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Shutter failure on the way?? (1 Viewer)

Keith Reeder

Keith Reeder

Watch the birdie...
Oh, I'm not a happy bunny...

Please see the attached pic, one of a burst of three taken yesterday with my 9 month old 30D when a low-flying chopper put up a mixed flock of curlews, starlings and greylags.

A crescent-shaped light area is clearly visible in the middle of the pic, going from top to bottom - all three of the photos I took have it.

You can even see it on the thumbnail...

This is, apparently, a clear indication that the shutter is on the way out!

:storm:


It isn't on any other pictures I took yesterday, but presumably that's because the three affected pictures were all at a shutter speed of 1/8000 - this symptom apparently manifests itself at high shutter speeds - initially.


So, questions:

Apart from a dying camera, is there anything else - preferably benign - that would explain this?

If it is a dying camera, how long have I got? (Daft question, I know - but I'm looking for reassurance! Obviously this is the first time I've seen this).

Will I have to wait until the camera pegs out completely before I can get anything done about it? I'm painfully aware of the fact that my one year warranty hasn't got that long left to run..!

Any other thoughts to share?

TIA
 

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Keith Reeder said:
Oh, I'm not a happy bunny...

Please see the attached pic, one of a burst of three taken yesterday with my 9 month old 30D when a low-flying chopper put up a mixed flock of curlews, starlings and greylags.

A crescent-shaped light area is clearly visible in the middle of the pic, going from top to bottom - all three of the photos I took have it.

You can even see it on the thumbnail...

This is, apparently, a clear indication that the shutter is on the way out!

:storm:


It isn't on any other pictures I took yesterday, but presumably that's because the three affected pictures were all at a shutter speed of 1/8000 - this symptom apparently manifests itself at high shutter speeds - initially.


So, questions:

Apart from a dying camera, is there anything else - preferably benign - that would explain this?

If it is a dying camera, how long have I got? (Daft question, I know - but I'm looking for reassurance! Obviously this is the first time I've seen this).

Will I have to wait until the camera pegs out completely before I can get anything done about it? I'm painfully aware of the fact that my one year warranty hasn't got that long left to run..!

Any other thoughts to share?

TIA
Click to expand...
sorry but i can only confirm from what iv read it is a sign of the shutter dying.
Rob
 
Thanks, Rob.

Roy, I don't really know - that's one of the things I'm wondering about too: do I have to wait until it's gone completely, or will Canon sort it out before it self-destructs?

I'll ask them of course, but I was hoping that someone might already have been in this situation and had Canon do the "right thing" up front.

It'd be just my luck that it didn't actually pop it's clogs for another 6 months or so!
 
Keith Reeder said:
If it is a dying camera, how long have I got? (Daft question, I know - but I'm looking for reassurance! Obviously this is the first time I've seen this).

Will I have to wait until the camera pegs out completely before I can get anything done about it? I'm painfully aware of the fact that my one year warranty hasn't got that long left to run..!
Click to expand...

That is bad news Keith, and bad luck. I've not heard of many shutters going, and certainly not going so quickly. If I were you I'd be on the phone to Canon first thing tomorrow, you need to get it sorted while it's under warranty. I just hope that they sort it out for you very quickly.
 
Keith, sorry to hear your 30D maybe failing how many photos do you think you have taken since you bought it, they are supposed to have a 100,00 shutter life. It doesn't look good on the photo it couldn't be lens flare could it.
 
Keith Reeder said:
Yeah, I'll do that, Pete.

Just hope I don't have to wait until the shutter falls apart before they'll touch it.
Click to expand...

If they say that I'd just get pushy and ask to speak to someone higher up. If that still get's you no joy I guess you could pop out the memory card and keep your finger on the trigger until the shutter fails completely...

I should add that I can see no reason why Canon would not sort this out at this stage, unless there is another possible explaination for your problem. But it might well mean that you are without a camera for a while as no doubt they will need to see it before they decide what needs doing...
 
Last edited:
Hi Christine,

no I don't reckon it's lens flare (I wish!) because it's very like a number of examples I've seen from cameras whose shutters did fail.

Dunno how many shutter actuations, but it's not many at all - less than 10,000, I'm certain.

Added: Just over 5,000, based on the file names.

I'm emailing Canon now, Pete - we'll see what they have to say.

Ironic really - the 100,000 actuation rated shutter was one of the 30D's selling points for me!

;)
 
Last edited:
I think that you would be covered regardless, so long as there is no obviously physically caused damage on the camera, it would be covered by sale of goods legislation as it would not appear to be fit for purpose. quite often people will get repairs down free of charge even just after a 12 month warrenty expires. The 30D is acamera that you would expect to be able to get several years of reasonble use out of.

SW
 
I do hope you get it sorted soon Keith, that was also the reason I went for the 30D long shutter life. I will now be watching mine like a hawk just in case I see anything similar.
I would have thought even if its past the 12 months warranty they should honor the shutter if its not anywhere near its life expectancy.
 
Oh yeah, I'm not too worried about it - I'm sure Canon will do right by me, and if not, I've successfully used the "not fit for purpose" argument in relation to a camera before to get my money back from a camera shop.

My big worry is that this drags on into April, when I'm supposedly off down to North Norfolk for a week's photography holiday!

Or not..?

;)
 
I've just sent 'em this:

me said:
My camera - not heavily used since I bought it in June 2006 - is displaying what I understand to be classic symptoms of a pending shutter failure. Photos taken yesterday with very high shutter speed (1/8000) show a crescent-shaped light area reaching from the top to the bottom of the image.

Example here: http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=72625

Assuming it IS a dying shutter (and I’m certain of it), is it possible for Canon to sort it out before it fails completely?

I'll take it rather badly if - knowing that this is clearly an approaching component failure - I'm made to wait until the thing dies completely and I miss the warranty period as a result: I've only got about 5,000 shutter actuations under my belt, and the 100,000 actuation-rated shutter in the 30D was one of the things that sold me on the camera in the first place...
Click to expand...
 
Keith I know how you feel I had a shutter failure on my D70s after @ 9000 actuations and it was 1 yr and 1 week old !!!
I took it to Fixation UK in London and they were superb, not only did they get Nikon to have this repaired under warranty but they serviced it as the same time.
It might pay you to speak to them tomorrow and see if this can be repaired before it fails under warranty, there turn around was only 4 days.
find them at www.fixation.com
Regards and fingers crossed
Steve
 
keith, shouldn't your first port of call be the dealer where you bought the camera?

On a general note, does anyone know how a failing shutter causes that kind of pattern??
 
Adey Baker said:
keith, shouldn't your first port of call be the dealer where you bought the camera?

On a general note, does anyone know how a failing shutter causes that kind of pattern??
Click to expand...

I agree with Adey that you should go through the dealer. Not only should they support you with Canon, but they will arrange for delivery free direct to Canon. This is my experience anyway with London Camera Exchange.
Best of Luck
John
 
Yeah, quite right, I'm in touch with AJ Purdy too.

I thought I'd sound out Canon first just in case they were able to shed some initial light on the problem - and of course my warranty is with them rather than Purdy's, so I'm "serving them notice", if you like.
 
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