rare power problem

[Swampy]

While I was in Michigan and on a Sea Doo shooting, my camera did quit a couple of times. I figured out what it was, and I don't know if it's something that can be fixed.

My camera would go dead and display EE on the top display, not ERR. I had to fiddle with it (the AA's, the 123's and reseating the lens) to get it to come back up. I recreated the problem simply by sqeezing the handle of the camera (the right side with the 123's in it) kinda tight. I could "pump" my hand and watch the display go on and off and I tightened and loosened my hand.

Anyone have this problem? It only happened that one day a few times, so I 'm not really that worried about it. We all know this camera is notorious for power problems, but this is one I don't think I've seen before.

Anyway, if you run into this, this is what happened to me, and I don't plan on getting it "fixed" as there's probably nothing to fix, except the way I grip my camera.

[snapshotmd]

I've got a similar problem. My S2 displays an Err message everytime I hold the camera by the grip by one hand with a heavy lens... could also be "err'd" by holding the lens and grip tightly and twisting slightly. Also does it upon mounting on a tripod with a quick release... The problem has caused missing pictures even though I shot it. The body was sent to Fuji and all they did was clean it, and the problem is still there. Called back, gave them hell, and now its back at Fuji USA.

Fuji Tech support says its a power issue, and I agree. The question is "How capable is Fuji repair to resolve this problem?"

If they can't fix it, they should at least replace it with a working body. The S2 Pro is supposed to be a professional camera and any problems like this is totally unacceptable.

Ken

[Swampy]

Keep us posted on how the "repair" goes. As you've already experienced and what I said in my post, looks like I was right. "Nothing to fix" according to Fuji. All it takes is one person to finally get the message through to Fuji and then they'll know what to do for the rest of us.

[snapshotmd]

The D100 is also based on the N80 body and doesn't nearly have as many Err problems as the S2 has... Plus, the S2 Pro has Professional in its very name, if it was semi-pro it wouldn't sport the "pro".

Any camera body shouldn't be so prone to "Err" to the point where it needs to be babied. Granted, cameras are delicate, but not that delicate. This body even Errs when mounted on a tripod.

Most f2.8 zooms of any focal length weigh more that the S2. Are you saying that there aren't situations that you would shoot one handed?

Ken

[Swampy]

New problem this morning. Must be bad mojo reading the problems forum. :)

I was up on a ladder taking a picture of some flowers using a tripod and my 60mm Nikkor lens. Not a bit lens at all. I also had my Metz flash on the hotshoe. Now, I've taken a few shots and am about to take some more, when I noticed the camera went into standby mode. I click the shutter button and it comes back up, but when I let go of the shutter button, it went right back into power save mode. While I had the button pressed, I would get a full display on the inside of the view finder and on top of the camera, but the function window remained blank. I tried all my quick and easy tests - verifiy proper charge and contact of the 123's, same with the double aa's. Remove the 123's and just try the aa's. Twist the lens off and on a few times. Double check the aperture ring on the lens to make sure it was on the smallest. Still nothing. So I took the Metz flash off and the camera came up just fine. Doh! Put it back on and the camera still came up fine. So, I guess I have another "quick" fix for the S2 to go through when I have issues.

[snapshotmd]

I got my S2 back last night. Seems to be working fine at the moment. The technician wrote that the body was replaced, however, it's the same body; serial number, scratches, marks, etc... I'll have to test further and will keep you all posted.

Ken

[snapshotmd]

I think the Err problem and the missing images have been resolved. Took it on vacation and shot a wedding with it this past weekend... everything is there and Err didn't show up once.

Ken

[Tom Nolle]

Swampy, you can have a problem with external flashes if you have the camera exposure mode and focus set in a way that's inconsistent with the mode the flash is set in. For example, you have the flash in "Auto" and the S2 in P mode and balanced matrix exposure. The camera combination wants to do balanced TTL and the flash isn't set for it.

Tom

[Wichita Wayne]

Originally posted by swampy101
New problem this morning. Must be bad mojo reading the problems forum. :)

I was up on a ladder taking a picture of some flowers using a tripod and my 60mm Nikkor lens. Not a bit lens at all. I also had my Metz flash on the hotshoe. Now, I've taken a few shots and am about to take some more, when I noticed the camera went into standby mode. I click the shutter button and it comes back up, but when I let go of the shutter button, it went right back into power save mode. While I had the button pressed, I would get a full display on the inside of the view finder and on top of the camera, but the function window remained blank. I tried all my quick and easy tests - verifiy proper charge and contact of the 123's, same with the double aa's. Remove the 123's and just try the aa's. Twist the lens off and on a few times. Double check the aperture ring on the lens to make sure it was on the smallest. Still nothing. So I took the Metz flash off and the camera came up just fine. Doh! Put it back on and the camera still came up fine. So, I guess I have another "quick" fix for the S2 to go through when I have issues.


I have discovered that if I loosen the flash and push the mounting shoe forward the problem is solved. It seems that the hot shoe can wiggle loose so that all the pins are not engaged and it goofs everything up. This also happens to my son-in-law.

[Swampy]

Funny thing. this just happened to me again last night. Was on a tripod, but all I did was turn the camera off, pop out the 123's, put them back in and all was good again. Oh well. The things we do.

[sandman]

Thought i was immune to this problem, but yesterday on the shot of the swan you all thought was so funny, my camera went dead with the ERR message in the top LCD, as i'd had the 123's in for a time i changed them, still the same , took the lense off ,put it on, changed the AA's , still ERR, thought about it ,but could'nt understand what it was, then i just pushed the shutter button, and it was OK, still is, any idea's.

Brian

[Tom Nolle]

That's the standard symptom of AA death, Sandman! The voltage gets too low, the camera locks up, and you have to insert fresh batteries or plug in the AC and trip the shutter to clear it.

Tom

[sandman]

Thanks Tom , all these months, first time thats happened, normally put freshly charged one's in each day , but did'nt yesterday.

Brian