help with digital camera - Democratic Underground

Bombero1956

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:08 PM
Original message

help with digital camera

I have a question about a friends digital camera. She dropped it in the sand at the beach last month and now the lens will not extend and it has a zoom error on the screen. She wants to know if there a way to get the thing to work or should she call it a day and toss it. Its a Fuji FinePix A345.

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Ptah

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:17 PM
Response to Original message

1. I'd suggest it is time for her to upgrade.

I have a Kodak Easy share Z612 (12X optical zoom that
cost much less than $200, I think about $140.

These two pictures were taken with out moving my feet:

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TreasonousBastard

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:51 PM
Response to Reply #1

6. I have one of those and I love it, but...

if you look closely at the second picture where the green stem and blue sky meet, there's a dim white line. MOsto fthe time it's not noticable until you point it out, but on larger prints, like 8x10, it's noticable. And it annoys the hell out of me.

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Ptah

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:53 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. I had not noticed that.

I can see now how distracting that is.

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TreasonousBastard

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Tue Apr-14-09 10:37 PM
Response to Reply #8

10. Almost sorry I brought it up-- now you'll...

see it everywhere. :(

It's most pronounced where there's a clear line between two colors, and I'm not sure if it's the sensor or the firmware converting the image into a JPEG causing the trouble.

But, it was a lot cheaper than the equivalent Nikon or Canon and does the job most of the time.

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mth44sc

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:36 PM
Response to Original message

2. I see it on Amazon for about 140 bucks

No one wants to throw that away - but I'm guessing repairs might cost close to replacement.

On the other hand - I have a Canon G3 I'm not adverse to giving to a good home. Much larger framed camera, 4 megapixles - has one annoying flaw from having once been dropped - but is capable of pictures like this

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jobycom

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:43 PM
Response to Original message

3. Not worth paying to repair, probably. Depends on why it's broken.

If it's just got sand gumming it up, she might be able to clean it out. If the mechanism is bent or dented, it's probably a good sell on Ebay for parts.

My own thought would be write it off, then take it apart on my own to see if I could fix it. If so, you got a free camera. If not, you're in the same spot you were when you started, but you know more about how cameras are put together. But that's me, I love tinkering.

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mth44sc

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:49 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. In the words of Dylan

"When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose"...

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jobycom

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:51 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. Free camera is just another word for no camera to lose...

:rofl:

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mth44sc

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Tue Apr-14-09 10:04 PM
Response to Reply #7

9. Well it wasn't free when I bought it

:-)

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jobycom

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Tue Apr-14-09 09:50 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. Follow-up: Here's a repair manual online for $9.

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/4548627-fujifilm-fuji-finepix-a345-digital-camera-complete

Also found this. Several people with similar problems: http://www.fixya.com/search/p223257-fuji_finepix_a345_digital_camera/zoom_error/page-6

I saw one that said banging it on a desktop might work.

You might find more by googling. I've even found Youtube videos to repair electronics at times.

Good luck.

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Bombero1956

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Wed Apr-15-09 10:08 AM
Response to Original message

11. thanks for all the responses

The camera belongs to her, I told her that it was her decision about repairing or replacing it. I did find one on Ebay for $40 with free shipping. On the other hand I told her that she could get something better for not much money. The ball is in her court.

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