SD550 - can't take pictures with flash

Hi. I have a SD550 which got dropped into water by accident. I dried out the camera and it is working okay except for the following: whenever the flash is required to take a picture, the AF frame won't appear on the display and the camera will not take the picture. So, for the time being, I've had to turn the flash setting to OFF in order to take any pictures.

Any idea what the problem is, how I could fix it, the cost to fix it? Could the flash be fused?

Thanks

Not what you want to hear - but water damage to electronics and the sort of relatively unprotected optics in a compact camera usually puts them beyond economic repair. It's worth checking if you've got any insurance cover - possibly via your household insurance.

Quite what is happening is very hard to guess at - it's possible that there's a power drop happening when the flash capacitor is trying to charge due to corrosion somewhere (battery contacts, perhaps).

If you ask a service centre to look at it, they'll probably charge you to say it's beyond economic repair. You could phone a service centre for their opinion, but I don't think it's going to be positive, sadly.


However, it could just be that there's not enough light for the camera to focus. I just checked with an Ixus 700 (SD500) here - and at distances of more than about six feet, the AF assist light doesn't throw sufficient illumination to focus.

If that's the problem, though, I found I could still take the picture (albeit that it was out of focus).

I'd try the camera with the flash on in daylight to eliminate the possibility of it being a low light issue.

David

Thanks for the reply. Not really what I wanted to hear. I've tried taking pictures in all types of lighting with the flash 'ON', but it still won't take pictures. It'll only take pictures when the flash is not necessary or is in the 'OFF' setting.

That was an expensive drop in the creek...

I bought two of these cameras for myself and my father-in-law. I love the 550 but there are two parts that are extremely delicate in my opinion. One is the LCD and the other is the flash. If the camera experiences the least bit of trauma one or both of these is likely to break. Fortunately I buy all of my electronics at Costco so it isn’t a problem for me but we have been through a couple units each.

J.

I suggest using the wrist strap that is supplied with the camera.

I'm having the same exact problem... I did not drop it into any water, or anything like that... it simply stopped taking pictures when requiring the flash... only non-flash photography... any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Me too, me too!! My daughter's SD550 will shoot without flash, but with the flash on, nothing happens. Bummer.

I also have a flash problem.(All modes)
I bought the camera in April 2007.
I sent it to Canon to have it repaired.
They wanted $127.00 to repair an 8 month old camera.
I told them to send it back unrepaired, and they lost a Canon customer.

wow! haven't seen this thread in a while. i believe that both the flash and lcd on the 550 are of sub par construction. thank goodness for Costco. if i had bout mine anyplace else my experience with the 550 might have turned me away from Canon as well.

J.

I have the same problem. My sister borrowed the camera and said that it stopped working all of a sudden without dropping it or splashing water on it.

I read somewhere that it could be the flash circuitry that's the problem so I bought one and replaced it but that didn't fix it. I'm still going to try to fix it when I get spare time and I'll let you guys know if I eventually get it to work.

One question I have is when you guys shake your camera (working or not working) do you hear something near the flash that sounds like a loose screw? The new one Canon sent me has that rattling sound as well so I wasn't sure if it's supposed to normally sound like that.

The rattling is typically the orientation sensor.

I really loved my SD550. Unfortunately I dropped it - yes, the first time I EVER held it in my hand with out strap - and the screen broke.

Was not worth the cost of fixing so I bought an SD1100IS. Am quite impressed but sad I don't have use of my SD550 any more.