Canon G7x mark iii screen issues

[Wpowe]

Hello all,

I’m having an issue with the screen of my G7x mark iii (well probably the lens but we’ll get to that). 

first off I’ve had this camera about 9 months and have not put it through heavy use. There have been no spills or contacts with water, no drops other than it maybe being bumped or knocked over. Nothing that I can think of causing a critical error. 

this all being said, a few weeks ago the screen was blank when I turned it on, I was confused and turned it to manual (as autofocus wasn’t working) took a picture and while the picture was black, the screen started working and everything functioned again. Last week the same thing happened (medium use in between these times) and it took a bit more fiddling and taking pictures but it worked until the battery died. Few days later, I charged it, went to take some photos and turn it on and there is no snapping out of it this time. No image, no auto focus, nothing. (100% positive lens shutter is open too)

To clarify, the camera still function perfectly and would be ideal if It were supposed to look like I was in a cave with no light. The touch screen still works, it changes modes, takes pictures, I can access all menus and even still look at pictures on the card from before it broke. 

I’ve been in touch with canon and will most likely send it in for a repair. I don’t really have the money for it at the moment (broke college kid trying to follow artistic passion, etc. etc.) and am slightly worried that the basic warranty will not cover it due to it potentially being from a fall (would be a tragedy because what’s the point of having a point and shoot that’s more fragile than a sand dollar, but that’s beside the point), so I figured I’d read out and see if anyone can provide some monetary peace of mind or maybe I’m just ignorant and it’s an easy fix. 

[Tronhard]

Hi.

From what you are saying, it seems your camera has suffered some kind of fall or bump.  Was this around the time that it stopped working?

[Wpowe]

There was a slight fall, so I guess that it the only option for what caused the error. Do you have any idea what the repair cost for this would be through canon? is this a simple repair or am I better off buying a new camera.

[Tronhard]

Sorry, I have no idea.  The thing to do is to contact Canon on 0-800-ok-canon and have a talk with them.

[Wpowe]

thanks for your input! definitely the most fragile camera I have owned. Lowers my opinion of it for sure! 

[Tronhard]

A lot depends on the angle of the fall.   I had a professional level camera, so built like a tank, and inside a padded holster, dropped by an airport security officer onto a conveyor belt.  It was not more than 6".  When I checked, the filter on the front of the lens was shattered and bent so badly that I had to saw it off.
Cameras are precision instruments, and with things like hinged screens, or extending lenses they are vulnerable. I shoot Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus and Sony - they all have similar issues.

[Wpowe]

That's fair and I understand the sentiment, but that being said, I could understand a drop damaging a hinged screen or the lens or the body, but the issue I have being that there is ZERO external wear and this was a fall from less that 1 foot through a padded case. The fact that an internal component obviously rattled loose during this means to me that there is an issue with durability and not very comparable to any other camera I've owned. 

Regardless, I'm mostly just frustrated at the large investment that is getting larger continually at this point.

Thanks again.

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

External wear is no indication of damage to the internal components and, as I said, much depends on the angle of impact.  My experience was also for a camera in a padded holster.   I understand your frustration, and suggest that perhaps you could consider an insurance claim to help cover your costs.

I have a colleague who has an Olympus tough camera.  As the term suggests, this is designed to take tough treatment, but a fall of modest proportions caused a malfunction to it.  The internals are so precisely engineered in cameras these days that a bad angle can dislodge a connector, or break a solder joint.