Fault finding & problem solving for film cameras
(many tips also apply to small digital cameras).

Here are some elementary checks and problem solving for film cameras. Something about batteries. A lot about the elements (sun, water, sand, etc). The effects of gravity, and other bits including care and feeding.

If it isn’t working:

• First check for power problems:
  If the camera has an on/off switch move it on/off several times and listen for any sounds that may indicate that the camera is trying to work. If it is dead then ...
• Check the battery power (you are using the correct type as recommended in your manual aren't you?). If you haven't got access to a proper battery tester, try fresh batteries, but also ....
• Check the batteries and the battery compartment for any signs of oxide or corrosion. It takes very little to prevent the camera from working properly. If there is corrosion, try to clean it off (see section at the bottom of page) then try again.
  If the batteries have leaked and acid is present, wipe out what you can, then take the camera for service, quickly.
• Of course, you did check that the batteries have been inserted correctly?  Some batteries have their + and - terminals opposite to what you might expect, so double check.
• Then check for film problems:
  If the camera sounds like it is trying to work, but can't, and there's film inside, the film might be finished and needs rewinding. Cameras with manual rewind will stop working if the film is over-wound and not rewound immediately. So,  try to rewind the film, even if the counter indicates that not all the photos have been taken.
• If the camera stopped working after loading a new film, check that it was loaded correctly.
  Some cameras won't operate if there's no film loaded or if the film is incorrectly loaded.
• Other causes:
  The camera has been to the beach and has sand in it.
  The camera was stored in a hot vehicle or left in the sun and got too hot.
  Gravity took over and the ground jumped up and hit the camera.
  Somebody splashed or spilled liquid on it.
  For any of the above possibilities, check the accidents section.

E or H message flashing in the LCD

• When the modern camera encounters an error - for what ever reason - just like a computer, it will often indicate this by flashing a message and stop working. On cameras the message is usually an ‘E’ or an ‘H’ and often followed by a number. The number refers to the fault encountered.
• Like a computer, it can sometimes be reset. Try removing the batteries, then open and close the back door, and press the release button or on/off button a few times until the display goes blank. The reinsert the batteries and try to switch on again. The camera will either resume normal function, or, it will again flash an error signal.
• If resetting it doesn’t help, then the camera needs professional attention at your friendly repair center.

Accidental damage

• When the camera is not working and you have checked the previous section, it may have stopped working due to a mishap, such as impact, sand intrusion, or liquid intrusion, and the first thing to do is to remove the batteries.
• If batteries are left in a faulty camera, they may cause further (expensive) damage as they can overheat and perhaps burn out the circuit. They could also leak and cause acid damage, or just go flat quickly. So, remove them.
• Sand can cause a lot of problems. If you must take the camera near the beach protect it well, and never change film while on the beach. Airborne sand grains have a habit of seeking out cameras, waiting, ready to enter the mechanism the moment the camera is opened.
  Apart from scratched films, sand causes gears to jam, the focus not to focus, and waterproof cameras to leak.
• Liquid intrusion of any kind is nearly always terminal, and at the very least - a very expensive service. Very light intrusion, e.g. an accidental splash, may be possible to clean and treat, however, speed is of the essence and you must immediately remove the batteries. Leaving batteries in a liquid damaged camera will certainly kill it.
• Gravity damage - you know, when the cement floor suddenly sucks the camera and lens down onto it with an expensive sounding crash.
  Sometimes a passing tree or post even manages to get the camera to swing right into it for no apparent reason. Well, the same rule applies - if there's any doubt about the camera's health, remove the batteries, then have it inspected.
  Modern cameras are tightly packed with electronics and mechanics, and internal organs can easily break or damage. Even if there are no external signs of damage (plastic body panels may flex back into place) internal problems may still occur.

