Moderate temperamental camera issue...

[Jason Green]

Evening all,

I am still using my first 'proper' wildlife-photographic camera - a FujiFilm S5600 prosumer camera. I have taken approx 50k photos (only a fraction kept, mind!) since I bought it in Dec 2006, but I now have intermittent issues with some buttons...

Well, the issue affects the navigation buttons that are grouped together, the zoom and Electronic View Finder toggle-switch.

I'll lay the issue out in bullet points:

• No zoom in-out on live-view, but works on preview/play-back
• All navigation buttons cease to function in live-view and playback
• Menu in live-view and playback

...but then after half-an-hour of trying, I'll be able to zoom-in on playback and live-view, but if I zoom-in on a photo I've just taken and use the up-arrow to pan, suddenly the photo will pan by itself to the top (and if I get to the menu then it will scroll by itself too) then freezes, which means I have to turn the camera off - and when I try to use the menu/navigation buttons or zoom in live-view it all freezes again for another half-an-hour!

Here's what I've tried to fix the problem:

• Charge the batteries/replace with others
• Remove batteries
• Re-format card/re-set the system (which works briefly)

Both the last methods worked briefly, but then the same-old issue arose. I am pretty sure it is system-based on an intermittent-basis as opposed to the zoom motor/button contacts internally, so if anyone reading this have an ingenious tip for a repair here I'd be eternally grateful

Thanks for reading.

Take care,

Jason

[Meta menardi]

They are a good range of cameras. Save your pennies for a new one, equipment you can't rely on is very disappointing to work with. You have had a good deal out of it.

[squishy]

Perhaps it's just started to reach the end of it's usable life?

Over 3 years isn't bad.

[Jason Green]

Thank both.

I've been looking at the S9600... manual twist-barrel zoom (so I assume better battery life with no zoom motor?), rotating LCD and I think a filter thread? Still, I'm hoping to get a USB microscope first, then I'll think about it.

I've been able to use the zoom OK today, though with intermittent failure initially. It then seems to be OK after a period of inactivity, then after a while of working the buttons stop functioning again.

[Doggle Avaddit]

Hi Jason.

There's a chance that the up-arrow button is sticking ON. I don't know your camera at all, but often on equipment with buttons, pressing and holding one down means no other buttons can be used until you let go, or giving unpredictable results when changing menus. Or it could be any other button or control sticking on.

Do any of them feel a bit iffy - not as clicky? Are any slidey springy type ones not quite returning to (zero) where they should when you let go? (My zoom lever picked up a piece of fine sand, and wouldn't spring return properly to its centre point. Nothing would work on the camera until you manually centred it)


If it is a button problem, all you could hope to do is try to clean it by pressing it hard lots of times, or somehow cleaning out the crud like on my zoom lever.
I couldn't find any way to update the firmware, so a bug or crash in the software is not fixable.

[Jason Green]

Evening Doggle.

The UP arrow is used frequently, as this is the one that I use to select Crop, or to Delete a single image - both of which are used in the field as well as when I go through those I've taken back at home following a field trip prior to transferring to my PC. The UP button sits at the top of a four-way rocker-switch surrounding OK/Enter.

I'll keep fiddling with it, and see if there's any dirt to dislodge. I haven't found any firmware either.

Thanks for your help!

[Doggle Avaddit]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Evening Doggle.

The UP arrow is used frequently, as this is the one that I use to select Crop, or to Delete a single image - both of which are used in the field as well as when I go through those I've taken back at home following a field trip prior to transferring to my PC. The UP button sits at the top of a four-way rocker-switch surrounding OK/Enter.

I'll keep fiddling with it, and see if there's any dirt to dislodge. I haven't found any firmware either.

Thanks for your help!

Actually Jason, you're not averse to dismantling things are you? I seem to remember you taking apart your laptop when your solid state hard drive broke.

If it was my camera and all external fiddling failed, I would try and squirt switch cleaner into the switches any way I could. Occasionally you can achieve this by squirting it around the actuator buttons without having to dismantle anything at all, hoping it will eventually migrate to the right place, and hoping it doesn't trash the LCD

(Do NOT use WD40, get some proper switch cleaner from an electronics store)

[Jason Green]

Actually, now I think about it I have been doing a lot of searching under slabs/logs recently (it's a whole new world, should get even better as the season goes on!) which has resulted in my camera getting a fair bit of grit on the topper-most surface/buttons from when I had to photograph something... maybe I should have put the camera in a clear bag or something. I lost the same camera for 24hrs due to an icicle dripping into the power button a year ago.

Hopefully it'll find it's way out as you suggest. I'll keep you updated. Thanks again!

[squishy]

The S9600 is good for manual focus.

The manual focus wheel isn't actually connected to the focus elements though. It electronically tells the camera to move the focus backwards or forwards. The manual zoom is very nice. It makes it quicker and easier on the battery. I nearly always use the EVF now as well, it adds a fair bit on to the battery life. The fold out screen tilts up or down, no sideways tilt, but I never want that anyway.

It has a proper command dial thingy for changing aperture/shutterspeed/exp. comp. It does use a 58mm filter thread, which is a very common size.

I don't know if your old camera had these, but the S9600 also has the full complement of semi/manual modes (MASP).

I nearly always use the Aperture priority.

The button layout is more akin to an entry level DSLR, with nearly all regular functions having a specific button.

I doubt you'd be disappointed with it.

Though I doubt the ISO performance and sharpness of the optics would be any better than your old S5600.

Shame you can't wait another 6-9 months for me to sell mine .

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by squishy

Shame you can't wait another 6-9 months for me to sell mine .

Whatcher thinking of getting then, 'squishy'?

Jim