Weird G7 Problem?

[jamesbeat]

I bought a G7 on ebay and it arrived the other day.
After playing with it for a while, I discovered a couple of weird problems.
The seller has offered me a full refund, but I just want to check it's not something that I'm doing wrong or something that can easily be fixed because I like the camera and would like to keep it if possible.

There may be stuff I haven't discovered yet, but here are the symptoms that I have found:

1. The flash does not work. Pressing the flash button should cycle through flash modes, but it does nothing when I press it. The button itself works because I am able to use it to navigate menus, but does nothing when in shooting mode.

2. The flash also doesn't fire when I put the camera in 'night scene' mode. This mode should force the flash but it doesn't. Interestingly, I get the camera shake warning, as if the camera knows the flash will not fire.

3. Automatic bracketing mode doesn't work. I can select it, and the icon is displayed on the screen, but the icon is grey not white and I only get one shot per press of the shutter.

I thought that maybe the camera thinks there is an external flash attached and has thus disabled the built in one, but the microswitch in the hotshoe looks like it's functioning properly.
I don't know if this would cause these symptoms, especially the loss of bracketing, as I have no similar camera to compare it to.

Has anyone got any ideas? I love the camera and I got it for a good price, so I'd rather not have to send it back...

[jamesbeat]

I like most in this 10 effective megapixels, 6x optical zoom (35 – 210mm equivalent) with image stabilization, and 2.5″ LCD screen but I faced like wise same problem and it's gifted from my sister so I don't wont to replace it.

You have exactly the same problem?

Any ideas anyone?
If it's just a software problem, I could maybe reflash the firmware, but I don't want to mess it up further as the guy I bought it from has offered me a complete refund.

Has anyone got a G7 they could check for me? I'd like to know if the camera behaves this way when it thinks it has an external flash attached. If you put one of those plastic hotshoe covers into the shoe, it will depress a switch.
If someone could try this for me to see if their camera behaves the same way, it would help me diagnose the problem.

[jamesbeat]

Oops, double post...

[CarloY]

You could try a couple things.
* remove the SD card and/or the battery. Search the forum... there may be a certain sequence where that resets some things.
* try a different SD card
* from the menu, Reset to factory defaults
* does G7 have ND filter?... turn that off
* turn-on the red-eye reduction (uses assist beam... so watch to see if that is working)
* set to a low ISO of course
* download the manual from Canon site... read troubleshooting section.

good luck

[jamesbeat]

Thanks, I tried all that but no luck :(
there seems to be no way to perform a proper hard reset on the camera, and the canon website tells me that there are no firmware updates available for the G7, so I can't even try to reflash it.
I even tried CHDK to see if I could force it to do something with the flash, but had no success.
It's weird. The light by the viewfinder glows steady orange, which means the flash is ready, but I also get the camera shake warning in low light. Exposure works normally, so the camera obviously knows the flash will not fire.
In aquarium mode (flash forced off) the light glows green to indicate that the flash is not activated.

I really am stumped as to what could cause this to happen...

[SoCal Choppas]

maybe the Flash Tube is burnt out?

[jamesbeat]

Would that stop the camera from letting me select flash?

To be honest I could live without onboard flash, but I really miss exposure bracketing.
Any ideas why it won't let me use it?
It allows me to select it, but the icon is greyed out and the camera only takes one shot when I press the shutter.

[rpolitsr]

Although you are aware of the micro-switch in the hot shoe, re-check it. If the camera 'detects' an external flash, bracketing is disabled and the internal flash will not fire either. Exposure bracketing is not possible with an active internal or external flash.
If the switch is stuck, an external flash should work fine, so test with a speedlite (270/420/430 etc.) to see if it fires.
Also remove any hot shoe cap if it is one attached.

[Tadaaa]

I bought a G7 on ebay and it arrived the other day.
After playing with it for a while, I discovered a couple of weird problems.
The seller has offered me a full refund, but I just want to check it's not something that I'm doing wrong or something that can easily be fixed because I like the camera and would like to keep it if possible.

There may be stuff I haven't discovered yet, but here are the symptoms that I have found:

1. The flash does not work. Pressing the flash button should cycle through flash modes, but it does nothing when I press it. The button itself works because I am able to use it to navigate menus, but does nothing when in shooting mode.

2. The flash also doesn't fire when I put the camera in 'night scene' mode. This mode should force the flash but it doesn't. Interestingly, I get the camera shake warning, as if the camera knows the flash will not fire.

3. Automatic bracketing mode doesn't work. I can select it, and the icon is displayed on the screen, but the icon is grey not white and I only get one shot per press of the shutter.

I thought that maybe the camera thinks there is an external flash attached and has thus disabled the built in one, but the microswitch in the hotshoe looks like it's functioning properly.
I don't know if this would cause these symptoms, especially the loss of bracketing, as I have no similar camera to compare it to.

Has anyone got any ideas? I love the camera and I got it for a good price, so I'd rather not have to send it back...

Does the flash work in AV or TV mode?

[jamesbeat]

rpolitsr,
It certainly seems that the camera 'thinks' there is an external flash attached, but the switch seems to be functioning fine as far as I can tell.
I have tried gently operating the switch with a small screwdriver and I have also inserted and removed a hotshoe cover a few times to see if that will unstick the contacts inside the switch if they have become stuck. No luck.
Unfortunately, I don't have an external flash to test it with, so I guess I'm a bit stuck.

Tadaaa,
Nope, the flash will not fire (and is not even selectable) in any mode, including Av and Tv.

I've decided to keep the camera.
I can't remember the last time I used on camera flash anyway, and I fell in love with it when I took it to NYC on Tuesday.
The only thing I'll really miss is exposure bracketing, as I have recently been experimenting with HDR.
Since I need to have a tripod to do HRD anyway, I decided that I might as well use my DSLR for that, as I won't have my tripod with me when I'm using the G7 for what I bought it for, which is a walk around camera.

I'd still like to resolve this problem though, as you never know when flash or AEB might come in handy for a tricky shot. I'm going to have another look at that switch later...

[amphibious]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I just recently got a G7 and I'm using it for HDR as well, and I thought I would put a hotshoe cover from a Nikon i Had on it, and it took me a week to figure out why my flash wasn't working....and AEB....but removed the cover to find that everything is fine and the camera works great..hope you figured out your problem sooner, but maybe this info will help..

[afkenner]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I just recently got a G7 and I'm using it for HDR as well, and I thought I would put a hotshoe cover from a Nikon i Had on it, and it took me a week to figure out why my flash wasn't working....and AEB....but removed the cover to find that everything is fine and the camera works great..hope you figured out your problem sooner, but maybe this info will help..

You can cut a notch in the side of the hot shoe cover so it doesn't depress the microswitch when it's in place.