Fried Chip?

[wleshrick]

Hi All
Any advice would be really appreciated. I have had a Canon A20 for about three years, wonderful service, great camera. Suddenly in the last few weeks, it has started playing up. Indoor shots are grainy and outdoors are just plain impossible. I have attached a photo as an example below, it seems to be overexposing the image. I have also attached all the image data from this particular shot, taken a few minutes ago, outside in the sun.
Camera was an auto. Am I coorect in assuming that the cameras sensor has gone for a loop, and if so, is it time to bin it? or can it be repaired. Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
Rick

Image description
Artist
Copyright
Make Canon
Model Canon PowerShot A20
Orientation upper left
X resolution 180
Y resolution 180
Datetime 2005:02:20 13:40:51
YCbCr positioning centered
Exposure time 1/160 s
F-number 8
Date/time original 2005:02:20 13:40:51
Date/time digitized 2005:02:20 13:40:51
Component config YCbCr
Shutter speed value 0.006291 s
Aperture value 6
Exposure bias value 0
Max. aperture value 2.97086
Subject distance 65.5 m
Metering mode Pattern
Flash No
Focal length 5.41 mm
User comment
Colorspace sRGB
Pixel X dimension 1600
Pixel Y dimension 1200
Focal plane X res. Unknown
Focal plane Y res. Unknown
Focal plane res. unit inch
Sensing method One-chip color area sensor


http://www.avea.co.uk/docs/example.jpg

[hoganlo]

Did you ever get an answer on the cause or how to fix this? I have the same problem. Canon of course acknowledges nothing about it. THanks!