It clicked, but the negatives are blank:

• First check that the film is loaded correctly AND transporting through the camera [check film loading hints]. If you are sure there's no problem here, next you need to check the shutter.
• Almost all cameras can be checked when there's no film inside. Simply open the camera and look through the back while aiming the camera towards some light source and releasing the shutter (press the button).
  Every time the shutter is released you should see light coming through the lens. If you have a built-in flash and aim towards a dark area inside, you should also see light as the flash fires.
  If you see light, the shutter most likely OK, and this brings us back to film loading as the likely cause.
• A few cameras won't operate with the back open and no film loaded, and you may just have to let a service center check those cameras for you. You could check such cameras from the front with film loaded (shield the flash so it won't blind you) by carefully looking at the shutter visible behind the lens. You should be able to see it open and close as you press the release button.
• Let's assume that the shutter does not open as it should so you now know why the film is blank. And the reason ...
  * The camera has been affected by sand and some grains may be lodged in the shutter.
  * The camera has suffered shock/impact and something has been dislodged in the shutter.
  * The camera has been too hot (e.g left in a vehicle in the sun) causing heat and oil damage.
  You'll need to have the camera professionally inspected and serviced. If you think the camera or lens has been too hot at some stage, read below what can happen when photographic equipment gets too hot.

The batteries go flat quickly:

There are several reasons for premature battery failure and the checks below should help you determine the likely cause. If none of these suggestions is not the cause, the problem need investigating by your service center. Here we can measure  the power consumption compared it with the factory specifications.

• Incorrect battery type is being used? Always use the very best batteries in photographic equipment, and certainly the type recommended in your manual or by your service center.
• The battery compartment contacts have become corroded or contaminated. This has the effect of preventing sufficient power reaching the camera, and the batteries will appear to go flat quickly when in fact they are probably fine.
  Read the hints further down on battery contact cleaning.
• The batteries have leaked acid into the camera! This is serious as the acid will cause corrosive damage to the interior and the circuitry, which in turn causes batteries to go flat quickly.
• The camera has had liquid splashed onto it at some stage! It is possible, even if it didn't seem like it at the time, for liquid to have intruded into the camera and started corroding the circuit. If you think this may have happened tell the service center so they know what to look for.
• You have overwound the film! If you try to take too many photos on a spool of film and your camera does not have automatic rewind, you may overwind the film. The camera then may not be able to complete the last winding cycle but, will keep trying, thereby draining the batteries.
  Always rewind the film immediately the last frame is taken.
• The main switch or flash switch has been left on. Or, the camera's back door was left open (some cameras drain more power with the door open as they expect a film to be loaded).
• Finally, check that the camera is not stored under pressure in a bag. Other items in the bag may be pressing on a switch on the camera, which in turn may cause extra drain.

There are light leaks on my photos:

There are a number of causes of light leak, and not all of them can be blamed on the camera. An experienced photo dealer or technician can determine exactly what caused it, if you do the following:

• Always present the entire roll of negatives, not just the photos, but all the negatives. We need to see all the negatives including the bits at the start and end of the film. This will help us determine what caused the light leak, where it came from, and if it was indeed caused by the camera. Here are some suggestions:
• Did you change film while outside in bright light, and did the light leak only happen on that film?
  Avoid changing film in direct sunlight. Go into the shade if possible.
• If the camera has a film cartridge window (so you can see what film is in the camera), check that the foam seal around the window inside the camera back is still there, if it is still in one piece, and still in the right place.
• Check that there is no foreign matter or film bits caught in the grooves in the back of the camera (where the edges of the back door fit into). Anything in there may lift the back enough for light to enter.
• Check that the foam seal at the end (inside at the door hinge) is not damaged or missing.
• Finally, if any of the visible foam seals appear sticky and black stuff comes off on your fingers when you touch or gently rub the seals, then it is time to have all the seals replaced.
• Oh, there's just one more cause. If the light leak appears as a spot and sometimes as a line across the negatives, and always in the same place, you might have damaged shutter curtains. Read below how this can happen.

The How, What, and Why section!

Cleaning Battery Contacts:

• If there's corrosion on the batteries or on the contacts in the battery compartment, the reason may be that the batteries have been in the camera too long, that the batteries are the wrong type, or they have been handled unduly and the contacts have contaminated.
• Use a Pencil Eraser (that's an eraser in the shape of a pencil and often comes with a brush on the end) to rub the contacts as clean as possible. DO NOT use any abrasive tool to remove the corrosion since this can easily damage the plating on the contacts and make the problem worse.
• When you have rubbed the corrosion off, use a cotton bud moistened with alcohol to wipe any residue from the contacts and the batteries. If the battery lid screws in also clean the thread.
• From now on, avoid touching/handling the terminals on the batteries with your fingers to prevent re-contaminating them.
• Finally, if the corrosion appears to have travelled deeper or cannot be removed with the Pencil Eraser, the camera should be checked and cleaned professionally. The Service Centers have other methods at their disposal and will also apply an anti-oxide film to the contacts.

