can create a slide show of the clients session within half an hour of taking the pictures. Clients love it. They get to see the results instantly. If the customer is there waiting to view the shots from the shoot is already planning on spending money then sales will go up. Their is ample evidence that when you show the images sooner, and you create large projected images, which is a cinch with digital, sales go up. Digital gives the portrait photographer more control over the sales process, and ultimately it means more profits.

4- Retouching

Let’s face it, people want to look good. What used to take hours and whole lot of aggravation with spray booths, smelly and dangerous lacquers, is now possible with absolute ease. Farming out all retouching took weeks and sometimes months to get back and we incurred huge retouching bills.

Not to mention the loss of control I had over the retouching aspects. It was up to the subjective interpretation of the retouching artist to enhance the images the way I wanted them retouched. Now, with a few basic skills, and all those years of retouching experience all transferred over to the new darkroom, my computer, I can easily retouch to any degree I like. In mere minutes. With fantastic results. This ultimately translates to satisfying a basic need that needs to satisfied in our clients, their vanity. They want to look good, and they want it fast.

5- Innovation

I could go on for days when it comes to what new products, ideas, services, sales processes, packages, etc, etc. . . I have been able to create because of digital photography.

I am once again excited about photography and the new possibilities. When you apply the power of digital, and get a handle on it in your workflow, you can create new and exciting products like never before.
I’ve seen it and experience it every week in our busy little small-city studio. Your net profits will give you proof that clients like your product?

After all, we are in business first, and creative artists second, right? We are in business to make money and survive. We need new and exciting angles, ways to stay afloat, so we can pay our bills, keep the bankers happy and provide for our families. No one can predict how digital photography will ultimately evolve, but my bet is with it all the way.

Do you remember when color film was first released to consumers? I don’t, I was just a wee lad, but I heard stories about the many studio owners closing their doors and packing it in because they didn’t want to keep up with the demand and latest craze that color film and color paper had created.

Personally I used to love film and thought I would never switch, but I am now a firm believer in digital photography and can’t imagine going back.

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Canon A Series Cameras Keep Getting Better

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Today’s digital camera technology offers consumers an irresistible range of camera options coming from different top brands. The choices in digital cameras today ranging from small point and shoot pocket cameras to large professional digital SLR’s can be overwhelming and seemingly endless. Shopping for a new camera can become overwhelming due to the number of models and specifications available today. So how can a consumer end up picking the cream of the crop?

While there is no single best digital camera (since choices vary according to each person’s unique needs and preferences), your best bet is of course to study the options available and rely on one of the top brands in the market today.

Canon Digital Cameras

What is the brand with the largest market share today? Canon! Canon has always been known to be a top manufacturer of a wide array of superior digital cameras. Canon point and shoot cameras as well as digital SLR cameras have always received high ratings from users and reviewers alike.

Of course, not everything that Canon produces is flawless as there have been issues along the way; nevertheless this company enjoys a good reputation and an outstanding track record when it comes to high quality digital cameras.

Since cost is always a major concern if you want to buy a Canon digital camera they produced several cameras that are within your means. The Canon Powershot A470 is a top-selling camera for good reason. This compact point and shoot camera comes with a 7.1 megapixel CCD, 3.4x optical zoom, and a 2.5″ LCD screen to frame your photos and review them easily. Quality and user-friendliness are combined in this piece of affordable camera.

Canon also recognizes the fact that digital cameras have also become a fashion accessory today and people are looking for beauty and style aside from excellent performance. The Canon A1000IS with its elegant, two-toned look is certainly appealing to most people’s eyes. Even with its modern style, its features do not take a backseat. It comes with a 10MP image size (honestly all you need), 4x optical zoom and impressive image stabilization.

For adventure seekers, Canon created an action-packed camera called the Canon PowerShot D10, which is waterproof up to 10 meters, freezeproof from -10 degrees Celsius, and shockproof up to 1.22 meters. This excellent camera has a 12 MP image size, 3x optical zoom, 2.5 inch LCD screen, and the ever-reliable image stabilization.

Proper Care and Maintenance

Just like with any other brand of digital camera, it is imperative that you take utmost care of your Canon digital camera repair. Even if Canon is known for its quality, it is still not invincible to wear and tear. You should always keep the camera protected from dust and sand. Try to ensure you never drop your camera or bang/bump it severely.

If you suspect any malfunction in your digicam, bring it immediately to a service center that has experience with Canon camera repair. If you prefer to do it yourself, look for a vendor selling genuine OEM Canon digital camera parts.

Producing high-quality photographs is not at all difficult with the excellent line of Canon PowerShot series. To ensure that you end up with the best choice that will meet your photography needs and requirements, review and compare different products before buying.

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H Series Cameras: Big Zoom & High Quality

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

We all know how important it is to have a quality camera to capture life’s memories, and a Sony camera is a great choice with which to do it. Sony is one of the pioneers of excellent digital camera technology. Sony has provided consumers with an excellent line of digital cameras that is equipped with the best optical and imaging technology that can capture your most prized memories with more detail, color and precision imaginable.

