topic Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help! in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 15:44:29 GMT

Hi everyone,

I've just acquired an EOS 4000d from someone who used it only sparingly (allegedly). The first time, I was able to take a few shots, and everything looked ok; today, the LCD screen went black again and never came back. Right before that, I was trying to zoom in on a flower bud. I was unhappy with the automatic mode and switched to manual, and that's when the blackout happened.

Actually, when I switch between modes, the screen flashes for a moment with the usual text, but it goes black immediately.

The camera sounds like it autofocuses with each mode I select, and it appears to shoots photos and save them to the SD. I've tried a lot of things that I've read about:

-removed SD card and battery

-put a new battery in

-cleaned all contacts

-removed the rubber cup on the viewfinder (and it looks like this model has no proximity sensor anyway)

Does anyone have another idea? Is there some hard reset button hidden somewhere that would allow me at least to reset everything to factory defaults?

Thanks in advance!

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 16:24:23 GMT

If it is taking pictures you can still transfer them to your computer but USB. Try pushing the Disp button top left on the back. Remove any battery grip you may have on it or any other add-on. Try a different lens, too.

"-removed SD card and battery" good try

"-put a new battery in" good try (make sure it is a Canon brand battery)

"-cleaned all contacts" won't help, almost never does

"-removed the rubber cup on the viewfinder" ??????

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

MikeSowsun — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 17:36:16 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:

"-removed the rubber cup on the viewfinder" ??????

Many "Rebel" series cameras have an eye proximity sensor which blanks out the rear LCD when you put your eye near the viewfinder.

Sometimes the rubber eyecup can slide up slightly and block the sensor causing the rear LCD screen to be unusable.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 18:51:29 GMT

Hi,

"Try pushing the Disp button top left on the back." Yeah nothing happens, regardless of which buttons I push

"If it is taking pictures you can still transfer them to your computer but USB." I know, but I can't see what picture I'm taking without the LCD 😕

"Try a different lens, too." I don't have any 😕

Thanks for replying!

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 20:56:34 GMT

"Many "Rebel" series cameras have an eye proximity sensor which blanks out the rear LCD when you put your eye near the viewfinder. "

I do not remember that. And, I had severaal XTi's.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 20:58:40 GMT

"Thanks for replying!"

You won't like this post so much. But I believe your Rebel is done. Because, any repair is going to be more costly than it is worth.

A different lens is worth trying, though first.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

Waddizzle — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 21:58:50 GMT

@MikeSowsun wrote:
@ebiggs1 wrote:

"-removed the rubber cup on the viewfinder" ??????

Many "Rebel" series cameras have an eye proximity sensor which blanks out the rear LCD when you put your eye near the viewfinder.

Sometimes the rubber eyecup can slide up slightly and block the sensor causing the rear LCD screen to be unusable.

So, why remove it? Removing it blanks out the screen. It needs to be put back in place and properly seated.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 22:31:27 GMT

"So, why remove it? Removing it blanks out the screen. It needs to be put back in place and properly seated."

Yes, I read on another thread that it should be removed to check for dirt and clean up, then put back in place. Anyway, the 4000d doesn't seem to have that sensor. Not that I can see. So, that couldn't be the problem.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

jrhoffman75 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 23:17:41 GMT

"So, why remove it? Removing it blanks out the screen. It needs to be put back in place and properly seated."

Completely removing it has the same effect as properly seating it. It's only when it is slightly displaced and blocking the sensor (on cameras that have the sensor) that it is a problem.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

Waddizzle — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 03:55:35 GMT

@jrhoffman75 wrote:
"So, why remove it? Removing it blanks out the screen. It needs to be put back in place and properly seated."

Completely removing it has the same effect as properly seating it. It's only when it is slightly displaced and blocking the sensor (on cameras that have the sensor) that it is a problem.

Thanks. I'm not sure if I ever had a camera with the sensor. It sounds like a potential nuisance.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 11:11:10 GMT

Purpose is to blackout LCD when camera is placed to eye.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 14:08:57 GMT

"Purpose is to blackout LCD when camera is placed to eye."

I think we understand that. I just don't remember it on any of my XTi's. Could be. At any rate it doesn't seem to be the problem either there or not in this case.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

FloridaDrafter — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 02:03:47 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"Purpose is to blackout LCD when camera is placed to eye."

I think we understand that. I just don't remember it on any of my XTi's. Could be. At any rate it doesn't seem to be the problem either there or not in this case.

You're right, Ernie. It wasn't a feature on the XTi or XSi, but it was on the T4i and I think they abandoned it on other rebels. At least, it wasn't on the T6s or T7i, But, it's a moot point, for this thread. However, it is a feature on the R6, go figure 🙂

Newton

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:21:29 GMT

So, a quick update.

I've managed to connect the camera to my pc, all I can do is download the photos, but I can't write on to the SD (I've downloaded the firmware update file and I'm supposed to copy it to the root folder but.. nada).

The EOS utility software freezes when I try to update the firmware from there. It displays "busy" then dies.

Also, the lens moves by itself like it's trying to focus on something. Even in P mode and with the cap on.

It feels like a software issue. Anyone? Is it toast?

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 13:46:28 GMT

"(I've downloaded the firmware update file and I'm supposed to copy it to the root folder but.. nada)."

It is always a bad idea to try and update FW on a misbehaving camera. Its good that it didn't take. Most likely, if possible, it can only make things worse. I don't think you are going to fix it. Sorry.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

Stephen — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:02:35 GMT

Hi, rigelkitty!

Not a tech, but I used to be one in a past life.

Put the camera in "P" mode on the main dial. Push the <Menu> button. Does a menu display, or is the LCD screen still blank?

If the LCD screen is still blank, the camera requires repair. If you're in the USA, You can start the process HERE. Outside of the USA, you'll need to reach out to Canon in your country. You'll find options HERE.

If you see a menu, go to the third yellow wrench menu and then down to the "Clear Settings" option, and then to "Clear all camera settings," then arrow over to "OK."

Once you've done that, go down to "Clear all Custom Func. (C.Fn.)" and hit "OK" again.

This will reset your camera back to defaults.

You'll see this on page 192 of the full manual HERE.

I hope this helps!

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:08:16 GMT

A professional photographer suggested that I do that after I showed her the camera, so I trusted her... but thanks, I'll keep that in mind in the future!

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:12:09 GMT

Hi Stephen, thanks for the suggestions!

No, I can't see anything at all on the LCD, except in video making mode -- and even there, pressing any button has no effect. I can't access the menu in any way. The LCD also flashes when I turn the dial, but returns blank immediately. That's what's weird, the screen is not physically broken, evidently.

I'll talk to Canon support and see if anything can be done.

Thank you 🙂

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

ebiggs1 — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:19:39 GMT

"That's what's weird, the screen is not physically broken, evidently."

Its electronic. It doesn't have to show signs of damage to be broken. Did you drop the camera? Did you get it wet even just a little? Leave it in a hot car, etc? Many things can cause electronic failures.

Re: EOS 4000d black screen but camera shoots. help!

rigelkitty — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:44:44 GMT

None of those. I bought it on ebay. Tested it immediately, and it worked fine. Put it back in its box until the next day, in my room. Took it out again to try a few more shots, in my living room, no water, no heat, no nothing.. and it went dead after a few minutes.