Cleaning Lenses and Mirrors:

• You can safely clean the exterior glass surface of your lenses by following some simple rules. Greater care is necessary with the mirror in an SLR camera, and cleaning of the focusing screen is best left to your Service Center.
• You will need a soft paint or lens brush, an air blower, and a proper lens cleaner [see our lens cleaning kit].
  If you use compressed air take care to use it as instructed as liquid can be expelled and may cause damage.
• To clean the lens surface, first brush away any loose particles of dust or other foreign matter, then blow away any residue. Moisten a cotton bud with lens cleaning fluid (never apply liquid directly onto the lens). Gently clean the lens surface in a circular manner working from the center and out to the edges. Gently polish the lens dry and clean with the dry end of the cotton bud, or, if the surface is large in size, with lens tissue paper. Lens tissue paper or the Professional KimWipe lint free tissues available from us.
• To clean the reflex mirror, greater care should be taken. The mirror surface is quite delicate as the silver coating is on the front (as opposed to a normal house mirror where the coating is on the back). It has no protective coating and is easily scratched. Also, the focusing screen, which sits directly above the mirror, can easily be touched and scratched.
• Start by brushing out any loose particles with a Sensor Brush, and unless absolutely necessary, leave it at that. If you really need to clean it further, again use a cotton bud moistened with cleaning fluid. This time wipe gently from side-to-side, using very little pressure. Finish off with the dry end of the bud, or a Micro-Fibre Cloth.
  Micro-Fibre Cloths are woven from very soft material, and are safer to use on mirrors than cotton buds and liquid.
• The focusing screen - preferably don't touch it. It is easily scuffed or damaged, and in older cameras it cannot be replaced. Do not use any chemicals near the focusing screen as it may cloud. Focusing screens should be blow cleaned only or professionally cleaned by your Service Center.

Film Loading - Manual transport cameras:

• Insert the film cartridge into the chamber, making sure it does not jam on or catch on the rewind fork which goes into the film. Jiggle the cartridge slightly to check that it is free, then pull out enough film to attach it onto the take-up spool. Now, before going any further, turn the rewind knob (clockwise) to take up any slack inside the film canister until you just feel the film starting to wind back in.
• In a manual transport camera the film needs to be attached to the take-up spool. Here you should first check which way the spool turns as you wind on. In many cameras the spool turns anti-clockwise. Insert the tongue of the film into the slot in the take-up spool and manually (with your fingers) rotate the spool in the direction you have determined it turns, to see that the film doesn't slip out.
• Now advance the film wind lever and watch that the film moves along without slipping off the take-up spool. When both sides of the film sprocket engage the camera sprocket, close the back door.
• Now advance the film another 2 or 3 frames while keeping an eye on the rewind knob - remember, you tightened the film before as you were inserting it - the knob should turn with each frame. This is your only assurance that the film is advancing properly, as the counter may work whether the film is advancing or not.
  Of course, if you hear any strange noises, like film tearing, etc, stop, open the back and reload.

Film loading - automatic transport cameras:

• As you insert the film cartridge into its chamber, make sure it does not jam on or catch on the rewind fork which goes into the film. Jiggle the cartridge slightly to check that it is free, then pull out just enough film so that the tongue can be positioned exactly at the film load mark at the take-up spool.
• If the film is not far enough across the camera may fail to function or the counter fail to operate. If this happens just open the back and recheck your loading procedure.
• If the film is pushed too far across and around the spool, the camera may work for a few frames, then appear to jam or start making grating noises. This is because the film has bunched up, and the camera is unable to transport it any further.
  You will need to rewind it and reload the film. (Some cameras have no rewind button, and the film may need to be removed by your service center).
• Never remove a jammed film forcefully, it can easily cause damage to the film transport mechanism or gears.

