Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

#2 Broken Digital Camera Problem? Lens Repair!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Digital camera lens repair is as common as LCD repair, but it’s #2 on my list because it’s harder to repair a digital camera lens and there are so many different types of lens problems whereas a broken LCD is a broken LCD no matter how you look at it.

Basic Lens Care Tips:

- Do not leave the batteries in your camera in the camera bag. The power button can be pressed accidentally causing the lens to extend and get jammed because it cannot open properly inside the bag.
- Refrain from dropping the camera when it’s on or off.
- Don’t ever pull or twist on a lens that is not working 100% properly, you will just break it.

I would have to write a book to fully explain lens problems fully (hmm.. what a great idea!) so I will do what I can to make this easy to follow and as helpful as possible.

The lens is made up of many different parts… Let’s start with the several pieces of glass referred to as the lens elements. The outer lens element is prone to being scratched and scuffed, and usually has a special coating on it that you DO NOT want to clean off with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), or Windex or something similar. Nothing to worry about if it’s not there, it’s not a big deal. Try to always have a clean lens (how do finger prints get on the glass anyway??) & free from wear.

The inner-most lens element is responsible for the fine focus and resides directly in front of the CCD. When you press the shutter button half way down to focus, this part moves forwards and backwards till it’s in the correct position and your image is in focus. You won’t be messing with this part of the lens… unless you feel like removing the lens from the camera and then tearing down the lens to get at it’s ‘guts’. It can be pretty fun the first time it happens, but… I wish you luck getting it back together properly. The tearing apart stuff is great, the putting it back together is a drag!

The lens has two small motors with their own gears that connect to the two main parts of the lens. The larger motor drives the lens barrel in and out when zooming. The smaller motor drives the fine focus element mentioned above and controls the focus. If you get ONE GRAIN of sand in these gears, they will jam and the lens will “error out” as we like to say. Open it up and clean it out if you like, but it’s not easy. The larger of the two lens motors usually has 4-5 different gears that if misaligned will cause the lens to jam. If the lens is already jammed up, you might as well try and see if it works, right?

Then there is the CCD, “charge-coupled device” which translates the light that enters the lens into a digital signal that the camera can record.

There was a very large CCD recall for Sony camera lens repair over the past few years that covers many manufacturers like Canon, Fuji and Nikon and not just Sony, but Sony provided the CCDs to many other manufacturers for their cameras so they do have a large amount of defective cameras on the list themselves. The defective CCD’s cause the camera to take solid black photos, or purple/pink “dripping paint” photos, or they have repeating white horizontal or verticle lines on the images. If yours has this problem then you can call up the company that made it and ask if they are still honoring the CCD recall even if your camera is 4-5 years old! IF it’s on the list, you might get your camera repaired for free.

Got spots on your images that get bigger and smaller as you zoom in and out? Most likely there is a spec of dust on your CCD. You will need to remove the lens and then remove the CCD from the back of the lens and clean it off. Don’t lose the gasket that goes around the CCD, don’t get any other dirt inside the lens and don’t leave any fingerprints! Tall order I know, sorry, I’m demanding. =)

Let’s see… what else? Your lens is part way out, stuck at an angle because the camera was dropped while turned on. Now please read that carefully; the lens must be stuck part way out or all the way out, and one section of the lens MUST be stuck at an angle. The lens must not move freely at all for this section to apply, and you may follow this advice AT YOUR OWN RISK. The following repair trick works, but I am not responsible for your actions or anything you do to your camera.

Ok, it’s stuck at an angle and you want to try and repair your camera lens yourself. No problem.

Hold the camera with the angled part of the lens resting against the edge of a table, and the rest of the camera hanging over the side. Do not place the camera facing down with the “Canon Zoom Lens…” metallic front section down flat on the counter. The round part of the lens barrel is what we want on the flat surface of the table. Now… here is the tricky part… press the angled part of the lens back into alignment by pushing down on the lens on the edge of the table. Put your fingers on the LENS below the angled part to support it and press firmly but still gently (how do I do that? I don’t know.. you just do it) and the lens will either POP!! back where it belongs and the lens will work again or it won’t move and no harm will be done, or worst case scenario one of the guide pins that move inside a small slot inside the lens will break and the lens will be ruined.

I told you it was at your own risk!! Camera repair is awesome… right?

Ok, how are we feeling about lenses? I think we have covered most of the basic problems, and possible solutions. If you want to buy a lens for your camera there are several ways to do it which include calling the manufacturer; but they will want $125+ for the lens, guaranteed.

Do a Google search for “digital camera repair” and you will see at #1 the only site that has affordable digital camera repair and DIY parts… Darntoothysam.com!

Why Is It So Hard To Design a Good Digital Camera?

