Canon S2IS problem---help

[DreDaze]

hey everyone...well i've just started having a problem with my camera, when i turn it on, it starts off fine, however after i take a photo, the viewfinder remains black...however all the menu items are still there...when i turn it off/on it goes back to normal...i'm thinking that it might have something to do with the batteries, as they haven't been holding a charge very well...and when i do charge them, the shut-off doesn't happen anymore, so they get hot..i'm hoping this is it...just want to know if i need it fixed, cause i'm heading to costa rica in 2 weeks, and have been looking forward to getting some good photos...thanks for any info

[jennyb]

Seems to me the obvious next step is to throw in some alkaline batteries and see if your problem goes away.

[DreDaze]

Seems to me the obvious next step is to throw in some alkaline batteries and see if your problem goes away.


that didn't work...guess i was wrong on that one...anyone else have any clues?

[nwyman]

are you sure you didn't inadvertantly turn off the "display" feature? I've done this myself, so I just wonder......

[kawwauser]

sounds like a stuck shutter problem

read the fourth post down
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=276883

[DreDaze]

sounds like a stuck shutter problem

read the fourth post down
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=276883

yeah thats definitely it...but it's more like a sticky shutter problem right now...every time i turn the camera on, it opens up fine...and after i take a photo or two it sticks...been messing around with it for a while, and it's been doing a lot better...how did your ordeal end up?

[augray]

I have had my S3 LCD go black. I have snapped it shut just a bit hard and also sort of tightened those little screws around it. That has helped mine so far to come back on, but maybe some day it will just not work at all.

[dorth]

...when i turn it on, it starts off fine, however after i take a photo, the viewfinder remains black...however all the menu items are still there...when i turn it off/on it goes back to normal...

My S2 IS is experiencing almost the exact same problem, except it is in full-time failure mode. No amount of jiggling or power cycling will "open the shutter", but the LCD and EVF display the menus just fine.

There is a factory reset (hold the "Menu" button down for 5 seconds), but that didn't solve the problem either.

I'm having it sent back to Canon to see what the problem is and if they can fix it "economically" or not. According to my image counter, I'm just over 9,000 pictures.

I'll report back what Canon says.

Dave O

[mopardog]

this sure sounds like what is wrong with my camera! does anyone know how hard it is to get it fixed. i see dorth sent it back to canon and i wonder what the verdict was.

[dorth]

this sure sounds like what is wrong with my camera! does anyone know how hard it is to get it fixed. i see dorth sent it back to canon and i wonder what the verdict was.

Canon said $150 to fix it. So I said go for it. When "my" camera returned, it had morphed into a remanufactured S3IS. No explanation from Canon on what was wrong with the S2, but I suppose I was willing to pay $150 to get it fixed, so getting a remanufactured S3 was just fine with me.

Sorry for not posting back on this earlier.

Dave O

[mopardog]

interesting. i got an email back from canon that it would cost $119 + $8 shipping just to send it off. or my other option was to pay 175 for a trade for a refurbished S3IS. the truth is that although i have had canons for the past 15 years (film and digital, probably 7 or 8 cameras) i hate this one (the s2IS). all my pix are very blurry unless they are pretty far away, i can't do closeups and since i have a website and need to photograph products, i am totally frustrated. my old powershot without the zoom was awesome. but i want a zoom. anyway, i don't know that i want to get involved with canon again. my camera is only 17 months old! i am a little gunshy.

thanks for the response. what do you think of the S3IS?

[DreDaze]

interesting. i got an email back from canon that it would cost $119 + $8 shipping just to send it off. or my other option was to pay 175 for a trade for a refurbished S3IS. the truth is that although i have had canons for the past 15 years (film and digital, probably 7 or 8 cameras) i hate this one (the s2IS). all my pix are very blurry unless they are pretty far away, i can't do closeups and since i have a website and need to photograph products, i am totally frustrated. my old powershot without the zoom was awesome. but i want a zoom. anyway, i don't know that i want to get involved with canon again. my camera is only 17 months old! i am a little gunshy.

thanks for the response. what do you think of the S3IS?


can't do close-ups?..how close are you trying to shoot?...have you tried the macro mode at all...i've got quite a few great shots...also super macro is great for really close close-ups...my camera is actually better now...knock on wood...but i'm looking to buy a new one soon anyways

[mopardog]

can't do close-ups?..how close are you trying to shoot?...have you tried the macro mode at all...i've got quite a few great shots...also super macro is great for really close close-ups...

i'd say maybe 6 ft or so. probably 50% of all my pix shot at that distance are blurry enough that they are not usable. this has been a problem since i got this camera. comparing it to the powershot i had before, i have been very disappointed. i have used macro, supermacor, etc.