Sand Intrusion:

• Sand needs to be cleaned thoroughly from both the exterior and interior of the camera, and, very importantly, also from the camera case. Use a soft paint brush to clean off all visible grains from the exterior, especially around knobs, dials and switches, and at any point with access to the interior.
• Remove the film, then brush out every grain of sand from the film compartment, from the door and back seals, back latch, and cartridge window. It takes only one grain to scratch your film, and I mean the whole film.
• Take special care with waterproof or weatherproof cameras to thoroughly clean the gasket or O-rings around the back door and battery compartment. Any sand grains or dirt caught on the gaskets will compromise the seal and leakage is inevitable when the camera gets wet.
• If you can see any sand grains in the viewfinder (behind the finder glass), you may want to have the camera inspected and cleaned by a service center. Any particles in the finder will not be seen on the film, but they do indicate  that the mechanism may be contaminated.
• And, this is important, once you have cleaned the camera, or have had it serviced for sand remember to also clean the case or storage bag for sand, I suggest vacuuming it. All your care or expense in cleaning the camera and lens will be wasted if the case has sand left in it. The moment the camera is put back in the bag the sand will reenter the equipment - and your service warranty won't cover this.

Water and other liquid damage:

• Have you removed the batteries?
  If not, do it now! Rewind the film ONLY if it can be done by hand.
• If the camera was fully immersed in liquid, whether water or soup, and it is not a waterproof camera, the best advice, I am sorry to say, is probably to throw it back in again and leave it.
  It is simply not possible to salvage the camera economically from this type of accident. It may be possible to save the lens (on an SLR camera), but almost certainly not the camera body.
• If the liquid intrusion is not too severe, you need to try and minimize it seeping deeper into the mechanism. After removing the batteries, place the camera in such a position that the liquid will drain out the same way it entered. Leave it long enough to dry thoroughly. You can even use a hair dryer on low setting to dry it. Then take it to your nearest Service Center and have it inspected and cleaned. Also let the service people remove the film for you.
• Be prepared to have to pay for clean-up whether or not the camera will function properly again, as it is usually not possible to determine if all is well until all the work has been done.
• You may not find a service center that will accept a camera for service after complete or severe liquid intrusion, and certainly not if it was immersed into  saltwater or some kind of sticky liquid (anything with sugar in it).

If the camera or lens gets too hot:

• Here we are talking about the kind of heat that occurs within a vehicle which has been parked in the sun for a while. You know, when the steering wheel is too hot to hold and the seat burns your b...
  Cars were made to get this hot, cameras are not (you couldn't hold onto them if they were that hot anyway).
  Cameras have many small bits in them, and as you know, heat and cold causes expansion and contraction. Extreme heat can easily cause too much strain on some parts during expansion, which in turn causes fracturing, melting, or distortion.
• The most common problem, however, is the effect heat has on the lubricants in the camera or lens. The lubricants must be thick enough to stay in place but light enough to enable the equipment to operate smoothly.
  But when camera lubricants get too hot they do what most other lubricants do, they get very thin and runny and sneak into places where they are not welcome.
• Shutter and aperture blades in cameras and lenses must be completely dry and free of lubricants in order to operate fast and accurately. When the lubricants in other parts of the camera or lens overheat they become liquid and may even evaporate. But, since they cannot escape they settle again when things cool down, usually in places where they shouldn't be, such as on the shutter and aperture blades.
• If that wasn't enough, they usually mix with dust and in turn contaminate internal switches, contacts, magnets, and other vital organs of the mechanism and circuitry. Things then come to a halt.
• Cameras and lenses which have been exposed to extreme overheating for a short period or moderate heat in small doses over a longer period will eventually require a complete stripdown to thoroughly clean and relubricate. This is not a cheap process, and prevention seems a good option.

Shutter damage caused by the sun:

• Camera lenses are nothing more than glorified magnifying glasses (expensive magnifying glasses I admit). This statement is only meant to illustrate what a lens can do in combination with the sun. As you know, a magnifying glass can be used to concentrate the suns rays into a very hot spot and neatly start a fire, or at the very least cause severe burn marks .... and it doesn't take long either.
• If you have a habit of carrying your camera without its case and have no lens cap or lens hood on the lens, you have an ideal setup for shutter curtain damage.
• How? The lens is focused on the film in the camera and the shutter curtains are directly in front of the film. While you carry the camera around nothing happens. However, if you place the camera somewhere in the sun and the lens happens to be facing directly towards it .... you guessed it, the lens is now a magnifying glass concentrating the sun's rays into the camera.
  If the aim is right, below the mirror and directly on the back of the shutter where it will soon burn a hole in the shutter curtains resulting in light leaks.
  At the very least the curtains may warp and cause inaccurate exposure.
• It might be a pain to have to remove the lens cap all the time, but is is a lesser pain than you will feel in your wallet if you have to have the shutter repaired or replaced