Sony quality control problems

[agorabasta]

Sony has a problem with the back and front dials on a700. And it's exactly in that very order - back first, front next.

The reason is quite straightforward - avid shimping. The back dial controls the magnification, the front one browses through the shots.

The cameras not using the dials for shimping functions do much better in dials longevity.

As simple as that

[UrsaMajor]

Canon is the only camera company with a repair station in the Philippines, and for good reason: their P&S cameras don't hold up to the humid climate. Other makes supposedly do.

The Canon issue with failure in humid conditions may not be limited to their P&S cameras. Michael Reichmann had an article on "The Luminous Landscape" a couple of years ago about the failures of the latest high-end Canon DSLR cameras in humid conditions among the members of a photo safari to Antarctica. Something like 25 percent of these cameras failed on that trip in humid conditions, although some of them did recover after they were dried out.

Of course, the failure modes may have been different there from the P&S failures in the Philippines. With the DSLR cameras it was probably due just to moisture shorting the traces on the circuit boards, while the P&S failures may have been due to either shorting or to fungal growth eating up the circuit boards. However, both failure modes could be prevented with proper conformal coating of the circuit boards.

This has been a known issue since at least the failures of radios and other electrical equipment in the Pacific campaigns during World War II, and subsequent research developed workable solutions that have been in wide-spread use for over 50 years. Today there is no technical excuse for such problems.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[bakubo]

Quite a few recent Sony cameras have developed the infamous KM 7D/5D FFB (first frame black problem) and it seems Sony isn't doing much, if anything, about it. Reports of this with the A500, A550, A330, A350, A300, A450, etc. are showing up. Here are some recent threads:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=38793109

http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/a550-first-black-frame_topic74903_page1.html

http://www.mi-fo.de/forum/index.php?s=c75dd16f04d5f4702fb35b20e822d20a&showtopic=27066&st=0&p=263015&#entry263015

My KM 7D had the FFB problem at the end (along with the Day 1 problem that never got fixed).

[bakubo]

This whole thread is about Sony quality control problems, but I can see why a few people keep getting confused and think it is just about the infamous A700 control wheel problem and specifically my A700 control wheel problem. I realize that it would have been completely clear if I had only had the foresight to name the thread Sony quality control problems. I am kicking myself for not doing that.

Oh...wait, I did name it Sony quality control problems. Hmm, nevermind.

[bakubo]

Travels in southern Mexico (Yucatan and Chiapas), Guatemala, and Belize were good and I will be back in Hawaii next week. At the moment I am in Austin, Texas for a few days visiting with friends and family.

I brought my wife's A100 with me and discovered a new, major problem with it. This is the A100 I gave her in 2007 and it has had very light use. I wanted to go into the menu to change the date/time and also change from jpeg to raw mode. Since it is setup for her use and she never goes into the menu I don't know when the problem I discovered started, but now when I go into the menu and try to navigate the menu items using the multi-way controller on the back of the camera the menu exits immediately. If you use the front control wheel it will not, but then you can't get to the settings to change them. This happens most of the time, but occasionally the controller will work properly in the menu. Basically, making changes in the menu is almost impossible now.

Then I noticed that the image review button also has a problem. I took a photo and then pressed it to see the image. The image flashed on the LCD and then the normal display returned almost immediately. With repeated presses sometimes the image would stay up, but then if I pressed the button to zoom in the image would go away. Occasionally, that too would work okay though, but usually not.

I tried turning the camera off and on and occasionally both of these problems go away for a few minutes when I do that, but usually they do not.

[Birma]

Hi Henry - not very good at all - I can quite understand that the catalogue of problems has made you cautious of Sony cameras.

Glad to know you've had a good time on your travels though - looking forward to some pictures .

[bakubo]

Hi Henry - not very good at all - I can quite understand that the catalogue of problems has made you cautious of Sony cameras.

Yes. A few minutes after I posted I turned the A100 on and now when I press the menu button the menu briefly appears and then the LCD reverts to the normal display so the camera seems to now be a paperweight after just a few thousand photos.

