Powershot G15 - Wont stay turned on unless hold power button down.

[ajh1970]

I have a G15 which suddenly stopped turning on.  If you hold the power button down it does turn on and presents the setup scree to set date and time etc.  But you can't do anything because as soon as you let go of the powerbutton it just turns off.  Anybody else had the same issue and know what to do to resolve it? Canon want $200 just to look at it!!! 

[John_]

Seems like you dont have any other options but service, maybe from a local shop might be less expensive.

What is the condition of your battery ?  Although if it were weak or defective I doubt it would even turn on...it seems to me there is an internal problem in the power circuitry...many reasons that could do that and all require service.

[cale_kat]

Canon replaced a broken LCD screen on my G15 for less than $200. I seriously doubt that they want $200 for diagnostics. Better check that.

As for the "power on" not working.

Check the battery for damage or dirty contacts.

Check the battery door for damage.

Check the body, It could have sustained damage in a fall or having been submerged in water.

Connect it to a computer with the USB cord and see if it takes a charge or can be powered on. (An external charger might show full charge but not be actually providing one.)

Good luck.

[friesenjohnny]

I seem to be having the same problem. We were in Mexico on vacation, and on the second day I was taking some photos near the water with some highways and some water splashed on the camera, but it seems to still be working for the next few hours. When I stop taking pictures and came back to the camera a few hours after, I tried turning it on and the set date and time settings screen was displayed. After I entered the settings, I was able to resume taking pictures. However, when I turned the camera off, then on again, that same screen displayed it again.

The next day, I went to turn on the camera, and the lands would not extend fully and will turn off main extension. When I held down the power button, it would retract back but not all the way. If I hit the playback button, I was only then able to fully close the lens. I'm thinking now in hindsight, I should have not tried to turn it on, and just put it in a bag of rice right away, but it's probably too late for that now, and since I'm thinking the water that got on it was salt water from the ocean, it might have corroded some terminals or some electronics inside, I'm not sure. But I don't think I want to pay $200 for Canon to just look at it, and then come back to me saying they can't fix the camera. The warranty has just run out, and I think I might be better off just buying a new camera.

[John_]

Before you give up and if by not turning it off and removing the battery did not damage an internal component you might be able to find some you tube videos on how to remove the covers, its not hard and just keep track of the screws and where they went. After you have removed most of the covers, battery compartment open etc blow it out with compressed air to get any heavy moisture out then place it in a bag with a good dessicant not rice...the kind you heat up first. What do u have to lose, some time maybe and the cost of a good dessicant. Also to clean anything inside like the circuit boards or FPC's as they are called of any salt water residue use a good-safe spray like Deoxit 5. That will not damage any plastics or rubber...just be careful not to get it inside the lens that goes for blowing the compressed air too..dont blow any moisture towards the lens.

Also you can sell it as is, for parts only on auction sites.

[cale_kat]

@friesenjohnny, Photography is a bit like mountain climbing... you don't want to risk more than you're willing to lose. I hope the photographs you got on your trip were recovered and that the loss of the camera, I fear this is inevitable, worth the risks you took to get those pictures. Pictures can be irreplaceable, something that can almost never be said about a camera. (I did say almost ... http://petapixel.com/2014/07/16/leica-iii-behind-iconic-flag-reichstag-photo-going-auction-november/

Good luck.

[friesenjohnny]

PROBLEM SOLVED!

took the back casing off, and disconnected the cable to the control pad (the thumb wheel) and reconnected it with tweezers, because it's very hard to get into it, and now it turns on, and stays on. 

the other problem was that the date/time setting screen kept resetting everytime the camera turned off and back on again, that also has gone away.

the only problem persisting, and still a major one for me, is that when flash is enabled, the shutter won't fire, in other words, i can take photos, without flash, but as soon as i enable the flash via the right D-pad, and flip up the flash, it won't capture.

anyone have any ideas??

[John_]

That flash problem sounds like it could be several things 

the fuse has blown that supplies the DC to the flash board 

the connection from the battery box to the flash board is loose

the capacitor on the flash board is bad

the flash board itself is faulty.

The camera will not shoot until it senses the flash is charged and ready.

[Photo_martin]

I have a Powershot G15. On a recent vacation - after about 230 shots "most" of the controls hung up. My Fix: Hold down the "Menu" button as you turn camera on. If (and when) you get control of the selector rotators back, go immediately to "menu - tools" and scroll down to "Reset All". Select that. It seems to have salvaged the situation for me. The G15 is an ideal vacation camera shooting RAW. Glad to have it back working.

[tulunurang]

It's the internal battery. Replace it and the camera will turn on again.