shutter release not working S100

[sandysorlien]

Hello,

I am suddenly having problems with my S100. It will not take the picture when I press the shutter release. In case I had accidentally changed something, I did a Reset to Defaults. Then it worked, briefly, before returning to not working. It also would not let me change My Colors.  Everything else seems to be working fine.  Any ideas?

[John_]

I agree, some of the screws in those cameras are only 0.5 mm different in length or 0.25 mm different in width or thread size...way to easy to get them mixed up.

I looked around the auction site and Canon actually has a better price at $109.99 than what I saw there for a used, non OEM refurbished camera from some person who said its tested and works.

I was looking for one that specifically stated it has a shutter button problem.

msostrowski...when you took it apart did you notice how the circuit board that holds the switch is mounted in there?

[rbarribeau]

I uploaded a pic of the top flex attachment in my public album.  It's not the best pic, as I was only interested in the actual shutter button in case I tried to find a replacement, and unfortunately it's the only one I took.  You can get a good idea of how the flex is attached though - it is sitting and located by dowel pins directly on the metal top plate of the camera frame (you can see the frame through the flex).  It's a little hard to see in the downsized image in my album, but very clear in the original.

Shutter switch is the small tactile switch with the white actuator in about the center of the pic.  Zoom switch located directly behind it, and the mode dial contacts to the right and below both of those switches.  The screw visible between the mode contacts and the shutter button isn't holding down the flex, there's actually a clearance hole in the flex for that screw.  Didn't really look for what holds the flex down, most likely the top cover.

[Ante]

Hi all,

Just wanted to come here and say thanks, my S100 was also having this dreaded problem. Had opened it up a couple of times and tried different things but most didn't help for long, but the cleaning fluid sure has been the best one so far, it's not perfect but very effective.

So I used this fix just before my wife and I went on a trip to Reunion for two weeks, there we took about 1500 pictures and had only minor problems at the very end. Don't know if was the amount of pictures or the very changing climate that made it starting to fail but I was happy it held that long, so again thanks all!

I also wanted to give something back so I took some pictures of the electronics inside since I saw that was requested.

And from what I could figure out is the circuit board glued to the metal frame and to get DeOxit to the tactile switch through the pushbutton I think will be quite hard.

Cheers

Ps. There are more pics, different angles and closeups, in my album if anyone is interested.

[John_]

wow great picture thank you for that !

The problems that you experienced after a while were the same as before as in the shutter button didn't trigger an exposure ?

From that picture it does not look like that circuit board can come loose and fall away from the mechanical shutter button but does it flex ? Or could it flex enough to create enough distance between the switch and the mechanical button.

It could all be from a bad batch of switches that the DeOxit somehow fixes it.

I've seen some on eBay for cheap money that are listed as not working for parts only and when I asked what the problem(s) were not one of the 5-6 I asked knew or were willing to tell me what was wrong. I am still looking for one listed with a shutter button problem. The other ones I looked at were selling for about $35 with shipping.

[Ante]

"The problems that you experienced after a while were the same as before as in the shutter button didn't trigger an exposure ?"

Ya exactly the same.

"From that picture it does not look like that circuit board can come loose and fall away from the mechanical shutter button but does it flex ? Or could it flex enough to create enough distance between the switch and the mechanical button."
No it all feels quite sturdy, the whole thing might flex a bit but I don't think it is something DeOxit would have fixed. I think the problem is in the switch itself, it might get worn out or something and the DeOxit just makes it get contact a bit better.
The first fix I actually tried was to put a small spacer between the button and the switch and that didn't do much good at all.

"I looked at the other pictures also..I couldn't tell if there is a rubber seal around the mechanical shutter button ?

Also it looks like there might be just enough room to get some fine needle point probes in there to test the switch when it is acting up or wroking even."

I didn't check if there was a rubber seal but I don't think so. Ya I guess you could bend the top plastic part a bit to get in that way but I would be careful about that, I rather just remove the screws. 🙂

[John_]

Ok thanks Ante thats great information !

One last thing how hard was it to get those covers off, what is the best sequence ?

[Ante]

"One last thing how hard was it to get those covers off, what is the best sequence ?"

I don't find it hard at all, I unscrew all 6 black screws first, all the ones that are directly visible.

There is also one visible screw between the usb and hdmi, that one is NOT needed to unscrew.

That makes front and back cover quite loose but they are still hooked in the upper part but that only need a light pull to get the covers loose. The back one comes off completely so I would start with that one just to get a feel for it, the front part has a cable connected to it so there you have to be a bit careful.

Then there are two silver screws, one on the side just above the connections cover and one on the front above the optics, make sure to remember their position because they have different length. If my memory serves me correct the long one is in front and the short on the side.

[John_]

cool..good info Ante at some point I will get my hands on one of these S100's just to satisfy my own curiosity.

[AngelaX]

So, if one of you out there finds a permanent fix, you could scoop up a buch of 35 dollar cameras and fix and resell them.

mmm..

[John_]

LOL Angela Ive done that before with the old G5's.On those it was just the frame bent over time, no parts needed. As long as the fix is cheap Canon is selling refurbished S100's now for $130 I think.