Glad to know you've had a good time on your travels though - looking forward to some pictures .

I'll be back in Hawaii next week and then it will probably take a week or two to get photos ready and my website updated. I'll probably post after I have done that.

[Greg Beetham]

Good to see you got back ok Henry. I think the A100 problem is a little strange, I've not had any problems with mine and I drag it just about everywhere I go, oops I tell a lie I did have the sticky shutter button problem which prooved to be dust wedged in between the body and button, the 'fit' between button and body is quite fine, fine enough for even very small dust grains too make it sticky and cause weird stuff too happen with the menu, settings etc. That one was easily fixed, but your problem might not be that of course, it could be something else. I'm wondering if some fine dust hasn't got in the [ok] button in the centre of the rear controller, causing it to go intermittant, or do uncommanded on/off's.
Greg

[mvanrheenen]

Henry, sounds like a possible software/firmware issue to me. As many electronical devices these days run software for their menu's or a certain level of firmware in the processors controlling them, it might be possible to flash the camera. It could theoretically reset any issues or bugs that may have occurred during the use of your camera. After all, the whole camera runs on software in it's core and every software can be corrected one way or the other.

As it happens, I too am experiencing the infamous control wheel problem, but with my a580. It can be annoying at times, even missed a shot or two because of it. Not sure what to do about it other than send it to Sony, which I rather do not do.

The other problem is with the vertical grip for the a580 (VB-B50AM). Inserting the first battery isn't an issue, the grip does it's job. But when I insert 2 batteries, the camera states the battery isn't compatible. I checked if I have a faulty battery, but I don't. Both batteries inserted in the first slot work perfectly. I checked the grip, the connectors seem fine. Sometimes, the camera does recognize the 2nd battery, but for no more than 10 or 15 minutes.

I read somewhere it could be due to a difference in size or weight between batteries. I have two genuine Sony batteries, so can't see the problem. I thought maybe the 2nd battery would slio from the connectors due to gravity. I attached some duct tape to it to ensure the lid would press the battery to the connector, but that didn't do it.

Anyone have the same experience with the grip issue and if so, have you been able to get it working?

Thanks,

Mark

[bakubo]

Good to see you got back ok Henry. I think the A100 problem is a little strange, I've not had any problems with mine and I drag it just about everywhere I go, oops I tell a lie I did have the sticky shutter button problem which prooved to be dust wedged in between the body and button, the 'fit' between button and body is quite fine, fine enough for even very small dust grains too make it sticky and cause weird stuff too happen with the menu, settings etc. That one was easily fixed, but your problem might not be that of course, it could be something else. I'm wondering if some fine dust hasn't got in the [ok] button in the centre of the rear controller, causing it to go intermittant, or do uncommanded on/off's.

Yes, the A100 during the first 4-5 months back in 2007 had the shutter button problem. At the time I hadn't seen any mention of it anywhere, but I finally guessed why the camera AF, metering, etc. were acting so weird and was able to fix it with a needle. I recall that even with a magnifying glass I couldn't see any dust or anything around the shutter button, but I was able to fix the problem. I will see if it is possible that the other buttons now have the same problem. I hope that is all it is.

By the way, I am now back in Hawaii and have started working on the trip photos. I guess I am about 1/3 through them.

[Greg Beetham]

By the way, I am now back in Hawaii and have started working on the trip photos. I guess I am about 1/3 through them.

Ok great, we didn't hear from you this trip, normally you post the odd update..during.
Greg

[bakubo]

A560 user has the defective control wheel problem:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=39371841

[bakubo]

Here is a report of many A77 owners having QC problems in Taiwan and Hong Kong:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=39427594

Another A77 owner with QC problems:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=39432671

[bakubo]

The new NEX 5N is getting extensive reports of a clicking sound recorded on video. Sony USA has already acknowledged the problem.

[bakubo]

Here is a video where an A77 owner demonstrates his totally screwed up A77:

http://youtu.be/NvN13V-mb1g

He doesn't narrate it so you just have to watch and see how the camera is behaving so flaky.