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Digital Camera Failures

An anonymous reader writes "In the past week, four major camera makers have quietly published service advisories admitting their digital cameras are dying. In each case, the flaw appears to involve Sony CCD sensors using epoxy packaging that eventually lets in moisture. Sony's own cameras are among those affected, and the company also has dozens of affected camcorder models. Sony is believed to be picking up the tab for the repairs for the other camera makers as well, regardless of warranty status. (If true, a laudable approach.) Given the large numbers of cameras that are potentially involved, this can't be good news for Sony, who apparently already is expecting losses, and who has also recently announced major layoffs."

20 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. HA! by VaticDart · · Score: 4, Funny

    My 10D's might CMOS sensor will dance on the scattered bones of your useless moisture-letting-in-CCDs!

    1. Re:HA! by Have+Blue · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'll try to comfort my Powershot with this here vast pile of cash.

  2. Re:Grammar by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 1, Funny

    How do you put a noun in the past tense?

    I'm sure some dolt will find a way.

  3. Nintendo Fanboy Inside Us All by bleaknik · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ok. So... Sony posts losses for one quarter, and they lay off a bunch of people... It's now my responsibility as a Nintendo Fanboy to jump up and down and praise this as the death of my archnemesis right?

    Ehh. Who am I kidding. Apathy is too much damned work.

    --
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    n. 1. The sensation that you've read this very article before.
  4. It has to be said... by jd · · Score: 4, Funny
    In the past week, four major camera makers have quietly published service advisories admitting their digital cameras are dying.


    Has Netcraft confirmed this?

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  5. Re:Grammar by DCstewieG · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot article description ... FREE
    Grammar nazi correcting something that isn't wrong with something that is ... FREE
    Having that post moderated +1 Informative ... PRICELESS

  6. SORNY? by blankoboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Were these SONY or SORNY products? Perhaps people should be buying Magnetbox digital cameras and TV's. /obscure, simpons.

  7. My camera doesn't seem to have a problem by El+Cabri · · Score: 2, Funny

    Of course its sensor comes in the form of Fuji Velvia 100, Agfa RSX II 100 and Fuji NPZ 800 film that I load in it according to the circumstances.

  8. Re:They're complex. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least they're usually not used for mission-critical applications.

    Digital cameras are used for pr0n!!!!! You don't get more misson-critical than that!

  9. Ruined picture by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    A friend of mine took a picture of his ass, and the entire middle was all messed up due to bad pixels, as if somebody put TNT up his ass. We complained to Sony, but all they did was post it online to scare off further complainers. It worked pretty damned well.

  10. Re:Dammit!! by cei · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed. One body for 35mm chrome (Velvia 50 or EPP), one for 35mm black & white (Tri-X), maybe another for infrared, Hasselblad backs loaded with 120 chrome and B&W (and Polaroid back with Type 665P/N), digital SLR at the minimum. Add to that the Holga, maybe a pinhole or two depending on format, lighting conditions, and the durability of the model. Then maybe I can leave the house for a shoot.

    --
    This sig intentionally left justified.
  11. Re:Dammit!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    its not the LCD its the CCD, the sensor that picks up the light through the lens, i have one of the effected camcorders and it just shows and records blackness.

    Annoyingly, some of the CCDs don't work as expected if the lens cap is still on. Tried removing it?

    J

  12. Re:They're complex. by ozmanjusri · · Score: 3, Funny

    Imagine this happening to the Hubble.

    I'm trying, but I just can't imagine where the moisture is going to come from.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  13. let's dump both words by JimBobJoe · · Score: 2, Funny

    I propose that we end this unnecessary confusion and spell both words "uhffect" thereby eliminating this meaningless rule.

  14. Re:They're complex. by SetupWeasel · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Big Dipper, obviously.

  15. Re:They're complex. by Kjella · · Score: 4, Funny

    Digital cameras are used for pr0n!!!!! You don't get more misson-critical than that!

    Well, I suppose here on slashdot it can be a "once in a lifetime" opportunity ro record that...

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  16. Re:They're complex. by ColaMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    Exactly.

    Then think about all the other components of Hubble. What if someone had ground the lens incorrectly and.... oh. Nevermind

    --

    You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
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  17. Re:They're complex. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Digital cameras are used for pr0n!!!!! You don't get more misson-critical than that!

    You are mistaken, pr0n is emmission-critical, and that's different.

  18. Re:They're complex. by rob_squared · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's "emission" critical.

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    I don't get it.
  19. Carnivale by caitsith01 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm not going to lie to you, those are all superior machines.

    But people should buy the Carnivale - unlike Sony's products it has a durable outer casing to prevent fallapart. Also featuring two pronged wall plug and pre-molded hand-grip well.

    --
    Read Pynchon.