Shutter Bummed..
Got back this afternoon and took some shots of the birds in the backyard.
Upon reviewing the last batch I had taken, I noticed a strange ‘black fill’ across the bottom three-quarters of the image. Solid black - then a hint of image peering through above it. Weird.
I opened it up, cleaned the contacts, flicked the mirror to make sure it was all working and if the springs were sticking or something, closed it up again and shot off another burst of images. The first was fine, but the last three showed the same thing.
I clicked the shutter button once more, but suddenly my trusty 300D wasn’t firing anymore. It was scanning for a focus.
And that’s all it would do, just scan for a focus, never actually ‘get’ a focus.
Thankfully I had already done my promised photos for the day, but this didn’t solve my problem.
I opened it up again, checked and cleaned, put it back together - same story. Dammit!
In a stroke of chance, I flicked over to MF (manual focus) and fired.
*CLICK*
Off she went. Perfect photo…….. Huh?
Put it back into AF (auto focus) and again, no go. Just scanning for a focus. Back into MF and fires perfectly.
Swap lenses. Same story. Same for both lenses, so it rules that out.
Scouring the Internet for relevant discussion, it looks like my 300D has developed some sort of mirror pin problem (read: its probably broken) - so I guess my only option is to have it sent away to Canon for some repair work. Just great.
I guess its not too bad a service life, when you consider since purchase, my DSLR has fired off no less than 65,000 frames. All without a single drama.
It just won’t feel the same without having the third arm, the extension of myself around my neck or in the boot of the car in case of one of those ‘must have’ moments..
Vanwall said,
July 23, 2007 @ 4:15 pm
You’ve reached the point for a back-up camera at all times, it seems. I like the Panasonic Lumix ones - Leica lenses and good stabilization.
ScottyB said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
Think the next step will be a new 400D, V!
Send the 300D away, have it fixed and keep that as my backup cammy!
Vanwall said,
July 25, 2007 @ 11:51 am
I’ve still got my old AE-1 from donkeys years ago, and when my son used it on a film project at the University, it was still working like a champ. I gotta say, Canon knows how to build a mean camera.
MickyD said,
July 26, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Scotty,
To be perfectly frank, I don’t know that I’d bother getting it fixed…. the cost of getting it fixed would most likely be more than the camera is worth. You can get a 30D body for
MickyD said,
July 26, 2007 @ 11:20 am
oh, and 67,000 frames out of a 300D is pretty amazing. The shutter generally starts to go around 25-30,000
ScottyB said,
July 26, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Not had any complaints about mine.. this one has certainly had a good life!
Photoshop MINI photo on a notice board - MINI2 said,
August 17, 2007 @ 10:49 am
[...] with a monochromatic Gaussian blur to get the photo paper coming through. Basically deceased.. The collected works of ScottyB ยป Shutter Bummed.. Nice.. love the creases/folds.. Might have to try something like this with some older photos [...]
smurfn said,
August 28, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
Sorry to read that Scotty, but it is a good time for the 40D for you then.
How much will the repair be?
ScottyB said,
August 28, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
Repair the unit requires a new shutter assembly/fixture (can’t remember what the guy called it exactly now) at about $800 including labour etc..
Not sure its worth it tbh.. though I would like a backup!