5050 question: CCD

[OCdiving Deb]

Some of you have had the CCD (charge coupled device?) replaced on your C5050Z and may be able to help me...

If the CCD is replaced will the camera lose its settings? Will the MyModes be cleared?

I just picked up my 5050 from Oly after they replaced the CCD, the mode dial, and the grip. I was surprised that the settings were intact but ran the camera through some quick shots above water and it all seemed fine. I was so excited to have the camera back and working so I rushed up to do a night dive with the squid that have been running this week and was saddened to see that my camera had exactly the same problems again once I tried to take shots underwater.

This problem is happening either because:

1) they didn't do the work they claimed to have done, or

2) it was misdiagnosed and I have a completely different problem.

SYMPTOMS: pix are either almost completely black OR the shots are completely blurry. It seems worse in manual than in program mode but both are horrible.

I wonder if it could be a miscommunication between the camera and strobe?

SET-UP: Oly 5050 with an Inon D180 strobe attached with fiber optic cable. I think the settings for slave, flash speed, etc are all correct but I could be missing something.

Thanks for any suggestions. I am going to get a few hours of sleep and then try to squeeze in a morning dive to try it out again before taking it BACK to Oly.

 

[herman]

Hard to say without looking at the photos. Are you sure the Inon was firing? I have had my fiber back out a little and cause intermittent problems. If you are using "my modes" check what the setting are. I had my 5050 repaired a while back, same stuff replaced, they put a board in with a bad "memory hold" battery. It would reset to factory every time I changed batteries. I messed up a bunch of photos before I caught it.

 

[Warren_L]

I think Herman makes a good point here. Is the camera working topside? I can't see any reason why housing the camera would change it's functionality other than perhaps an issue with the housing when under pressure. That aside, it would seem that if the camera is working fine topside or with natural lighting, the strobe not syncing properly might be a possible cause.

 

[jlyle]

Deb,

It is strange that the camera's memory was intact after the refurb.; Olympus repair is supposed to bring the camera up to factory specs when they fix the CCD problem under warranty. I had two-5050s repaired for faulty CCDs, but I don't specifically recall whether I had to reprogram them or not. (Not much help, huh?)

I, too, suspect the strobe if the camera works topside.

See you at the Avalon Clean Up.

Jim

PS - I've got a spare 5050 for sale...and a virgin housing (in the box).

 

[herman]

Check to make sure the memory battery is working, it's a very common problem. If it's bad it well rest the camera to default every time you change batteries. Also check to make sure the "All Reset" function is set to "Off"....that one bit me as well.
Besides the one I had "repaired", I just bought another 5050 this morning....blasted battery is bad in it as well. Oh well, got a near perfect camera for a good price and the repair is fairly inexpensive.

 

[Footslogger]

Besides the one I had "repaired", I just bought another 5050 this morning....blasted battery is bad in it as well. Oh well, got a near perfect camera for a good price and the repair is fairly inexpensive.

=================================

Herman ...how much is "fairly inexpensive" and can you do the battery replacement yourself ?? I've got 2 5050's myself and so far the internal batteries seem to be working. But now that I've said that they will probably crap out soon.

Thanks ...

 

[herman]

I don't know for sure, it was done as part of some other repairs- the on/off switch on mine was defective. You can do it yourself but unless you are comfortable dissembling cameras I would not suggest it. Some where on the web I found the procedure, I have a lot of experience with electronic repair and I am not going to mess with it.

 

[OCdiving Deb]

Things are starting to make sense now...

I have gotten mixed thoughts on whether the camera should revert to factory settings upon replacement of the CCD. I just talked to the Oly customer svc rep today and she said the camera does not revert back to factory settings due to the CCD replacement because they only have to replace a part of it and not the whole thing BUT if the batteries are out of the camera for more than 24 hours then the settings could revert. That explains the mixed replies!

So, today I called my strobe retailer and he walked me through some disgnostics for the fiber optic cable. That appears to be working just fine....

But now the strobe seems to be on the fritz!!!! I think it HAD been working last week and that the camera WAS that problem but now I think I have an additional problem!

Last night the focus light was working just fine but I doubt the strobe was firing. Today after testing the fiber optic cable I put it back together and DARN! The 'ready' light is working but the focus light and strobe do not work at all. I have tried fresh batteries and it still does not fire. The camera's internal flash (slave) is firing.

How coincidental that the camera was broken last week and now it is the strobe.... Ugh.

Strobe retailer says it is really rare for Inon strobes to break. I talked to an Inon rep and he will have a tech guy call me back before I pack it up and ship it off to them.

Isn't underwater photography FUN?!?!?!

 

[jlyle]

As I am fond of saying, "Underwater photography is a hole in the water, into which I throw money."

 

[scubak]

"Underwater photography is a hole in the water, into which I throw money."

Isn't that the truth....
K