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CANON powershot A70 with black screen

Discussion in 'Digital photography' started by saabdrvr, Sep 29, 2005.

  1. saabdrvr

    saabdrvr Member

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    Flash works, makes click noise when pressed; goes through all the motions that would normally happen when taking a picture, but...

    No image on screen/viewfinder, just blackness. Turning wheel to other modes makes no difference. On landscape, the screen has horizontal white bars on top and bottom to show stretched black rectangle. So that leads me to believe the screen works, it's the lens that went bad?

    Can still download all pics on memory, even the black ones that turn out now. Anyone know about this problem, and/or how I can fix/troubleshoot it?

    Repair service wants $100 just to look at it! Please help!
     
  2. Hmmmh

    Hmmmh Regular member

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    What's your picture count? Sensors aren't made to last forever...

    Can you see any menus?
     
  3. saabdrvr

    saabdrvr Member

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    Don't know total picture count, but has to be less than 1000. Can't see any menus, letters, anything...just black. Even when you take a pic of an extremely lit setting, not a shade lighter, just black.
     
  4. Hmmmh

    Hmmmh Regular member

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    If you can't see anything, it has to be electronic failure and if your pictures turn out black, it doesn't sound good.

    It's not only in the display, it has to be somewhere else also. But not in optics, I would think.

    What happend to it?

    Is there a possibility of moisture inside? Or have you dropped it?
     
  5. saabdrvr

    saabdrvr Member

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    The camera is my girlfried's. I'm sure she must have dropped it a few times or got moisture to it...I don't know. But what I do know is that I"m not letting her pay at least $100 to fix hers, if that's the case I would like to know if there's anything I can do to fix it...otherwise we need to buy another camera. Any good suggestions (keeping in mind price)? We're going to Europe in two weeks, would like to have one to take with us on our trip.
     
  6. flatom

    flatom Member

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    I have the same problem. It turns out a lot of other people do, too. See http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/canon-powershot-a70-reviews.html. It looks like the options are 1) pay ~$100+ for repair, 2) use it as a paperweight. Bummer. My camera has lasted longer than most of the posters at that thread since I've had it 2 1/2 years though it has set on the shelf for most of that time. I don't use a camera regularly.
     
  7. saabdrvr

    saabdrvr Member

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    Sorry [bold]flatom[/bold], your link didn't work. But it's good to know it wasn't something I did wrong. Funny, we just picked up another A70 for a good deal on Ebay for our trip this weekend. Hopefully this one won't have that problem too, but oh well, even if it does, I didn't pay much for it. I want to make good use of the 1GB CF card we have to use now. Anyone have any good suggestions on a different camera that still uses CF memory? Or is the Canon Powershot lineup the only ones? Maybe I can keep it in mind for if this camera gives up on us too.
     
  8. flatom

    flatom Member

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    The link contained the trailing period at the end of my sentence. This should do it for anyone interested.
    http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/canon-powershot-a70-reviews.html

    After submitting my previous post I saw something by a professional reviewer who said the A70 had a CCD design flaw. Reviews at the above site for the later model A series cameras don't mention this problem so it appears that Canon got it fixed. I checked reviews of the later A series cameras at that site & the CCD problem, at least, was not mentioned.

    I loved my A70 until this problem occurred so I think I'll buy a later model. I, too, would be interested to know of a better camera for the money if there is one.
     
  9. flatom

    flatom Member

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    I called Canon's customer support today, 800-828-4040, and told them I have the CCD problem. I asked if I had an upgrade option available, as was mentioned at http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/canon-powershot-a70-reviews.html They offered me a refurbished A510 for $99 + S&H. I've owned my A70 for 28 months so warranty had nothing to do with their offer. I took them up on it.

    I loved my A70 while it was working. The A510 appears to be a good camera with similar features & menus. I couldn't buy as good a camera anywhere for that price. I'm satified.
     
  10. Fatefaith

    Fatefaith Member

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    Hey I got the same shitty problem now my camera wont work all!!!
    I called up Cannon they wouldint even comfirm the problem. they just told me to send it into their store and theyll see what they can do. Its Complete B.S.
     
  11. fan_a70

    fan_a70 Member

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  12. saabdrvr

    saabdrvr Member

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    Thanks so much for your link. I will be sure to send the camera in for repairs. Turns out the A70 I got on Ebay has the same problem, hopefully they'll fix both for free.

    Word to the wise...do NOT follow the intructions on the review page for the do-it-yourself fix without making sure you only tighten the screw a [bold]little bit[/bold], not all the way. I did that, and it fried the internal board! Hopefully I can still send it in to Canon and they'll diagnose it as a CCD problem and repair it anyway.
     
  13. amatures

    amatures Member

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