Digital Camera Sound of Death

[RougeUnderoos]

I plugged my digital camera into my computer and it made a funny noise for about 3 seconds until I unplugged it. Now it doesn't work.

You know that little beep they make when you do something like open it up/turn it on or if you erase a bad picture? Well it was that noise, just for a long time. It's never done that before.

It's an Olympus and it's one of those ones where you slide the cover away from the lens and the camera turns on. Now the camera doesn't turn on. A couple of the little lights come on for a second and something whirs inside the camera but then nothing. Darkness.

Does anyone else have a crappy Olympus camera and had this happen to you? Or barring that, any suggestions or ideas? Anyone? Bueller?

I've got a bad feeling that it's now a paperweight and I need a new camera. I also have a feeling (not as bad) that nobody will respond to this ultra-specific thread so I better add now that OLYMPUS CAMERAS SUCK (for several reasons, not just this reason).

[Reggie Dunlop]

Get it checked out before tossing it. I thought my Nikon Coolpix had given up the ghost (doo-dad to hold the batteries in their compartment wouldn't close).

Took it to Po Chang's Camera Repairs. L'il feller fixed it.

[FurnaceFace]

I had one of those with the sliding cover, worked for years and still works for the person I sold it to. I assume you've popped the batteries out and put them back in and tried again? Basically a camera reboot. Have you made sure you pushed the lens cover all the way over to the edge, I know sometimes mine felt like it was all the way over but wasn't.

I do recall, vaguely, a similar issue I had with mine. I'd pop the cover all the way over but the lens wouldn't come out and if a squeezed a certain area on the case it popped open. It was just a lose connection which I managed to fix myself.

Take it to Reggie's l'il feller and have him look at it. If it'll cost more than you wanna spend, take it apart yourself and tinker with it, might be a lose connection. Just be careful with the wires which run to the flash, they don't have a lot of slack.

And, you touched a nerve with your blanket statement, "Olympus Cameras suck". Olympus are one of the innovators in the digital world as they were the first to come out with ultra zoom lenses on consumer cameras and have other innovations such as the ultra sonic thingy which cleans the image sensor on their dSLR cameras.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

I had one of those with the sliding cover, worked for years and still works for the person I sold it to. I assume you've popped the batteries out and put them back in and tried again? Basically a camera reboot. Have you made sure you pushed the lens cover all the way over to the edge, I know sometimes mine felt like it was all the way over but wasn't.

I do recall, vaguely, a similar issue I had with mine. I'd pop the cover all the way over but the lens wouldn't come out and if a squeezed a certain area on the case it popped open. It was just a lose connection which I managed to fix myself.

Take it to Reggie's l'il feller and have him look at it. If it'll cost more than you wanna spend, take it apart yourself and tinker with it, might be a lose connection. Just be careful with the wires which run to the flash, they don't have a lot of slack.

And, you touched a nerve with your blanket statement, "Olympus Cameras suck". Olympus are one of the innovators in the digital world as they were the first to come out with ultra zoom lenses on consumer cameras and have other innovations such as the ultra sonic thingy which cleans the image sensor on their dSLR cameras.

It seems to have straightened itself out. I took out the batteries, tried new ones, switched them around bla bla bla about 5 times and now it works. It was strange -- right after "The Incident" I got nothing from it. A few minutes later the lights would come on. After that the lights would come on and the whirring sound happened. After that and after a bunch of switching arounds it just started working again. Crazy!

As for your touched nerve, well, sorry. I dont know anything about cameras but I know this is the second Olympus I've had and they've both been crappy. They may make the greatest cameras in the world but the two (low-end snapshot-takers) I've had have been weak.

[transplant99]

Yup same thing happened to me Rouge.

I tried a new battery and nothing happened, so i took it out.

I went to a local dealer and asked if they knew what it could be, dude plugged in a fresh battery and it was fixed.

Apparently, as with most electronics, it had seized up when the battery went low and just needed some time to dissipate its built up charges.

Just having the camera without batteries for a couple hours was all it took.

[Clarkey]

Is it an Olympus Stylus camera? I'm thinking about getting the stylus 600 or stylus 800 with my Ralph-bucks. I like them because they have a tougher casing (mostly metal) and are water resistant which is good because I do a lot of out door stuff.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Is it an Olympus Stylus camera? I'm thinking about getting the stylus 600 or stylus 800 with my Ralph-bucks. I like them because they have a tougher casing (mostly metal) and are water resistant which is good because I do a lot of out door stuff.

I don't see the word "Stylus" anywhere on the camera so probably not. Model # is D-395. I don't know about any of the other models but stay away from this one.

Stupid Airmiles, I should have known they'd give me this junky thing.
I probably could have had an aboveground pool or a stack of Celine Dion cds or a shabby DVD player but no, I had to go for the camera.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Is it an Olympus Stylus camera? I'm thinking about getting the stylus 600 or stylus 800 with my Ralph-bucks. I like them because they have a tougher casing (mostly metal) and are water resistant which is good because I do a lot of out door stuff.

A friend bought a 600 I think and has had good luck with it. This site usually has good reviews:
http://www.steves-digicams.com

[Clarkey]

Since this, someone gave me their old olympus that doesn't turn on any more. I'm going to phone up lil' feller Po Chang to see if he knows what to do with it.

[InSutterWeTrust]

Call Alberta Cameras, they're on 1st and 10ave SW, behind the calgary tower in Bromley Square. They are an authorized Olympus and Pentax camera repair dealer

[Clarkey]

Thanks, I think I will.