Canon A420 camera

[Adrian Tuddenham]

I have a three year old Canon A420 which has been working perfectly
until last week. Now pictures are coming out grossly over-exposed,
although they look satisfactory on the LCD screen right up to the point
where the release button is pressed.

Moving from light to dark subjects, the system adjusts the image on the
screen to the changes in light level in a normal manner. Holding the
release button half way down 'freezes' a satisfactory picture, but then,
after pressing it the rest of the way, the stored result is whited-out.

The storage card appears to work normally and an external card reader
allows me to store and retrieve other images undamaged.

By deliberately choosing dark subject matter or something which needs
flash, I can force the correct exposure. The picture then appears to
have a fine horizontal line structure imposed on it.


I have re-set the camera by removing both power and memory batteriea,
and fitted new batteries, but it makes no difference.

The camera has not been dropped or exposed to damp, although it was
recently subjected to unusually cold conditions whilst taking snow
photographs. The rotary function selector switch became very stiff and
then eased-up suddenly just when the fault appeared - but I do not see
any obvious connection between the two events.

Does the switch have multiple contacts? Any other suggestions?

 

[Meat Plow]

I have a three year old Canon A420 which has been working perfectly
until last week. Now pictures are coming out grossly over-exposed,
although they look satisfactory on the LCD screen right up to the point
where the release button is pressed.

Moving from light to dark subjects, the system adjusts the image on the
screen to the changes in light level in a normal manner. Holding the
release button half way down 'freezes' a satisfactory picture, but then,
after pressing it the rest of the way, the stored result is whited-out.

The storage card appears to work normally and an external card reader
allows me to store and retrieve other images undamaged.

By deliberately choosing dark subject matter or something which needs
flash, I can force the correct exposure. The picture then appears to
have a fine horizontal line structure imposed on it.


I have re-set the camera by removing both power and memory batteriea,
and fitted new batteries, but it makes no difference.

The camera has not been dropped or exposed to damp, although it was
recently subjected to unusually cold conditions whilst taking snow
photographs. The rotary function selector switch became very stiff and
then eased-up suddenly just when the fault appeared - but I do not see
any obvious connection between the two events.

Does the switch have multiple contacts? Any other suggestions?

Find someone who can repair it for less than a new camera would cost.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

Is this in all modes - Auto, Program, etc?

It seems to be.

Even using it with the manual exposure at its darkest setting gives
over-exposure and a coarse 'raster' effect.

I have now noticed that the display has a slight flicker which I don't
remember seeing before.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Adrian Tuddenham"

I have re-set the camera by removing both power and memory batteriea,

** The camera has no memory battery.

Any other suggestions?

** Try resetting the camera to all defaults.

See P28 of the "Advanced Use Guide".



..... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Adrian Tuddenham"

I have now noticed that the display has a slight flicker which I don't
remember seeing before.

** The LCD display flickers when pre-viewing a scene lit by fluoro lamps or
other light source with mains frequency intensity variations.



..... Phil

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

Possibly the sudden freeing up of the mode switch is the clue. It may
be "detached" and stuck in an inappropriate mode.

It seems to switch between modes normally, so at least one section of
the switch is working - but I agree it does seem the first place to
look.

I have found two other references on the Web from people who have
experienced the same fault - but neither of them appeared to have found
a solution.

Basically with the cost of these device dropping continuously you will
find - as we have - that repair is not a cost-effective alternative to
replacement. That said, you have littlle to lose by disassembling it
(not trivial) and exploring the internals with special attention to
the mode switch.

That's going to be my first plan of action. I notice there is a camera
repair shop in London which claims to do economically-priced repairs on
this model.

My problem with buying a new camera is that I may not be able to get a
suitable card reader which works with my current Mac OS 8.6 system - and
I cannot change the OS because all my business software runs on it.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

My problem with buying a new camera is that I may not be able to get a
suitable card reader which works with my current Mac OS 8.6 system - and
I cannot change the OS because all my business software runs on it.

Can you be more specific? That would place it as a late Power Mac, or an early
G3.

This is going to become more and more of a problem, as your 10 year old plus
computer starts to fail and parts are no longer available. Besides keeping
lots of backups, you should investigate either alternate hardware or spares.

I was given a beige G3 the other day, cleaned it up and gave it to a friend
who uses one for his daily writing. His is starting to fail and now he has a
"hot spare". The cost was zero to him, and the owner was glad to see it not
end up in the recycle bin.

Cost of full refurbishement, which I did not do, would have been a $10
battery, and a new(er) floppy drive. Most just need to be taken apart, cleaned
and lubricated, but this one has an electrical problem too, so I would have
to get one from another less functional computer.

I do this as a "good deed" and I'm sure you could find someone who would be
able to help you in your area.

Note that there is a program called SheepShaver that will run on a modern
Mac and let you boot MacOS in a "virtual machine". You can boot your OS 8.6
under it and run your software.

While you are asking around for spares, you may want to ask about that too.

Geoff.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

Can you be more specific? That would place it as a late Power Mac, or an early
G3.