Every Sony digicam has an exclusive Sony technology that is able to boost your photo capturing experience. This line of Sony digital cameras allow high digital processing that reduces picture noise and delivers smoother and more detailed images. The Sony Cyber-shot ‘H’ series cameras are a very popular line.

The DSC- H1

The Cybershot DSC H1 offers a 12x zoom which is wonderful for close-up shots. It is generally considered as a well-thought-out design with a broad feature set and fast performance that can work well in almost all shooting situations. The DSC-H1 is a slightly larger body camera and this gives it a good sturdy feeling in the hand.

The DSC-H2

The DSC H2 comes with a 6 megapixel imager and a 2″ LCD. One very popular feature of the camera is Sony’s ‘Super Steady Shot’ image stabilization which greatly reduces blurry images. It also offers a high-light sensitivity setting of up to ISO 1000 which is very ideal for capturing moving objects and people with less blur and graininess. The shutter lag at both wide angle and telephoto zoom settings is very good in addition to the prefocus time (half-pressing and holding down the Sony DSC-H2 shutter button before exposure) which is very fast.

The DSC-H3

This Sony H3 model is a super compact 8 megapixel camera that has a powerful 10x optical zoom lens that is perfect for close-up shots. The ‘Sports’ shooting mode of the camera combines a high shutter speed along with continuous auto-focusing which allows you to capture every moment of that special sporting event or kids playing in the yard. This aspect helps reduce shutter lag by quickly focusing on fast moving objects.

The DSC-H5

The DSC-H5 has a 7.2 megapixel CCD imager and a three inch LCD screen and has a 12x optical zoom. It is capable of capturing distant shots and easy to use like a point-and-shoot camera. Additionally, the Sony anti-blur system provides the noise reduction technology that helps minimize picture noise which makes it easier to shoot at a faster shutter speed. This is very advantageous especially if you are taking a shot in low-light conditions.

Sony is definitely one of the widely known brands that produce high quality digital cameras with exceptional features and designs. While not all cameras belonging in this brand can serve your purpose, you can still be certain that a Sony digital camera can undoubtedly be a name that you can trust.

If you do decide to purchase a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H series camera, make sure you do some research on Google first regarding the Sony DSC-H5 shutter button repair first! The models after the DSC-H10 and up do not have this Sony shutter button repair problem.

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You Can Repair Your Canon SD Series Lens Barrier Covers Yourself!

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Many people have asked about repairing their front covers/flaps on their Canon PowerShot SD series cameras, so I’ve written up some instructions. The barrier kit on most Canon PowerShot SD series cameras is a little tricky but not impossible to replace yourself. All you need is some patience, a steady hand and a small tipped screwdriver. We’ve been using dental picks for some time, they do a good job!

To get things started, turn on the camera to extend the lens and then open the battery door and remove the battery so that the lens stays out. This allows you to easily work on the lens barrier assembly.

The first part that goes in is the barrel drive ring; it has a small part sticking down into the lens. Some cameras don’t have one, so if there isn’t one in your kit then your camera doesn’t need it. Be certain that it will rotate slightly after installation, otherwise it is probably not installed properly and can cause the lens to get jammed.

Next we will install the barrier plates or ‘flaps’ with the springs attached. Put one spring on each of the flaps, there are little tabs to hold them on. They are TINY, they are hard to hold and if you drop it… lets just say DON’T drop it on the carpet, ok? We do have just the springs available for purchase, but please try not to lose them.

Gently put the flap in the hole with the spring laying towards the post that the free end will mount on; then with something with a very small tip (we use dental picks!) gently grab the loop of the spring and stick it on its post.

If you do this with the lens covers or ‘flaps’ in the open position they will stay in place once you get them properly seated. If everything pops off, just start again. Do not stretch out the springs as they must remain tight or nothing will work properly.

Then gently put on the barrier cover, it’s a flat plastic ring. The tabs on the outer barrier cover match up with small slots in the lens housing and it will lock into place. Be gentle, don’t force anything too hard or you will break it and the parts will not hold it place.

Now you may test your repair prowess! Now we put the battery in and while crossing our fingers, turn the camera on! Is it working? Did it go flying across the room with a cute little *SPROING!* and maybe all the parts scattered all over the place? Yeah I hope not, but I’ve been there myself so you’re not alone.

Once you have it working smoothly …you’re almost done with your first camera repair!

Next put the dual sided tape on the barrier cover. CAUTION: Make sure to take the tape off of the backing paper but DON’T remove the paper that matches the shape of the tape on the other side!! Removing the small paper part will cause the tape to fold up on itself and stick together. Bye bye tape!

The tabs of the tape fold over the edges, if they stick out the lens cover will not fit properly and can jam up the lens. The tape lines up with one tab at about the 11 o’clock position, then fold the tabs over and press them in so they don’t stick out.

Now put on your chrome or black lens cap, line up the cap with the small indentation at the bottom, you’ll see how it goes on easily.

Fire up the camera again and admire your handywork! Good for you! You can now fix your camera all by yourself for only and the local “Geek Squad” said that it was either unfixable or would be 0 and take several weeks to complete.

Hmm… I think I’m seeing the beginning of something big here; affordable Canon digital camera repair

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