Camera Problems

[GoRdOn_B]

Ok so.. Lately when i haven been taking pictures i have been getting these lines through my pix like my camera is broken. its not laser damage, im pretty sure about that. it happens sometimes at random it seems. I will take a few and there will be these lines all through the picture and sometimes half way through and it doesn't do it all the time. im not sure what it is. i thought it might have been because the lens was facing the sun but it will do it when its not. Also those lines arent in the same spot.. Sometimes its half way, other times its all the way. Then not at all.

If i knew the proper photography terms i would google it.. but i dont.. so here i am. :yh:


Here are some examples.







The picture below was taken on the same day as the one above and it does not have the lines.
I took about.. Umm.. 300 pictures that day and nearly 1/3 of them were messed up like that. but not all of them.



It seems to do it on zoom but not always.
My macro shots don't ever have them in there. as far as i have seen.



Do i just need to get it cleaned or is it broken?
It still takes nice pictures.. just kinda when it wants.
:thinking:

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing the problem?



Also..
Camera has been dropped. lol a few times.
But not recently. not for at least 5-6 months for sure. I am the only one who uses it and i take it with me pretty much everywhere i go.

It is a Cannon SD1200 IS if that even matters

 

[HIMNL9]

It's a bit difficult to figure what's wrong on your camera just seeing the pics ..... it's like if something in the camera is adding raster disturbs when the CCD is scanned ..... some pins or something got disconnected or making intermittent contact inside, maybe due to the times it dropped ..... but really, difficult to say, without the camera in hand, sorry .....

 

[Benm]

Do you see it also in the preview before you actually take the picture?

I've had very similar errors with my canon A520, but only twice. Happened for no apparent reason, no special lighting conditions or anything, just a holiday snapshot. I've taken many pictures with that camera after it occured, but it never did again. It's been a few years, and the camera still works although i rarely use it anymore.

In my case the lines did show up on the preview screen -after- taking the picture so i immediately noticed something was wrong. Just taking the picture again, without even powering down, produced a good image. The lines only appeared on part of the image (about half i'd say).

 

[Raybo]

Did you try a different card in the camera?

 

[Damien]

Well after mounting a Samsung Digimax to my dog and it hitting the pavement, it gets lines from time to time.

 

[Morgan]

This is definitely NOT an optical problem with the camera so cleaning lenses etc will have no real effect. There is nothing that explains the lines from that point of view. I think you should get in touch with Canon directly and show them the photos. They will likely be able to diagnose the problem and suggest a course of action.

Nice eye for a shot BTW!

Good luck...

M

 

[Crazy Jay]

I would say the image sensor is getting weak. Canon can repair it for free if it's still under warranty.

When an image sensor is damaged it will show lines like that. It will have to be replaced.

 

[aryntha]

As the scanlines of the CCD are showing, this is most likely a CCD amplifier/ADC problem. It likely only shows itself when certain voltage threshholds are reached coming out of the CCD op-amps. So it likely depends on overall brightness of the shot: from what I saw, both of the shots that you displayed that show it, have a high overall average luma, the ones that don't, are more contrasted and lower luma overall.

I've dealt a lot with Canon's repair department; specifically the one in Oak Grove IL, which handles the powershot line. (I've also dealt with the New Jersey department which handles the DSLR lines.)

Generally, this is a modular replacement. The CCD unit is plug and play. If it's not in warranty the charge will likely be $250-$350, which could put it out of the "worth it" window for getting it repaired.

However, sending it in will not hurt as they will contact you with an estimate before performing any work - and you are not obligated, depending on the price they come back with.