The system runs on a collection of beige G3s linked by Appletalk. The
main business workhorse is ClarisWorks 4.

This is going to become more and more of a problem, as your 10 year old plus
computer starts to fail and parts are no longer available. Besides keeping
lots of backups, you should investigate either alternate hardware or spares.

I have a shed full of spares and a lot of backup drives.

Cost of full refurbishement, which I did not do, would have been a $10
battery, and a new(er) floppy drive.

You can use a stack of much cheaper coin cells if you machine up a brass
slug to fill the remaining space in the battery holder. These G3s have
ATA drives as well as the original SCSI ones. so replacements are no
problem.

Note that there is a program called SheepShaver that will run on a modern
Mac and let you boot MacOS in a "virtual machine". You can boot your OS 8.6
under it and run your software.

I do have an Intel iMac which would take Sheepshaver, but I have been
told it still wouldn't allow me too use Pub&Sub, which is what links all
my sales software together. No only that, but the iMac won't work on an
Appletalk network, in the past I have had to transfer files to it using
FTP. It sits in a corner, switched off and effectively useless, while
the G3s do most of the work.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

"Adrian Tuddenham"



** The camera has no memory battery.

This one does, it is a 1220 coin cell in a little plastic clip at the
opposite end from the main battery door.

** Try resetting the camera to all defaults.

Tried it - no difference.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

Possibly the sudden freeing up of the mode switch is the clue. It may
be "detached" and stuck in an inappropriate mode.

Basically with the cost of these device dropping continuously you will
find - as we have - that repair is not a cost-effective alternative to
replacement. That said, you have littlle to lose by disassembling it
(not trivial) and exploring the internals with special attention to
the mode switch.

I've taken it apart and discovered that the mode switch is a robust
single pole type with nothing to suggest a fault. The click mechanism
is outside the main casing underneath the operating knob and I suspect
that it became stiff when some dirt got into that part of it.

I have put the camera back together and it operate exactly as before.

Next step is to contact the camera repairers in London, when they come
back after the Bank Holiday, and ask for an estimate.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Adrian Tuddenham"


** The advice for your problem is that the shutter is stuck open causing
over exposure on bright subjects.



..... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Adrian Tuddenham"

This one does, it is a 1220 coin cell in a little plastic clip at the
opposite end from the main battery door.

** Then the camera was made prior to 2006.

Musta been old stock when you bought it.


.... Phil

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

Good luck with that (sincerely). You may also be able to locate a
pre-loved A420/430 for the same sort of cost.

I'll let you know how I get on.

SD/MMC? Close to standard for very many cameras.

We have a couple of Canons here (A200 and A540), chosen for quick
point-n-shoot duty. They were selected because of key features on my
shopping list - AA batteries, macro, USB interfacing, etc etc - if you
start the hunt for a replacement with a "must-have" feature list
you'll surely have some success. (We don't read the card to retrieve
pics, we use ZB and the USB ports only).

That was a problem I had with the A420, the Mac could see the USB port
on the camera but the camera wouldn't allow access to the data without
its own software running on the Mac OS - and the drivers supplied by
Canon didn't work on OS 8.6

I solved the problem with a cheap USB card reader.

A friend has recently bought a card reader to use with her Sony camera
on Mac OS 8.6 and discovered theat it won't work because they now put
the reader software in the computer, not in the reader and ...guess
what... the card software won't run on OS 8.6 !

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

A friend has recently bought a card reader to use with her Sony camera
on Mac OS 8.6 and discovered theat it won't work because they now put
the reader software in the computer, not in the reader and ...guess
what... the card software won't run on OS 8.6 !

This may be of interest to you:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1238?viewlocale=en_US

It was the last USB update that will run on MacOS 8.6 and it states what will
and will not work.

Geoff.

 

[Meat Plow]

"Adrian Tuddenham"


** The advice for your problem is that the shutter is stuck open causing
over exposure on bright subjects.

Only if it had a shutter.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

This may be of interest to you:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1238?viewlocale=en_US

It was the last USB update that will run on MacOS 8.6 and it states what will
and will not work.

Thanks, I have installed it on my machine and will send a copy to the
friend who was having trouble with the card reader. I suspect the
problem will still be that her card reader needs its own software in the
computer.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

"Adrian Tuddenham"



** Then the camera was made prior to 2006.

Musta been old stock when you bought it.

It was - but the price was right.

 

[Adrian Tuddenham]

"Adrian Tuddenham"


** The advice for your problem is that the shutter is stuck open causing
over exposure on bright subjects.

That seems to be the most likely cause. I have found a firm that will
repair it (with a guarantee) for £72, so that is my least-bad option.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Meathead Blowhard"

Only if it had a shutter.

** **** off - IMBECILE !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Phil Allison]

"Adrian Tuddenham"

Phil Allison



It was - but the price was right.

** So it is NOT a 3 year old camera at all but may be up to 13 years old.

Just that YOU have owned it for 3 years.



..... Phil