Sunday, February 21st, 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 can be annoying… the thin plastic battery doors are molded from one small drop of plastic and some are so thin that they break extremely easily, (Canon Powershot SD750 battery door .. don’t get me started!) making your camera useless. What were they thinking when they designed this?? Did ANYBODY test this thing? Why didn’t anyone ever stop and ask why it was that way?

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 DSC-H5 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? Broken shutter 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. I bought cameras by the 100’s and repaired what I could and then parted out the rest. I sold all those annoying little parts that you cannot buy anywhere for dirt cheap! ten dollars for a battery cover that can be installed in 5 seconds by just snapping 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…

Even if you don’t find the item you need right away don’t quit, keep searching. 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 can honestly be that inexpensive as most battery covers are only fifteen to twenty dollars.

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

Sony H Series Digital Cameras: High Zoom and Great Quality

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

One of the best ways to capture your memories forever is through photographs and there is no better way to do it than with a Sony digital camera. Sony is at the forefront of digital camera development. 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.

All Sony digital cameras are designed with ease of use and quality photography in mind. The entire H series line of cameras have image processing that reduces picture noise and gives you clear, detailed images. One very popular series of Sony digital cameras are the ‘H’ series 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. It is also ideal for capturing movement as you will be able to take a snapshot of every touchdown as it also includes Sony’s advanced sports shooting mode which combines high shutter speed shooting and continuous auto-focusing. This aspect helps reduce shutter lag by quickly focusing on fast moving objects.

The DSC-H5

The DSC-H5 has a 7.2 MP image size and a 3″ LCD 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. Not every Sony camera will suit your needs but there is bound to be at least one camera that will, and Sony is a name 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.

Repair That Canon Powershot SD Camera Broken Lens Barrier Yourself!

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Many people have asked about repairing their front covers/flaps on their Canon PowerShot SD series cameras, so I’ve written up some instructions. Our lens barrier repair kit is a little tricky to replace on Canon SD series cameras but definately not impossible for you to do yourself. You will need patience, a good eye and a steady hand as well as a small 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. Make sure it rotates slightly once it has been inserted, otherwise it’s not in properly and can jam the lens.

Next we will install the barrier plates or ‘flaps’ with the springs attached. There is a small little tab that holds the spring in place when you put it on the ‘flap’ or ‘barrier plate’ as they are actually called. They are TINY, they are hard to hold and if you drop it… please take my advice and don’t drop it, ok? If you do lose some springs, we have them available on their own in our store for you to purchase.

Carefully put the cover or ‘flap’ in the hole with the spring pointing towards the post where the other end will connect, and then with something with a tiny and pointy tip (we use dental picks!) gently grab the loop of the spring and stick it on its post.

Do this with the flaps in the open position, they will stay in place if you get them seated properly. 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. There are tabs on the barrier cover, they match up with little slots on the lens and it locks 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 *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 it’s working nicely …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!! If you take off the small paper part it will ruin the tape because it will fold and stick to itself. Bye bye tape!

The tabs fold over the edge, don’t let them stick out or the lens cover won’t fit and the lens will jam. 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! Congratulations you now know more about Canon camera repair than the Geek Squad, and they told you it would be two hundred dollars and take 3-4 weeks to repair. Whatever Geek Squad… Whatever.

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

Wedding Photography is an Art

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

As far as creativity is concerned, Brisbane wedding photography has come a long way. Taking pictures has become an art. Certainly,the lenses and camera play a great role in capturing the great images but the right passion and feelings captured depends upon the photographer’s imagination and artistic ability. London wedding photographers stand out in this art and recognize the elements involved in capturing the perfect look and that too without the need of posturing in front of a camera.

The art of wedding photography involves capturing the nervous energy along with the love, feeling of anticipation and coyness of the bride that makes taking pictures a pleasure both for the photographer and the memories captured by his camera. West Sussex wedding photographers do keep in mind the importance of using a right type of Brisbane portrait photography equipments, but they also believe that eventually it is the right moment captured by the camera that makes the complete wedding occasion so beautiful and memorable.

Brisbane wedding photography as a profession was not pursued by many. However, nowadays change in trends have been witnessed with the rising demands of London and Brisbane wedding photographer . Some of the main features of the wedding photography include beauty photography, fine art photography, fashion photography and portrait photography.

Most wedding photographers experiment with some styles and forms while some mainly focus on a particular style creating their own niche. Further, many photographers like to use complicated equipments while some use simple ones yet produce breathtaking pictures.

In today’s world wedding photography has grown beyond the traditional group, staged or posed and close-up photographs. A good wedding photographer makes sure that with every real and correct moment is captured. Remember that appointing a good professional wedding photographer means that you will get much more than just the pictures, you will get masterpieces of art.

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