# Camera problems...



## Funky (Jan 4, 2007)

Im EXTREAMLY disappointed in the Sony dslr a100, and there a legitimate reason to. Ive treated this thing like a tool like most photographers I use it on a day to day basis and dont kick it around. Today I got back from taking pictures of snow boarders on Mount Hood when I was surprised to find out the usb plug in the camera had come disconnected and fell inside. Thats problem number one. the next problem is that I get a bright purple/blue border around the corners of exposures over 3 minutes. Does anyone have an idea on what that purple border is? But yeah when I invest 3k into a new camera and lenses Id expect some better craftsman shipapart from those 2 things its amazing but its enough for me to complain about.


:cheers:  Zack


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## ksmattfish (Jan 5, 2007)

You have a warranty don't you.  Send it back to Sony.  Those sound like issues that would be covered by the warranty.  Maybe you got a lemon, and other Sony cameras aren't falling apart.  Maybe Sony is too new at camera building yet, and haven't learned what photogs put their gear through.  Considering that  there are numerous brands that have been in the camera building business for decades I tend to steer clear of the new guys.  I look to Sony for TVs and stereos, and Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc... for camera gear.


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## Funky (Jan 5, 2007)

Yeah i chose the a100 because it was the biggest bang for my buck at the time. im kinda angry with sony and if it is just a bad one ill continue buying the minolta lenses but if i get my new one and it has the blue border on the long exposures ill sell it all and change iver to something else.


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## Tiberius (Jan 6, 2007)

Exposures over 3 minutes?  It's rather tough to find a camera that DOESN'T exhibit some Chromatic Aberration (i.e. purple fringing) on exposures that long.  It's primarily dependent on the lens, however.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 6, 2007)

Tiberius said:


> Exposures over 3 minutes?  It's rather tough to find a camera that DOESN'T exhibit some Chromatic Aberration (i.e. purple fringing) on exposures that long.



Canon DSLRs don't.  I regularly do 2 to 10 min exposures without any issues.  I've gone up to 30 min.

Purple in the corners of the image and at the edges doesn't sound like typical purple fringing to me.

But if you haven't seen other people with similar complaints, then maybe you just got a defective camera?  Usually you can tell if it's a problem with the camera design because all the photo forums will be filled with posts from users complaining.  Like the Canon 20D's auto-focus issues.


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## Funky (Jan 6, 2007)

Hmm yeah, its only on the top left and right hand corners and it gets worse with the time of the exposure. you can see it starting at 10 seconds and it gets worse heres an example


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 6, 2007)

Get on them. Start hammering them. Be respectful and nice about it, but get in touch, write e-mails, mention that you're very active on photography forums, etc etc.


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## darich (Jan 7, 2007)

the usb connection is defintely somethng the warranty should cover.

as for the fringing issue - can you try another lens on your camera?
try your lens on another camera?
does the same thing appear?
it may be your lens and not the camera.

but i'd still be onto Sony about the whole thing and say that whether it's the lens or the camera you expected more for your money than what you got.


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## Alex_B (Jan 7, 2007)

that example really looks grim ...

maybe a sensor problem or a heat problem of the amplifier behind it.


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## Funky (Jan 7, 2007)

I just took 2 1 minute exposures and used 2 diffetent lenses and it has the same problem on both pictures, theres a purple fringe in 3 places on both so im guessing its the sensor...im really quite sad at this point, if i send it back ill be without a camera for atleast a month and thats just not going to work. i guess im going to start contacting them. thanks for helping me figure out the problem everyone.


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## Don Simon (Jan 8, 2007)

It would obviously be annoying if you had to send the camera back and wait for it to be returned. Maybe contact the retailer before Sony. I had a camera with a faulty flash and I never had to contact the manufacturer; I simply took it back to the shop and since it was fairly clear I hadn't caused the problem they just replaced it with a new one. I guess that may be the exception to the rule though; obviously depends on who you bought from.


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## Funky (Jan 8, 2007)

Yeah i wish i could take it back to the ritz camera i got it from, but its in california and im living in oregon for the moment. sony is messing me around because minolta and sony made this camera together and they keep refering me to eachother..im getting...yeah kinda mad at them


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## Don Simon (Jan 9, 2007)

Eh? Sony took over Konica-Minolta's whole camera department. Sony are now responsible for any service, repairs etc, not only for Sony-branded cameras but the Minolta ones too. They shouldn't be trying to refer you to Minolta at all.


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## Funky (Jan 9, 2007)

Heres the emails

Dear Zach, 

You have reached Konica Minolta's email support team. Unfortunately we do not have access to the resources required to assist with Sony's Digital Imaging products.


now for sony 


Thank you for contacting sonys support team.
We unfortunately dont have the means to help you with your problem, try contacting Minoltas support team. 


i dont like sony anymore. i have 6 lenses that go to minolta cameras now...im kinda introuble.


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## Don Simon (Jan 10, 2007)

Something is very wrong there. I've never heard anyone say they don't have the means to fix their products. Try sending off an email of complaint to Sony (not to the same address) or call them instead. There is absolutely no reason they should be referring you to Minolta.


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## Funky (Jan 10, 2007)

I'm calling them on the phone and if they mess me around im calling the bbb i hope that will help. but yeah its kinda interesting that they are being so lame


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