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?

[rshlim]

I think I have solved the problem without repairing it. I took my problem Canon Camera with me on my daily walk yesterday of about 3 miles. It was a very hot summer day. At a convenient resting place where there was a bench and table, I placed the camera on the table. With the switch off, I acitvated/pressed the shutter for over 1,000 times or maybe more. After that with very very few failures, the camera shutter worked. I have taken over 30 photos yesterday and about 10 today. The shutter is still working correctly after 48 hours ! The movie mode is working too ! The shutter has 2 stages. You can feel it as you activate the 2 stages. The first stage is for focusing . The second stage is to trigger the shutter release. Be deliberate about these two steps. Mechanical things work better when the temperature is high. Hence the walk in the  hot summer sun. My theory of the solution. There must have been some corrosion of the contacts and constant friction may have rubbed the corroisve debris off.  I would like others to try my solution and report your success. It is easy and costs nothing !      RL 

[PO]

Hi, rshim! Welcome to the discussions! I am afraid I cannot do the 3 miles on a 36C day with my new left knee:-) But mine works with the video with no problem so I could turn on the video for three or four minutes to heat up the camera (it does get very warm), the shutter would work for a while too! Other warming methods will work the same...helping the contacts expand just a little bit to make the shot). Ultimately changing the shutter release part is the final cure just like my new knee! I don't want to tell my granddaughter to hold her smile as I walk for three miles and then press the shutter 1000 times...just joking! Sleep well...at least over here in the north of America!!   

Po

PS I spent C$20 and got a S100 with lens error, two working batteries, charger and two camera cases...quite a deal in Kijiji! 

[nathanm]

Add me to the list.  Shutter button stopped working about six months ago for my wife.  I just did the usual things like reset etc and found this thread.  Very sad...not very many pics on this model as my wife relies on me to do the photography.  But it's still a good quality camera with excellent video but now will be recycled.

This was my second Canon that I loved and will be my last.  My SLRs have been Sony since the a55 and I guess our pocket cameras need to be as well.  Such a simple thing to keep customers, but clearly no one is listening.

Nathan

[had]

I brought Panasonic LX100 after my Canon broken and unable to fix it. I threw away.

[nathanm]

I found a workaround that I didn't see mentioned here.  I'd much rather a fully working camera (hey Canon!) but this will keep us going.  You can install CHDK using the quick install instructions here:

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_quick_install_Guide

Once installed, you can copy the code below in to a text file with .lua at the end, and place it in the scripts folder within the CHDK folder on your camera's memory card.  Using the CHDK menu, you can load the script and set it to run automatically when the camera turns on.  Turn the camera off and back on and the script runs.

When the script is active, the half shutter button now operates as a full shutter button (yea) however no other buttons can be used (boo).  In order to zoom, you need to exit the script by pressing the play button (the default button assigned to enter the CHDK menu).  Zoom, and then press the play button again to take a picture.  In order to shoot video, you need to exit the script as well.

This works well enough for us to continue to use our S100...code is below.  I just learned a bit of lua to modify the code found here in order ot get it working on the s100.

https://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=12819.0

I couldn't get CHDK to recognize the video button on my S100 so I shifted to use the half-shutter button, which feels more natural anyway.  The code turns the camera into "shoot" mode to start (so the lens is extended), that's what the set_record(1) does.  It then waits until the half-shutter button is pressed.  When it is to executes all of the steps to take a picture, including focusing, and then shoots a single picture.  It then loops back (infintely) so that you can take another photo.  As mentioned above, to take video or do anything else you need to exit the script by pressing the play button.

--[[
@title Shutter Adjust Button
@chdk_version 1.4
--]]
sleep(1000)
if (get_mode() == false ) then
set_record(1)
while ( get_mode() == false ) do sleep(100) end
sleep(1000)
end

print "Press play button to exit"
a=1
repeat
wait_click(0)
if is_key("shoot_half") == true then
shoot()
end
sleep(100)
until (a>1)

[MartinSmith]

wow that is impressive - keep going. One day we don't need these manufacturers any more and built our own sturdy cameras that will last.

However too late for me unfortunately - I guess I ruined the camera when I was trying to replace this eletronic part...

regards

[nathanm]

Here is an updated script that has the zoom control working as well...since the video button isn't recognized I use the left/right to start and stop videos.

--[[
@title Shutter Adjust Button
@chdk_version 1.5
--]]
sleep(1000)
if (get_mode() == false ) then
set_record(1)
while ( get_mode() == false ) do sleep(100) end
sleep(1000)
end

print ("Press play button to exit")
a=1
repeat
wait_click(0)
if is_key("shoot_half") == true then
shoot()
end
if is_key("menu") == true then
a=2
end

if is_key("zoom_in") then press("zoom_in") while is_pressed("zoom_in") do sleep(20) end release("zoom_in")
end
if is_key("zoom_out") then press("zoom_out") while is_pressed("zoom_out") do sleep(20) end release("zoom_out")
end

if is_key("left") == true then
press "video"
end
if is_key("right") == true then
release "video"
end
sleep(100)
until (a==2)

[exae]

Hello.

So I chime in with the same problem.

Since the spare part is not available any more - did anyone find a source for electronic switch itself? Or any spare part of a different camera model, that has the same type of switch?

I have the equipment and I can solder. So I think I will be able to replace it, if a fitting part can be obtained.

Regards,
exae

[Danluckett]

You may be able to get a camera on ebay that you can strip for parts. Working but worn ones seem to go in the  $50 - $60. range -- I see one now listed as "buy it now" for about $55. The other problem common to these cameras is for the lens to get stuck in the out position. Canon made good on these for awhile, but probably no more. If you are looking for a shutter switch a camera with a lens problem might work out for you. But the safest would be to get one that is fully functional if a bit battered. Good luck.

[John_]

I agree, I never had an S100 but I saw one on ebay, working, with a Canon waterproof case for $100 so I bought it for use at the beach. I've had it for 2 years now with no problems. If you are so inclined to fix them I believe I saw info in this very. very long thread on how to do it and where to get parts with auction sites as an option too for parts.