[Jon]

Are you using the maximum zoom then to get your closeups? And are you hand holding the camera or using a tripod? If you're using the longer focal lengths without a tripod, you're probably seeing camera shake. Try moving closer and using a tripod to accommodate the slower shutter speeds. Camera shake is more pronounced with long focal lengths - at the S2's maximum zoom, you'd need to use around 1/500 sec. or faster to minimize shake.

[dorth]

interesting. i got an email back from canon that it would cost $119 + $8 shipping just to send it off.

I took the camera to a local shop who collects a $25 deposit to have the camera evaluated by Canon. If I chose not to have it serviced, I'd lose my $25. If I elect to have it serviced, then they apply the $25 to the cost of service.

...i hate this one (the s2IS). all my pix are very blurry unless they are pretty far away, i can't do closeups and since i have a website and need to photograph products, i am totally frustrated.Wow, I've never had any issues. I've used mine predominantly for sports photography (with a TC), so most of mine are far away shots at long focal lengths. However, it has had a fair bit of in-home use and I don't have that issue. Maybe you can clarify if by "blurry" you mean "out of focus" on the object of interest, or if you mean everything in the image is motion blurred. One is a focus issue, the other is a camera motion issue. One feature I actually appreciate is that the flash doesn't automatically pop up. However, this could lead to low shutter speed shots which would be motion blurred.

iwhat do you think of the S3IS?I moved to a Canon 30D and 70-200 F2.8 and TC this season so really haven't shot the S3 at all. I must say, however, that I'm amazed at the shot's I've been able to get with my old S2 and the TC. For the $500 investment, it's an amazing setup. The S3 gives you a few more megapixels, but with that big zoom, I rarely have to crop much. The S3 also has higher ISO (800 I believe), but I haven't seen how usable ISO 800 is. I found ISO 400 on the S2 to be unacceptable in regards to noise, and ISO 200 fairly bad. But given ample light, the S2 rocks, and I suspect the S3 would be just a bit better than the S2.

Dave O

[MusicallySilent]

The S3 IS is a pretty incredible camera for the 250 I paid for it, I took it to alaska and took several shots of whales, most of them weren't the best but it was raining and overcast so I can't blame the camera.

Your images could also be blurry due to digital zoom if you use it, also note that as you zoom (s3 IS does this not sure about S2) it will tell you focusing distance, perhaps you are too close to subject and it can't focus at that range, try macro and super macro out also.

I only have blurry shots with long shutter speeds, I hand held at full zoom at about 1/160th using shot only IS and my shots came out very sharp for this camera.

[LowerO]

DreDaze did you ever get this resolved? My S2is has just started doing the same thing (24 months old) and having researched it appears that it's a very common failure of the camera - the iris seizes and doesn't open. Setting the camera to AV mode, 15 sec exposure, firing the shutter and then opening the battery cover sometimes solves it, albeit temporarily. The S1is had a recall based on the CCD failure, but so far Canon have refused to do anything with the S2is. I contacted them last week in the UK, and the response was "tough"! I'm very p***ed off with them - it cost me £400. Hoping that eventually it will be recalled and I'll get it fixed.

[DreDaze]

DreDaze did you ever get this resolved?


the short answer...no...but as long as i'm using my camera quite often it doesn't seem to stick...and if i go a while without using it..the way that i've been fixing it is to put it into the burst mode...and fire off quite a few shots...that normally keeps it from sticking from then on...so i'm still able to use it almost as if it didn't exist...and i never tried to get it fixed by canon or anyone else...as i've been thinking of getting an DSLR anyways...i still think the camera is awesome...just the low light noise was getting to me...but i plan on keeping it still...and i'll probably use it until the shutter sticks forever..

[powerhots2]

Do a Google search for "Powershot Black screen of Death".
Im suffering from the same thing on my S2. Currently on it's way to Canon. Gonna fight tooth and nail to get this resolved without any cost to me. 7 months out of warranty and it craps out. Seems to be happening to all of them after about 18 months.:evil:

Just an update..Received my camera back today friday March 14th after they received it on monday. I was wondering what was going on as I did not hear from them at all until today. I received a letter in the mail and my camera from ups the same day. My faith was restored as my camera is fixed and also at no cost. Maybe the squeeky wheel gets the grease as I complained that I was unhappy with the first response from Canon that I was going to be charged for this repair. The optical assembly was replaced and the camera is now working. Well now I don't know if I want to take a chance on upgrading to a Powershot S5 IS. I was ready to, until I had this issue with my S2. Guess I'll really have to think that over.