My camera is (effectively) broken.

[pipnina]

Tonight I went out to take some wide field images of orion (My first attemptat stacked images) but because the camera has dveeloped an issue where every other image causes the camera to crash (with the processing light blinking the whole time).

This means to take a 20-image I have to turn the camera off and on a large number of times. This RESETS THE FOCUS making the camera unusable.

Because of this, I'd like to know if anyone can recommend a (low end?) DSLR to replace my E-410. I was a fairly capable photographer before now and had a secondary lens. So I guess I'm stuck using cameras that use the olympus 4/3 mount.

Sad times!

        ~pipnina

[Tinker1947]

Canon have the best Astro Software at the moment, a second hand 450D shouldn't cost  arm and leg.....

[Ags]

Have you tried replacing the memory card?

[pipnina]

Canon have the best Astro Software at the moment, a second hand 450D shouldn't cost  arm and leg.....

I'll have a look into that, thanks!

Where might I get one? Would you look on ebay or do you think there is a better place to look for them?

Have you tried replacing the memory card?

The memory card could be the problem?

I don't think this is the case, my camera currently has two cards in it (one XD and one CF, both 2GB) and this issue arises with both, unfortunately.

[tonylumley]

 I have an Olympus E410 also and had faults occurring on it, as said before you could try a different memory card, however since these have the "xd" card and "compact flash" have you tried using the other card . if all else fails and you decide to replace, have a look at " The London Camera Exchange" google it they have shops in Plymouth, Exeter, Bath and other locations all over the country, I bought a second Olympus  E510 body from their Colchester branch, for the similar reasons as you, spare lenses etc, and this has performed perfectly for the last 18 months. also when I got it I read through the user book which came with it,(being a bloke I had lost the original for the E410)  and found that by resetting the camera I cured the problem, so I now have 2 working bodies,  hope this is helpful, Lum. Essex

[pipnina]

 I have an Olympus E410 also and had faults occurring on it, as said before you could try a different memory card, however since these have the "xd" card and "compact flash" have you tried using the other card . if all else fails and you decide to replace, have a look at " The London Camera Exchange" google it they have shops in Plymouth, Exeter, Bath and other locations all over the country, I bought a second Olympus  E510 body from their Colchester branch, for the similar reasons as you, spare lenses etc, and this has performed perfectly for the last 18 months. also when I got it I read through the user book which came with it,(being a bloke I had lost the original for the E410)  and found that by resetting the camera I cured the problem, so I now have 2 working bodies,  hope this is helpful, Lum. Essex

Yes! I just remembered there's one of those on the way back from my college!

Thanks for reminding me, I'll see what they can do to either a: fix it or b: replace it.

p.s. I did try using both. Same issue with both cards.

[Joves]

Have you tried resetting the camera, as recommended by Lum?

[pipnina]

Have you tried resetting the camera, as recommended by Lum?

Resetting? Like in the options somewhere?

[ronin]

According to the manual, P70, you have the following:

Select Menu, then maybe something that looks like an icon for camera ?, then Custom Reset Settings,

Under that are Reset, Reset1, Reset2.

It reads that Reset resets the camera to factory default.

Any white balance changes or whatever you may have set is blasted back to default.

Just a thought:

Is there auto Noise Reduction on the camera ???

Usually if there is and it is doing what it should you take one shot of say 20 seconds, then the camera takes a "dark" of the same duration = 20 seconds. Wondering if the camera is in the middle of the noise reduction exposure when asked to start another "normal" exposure and so it throws an error. That error occuring on every second exposure??

[ronin]

Your camera has Noise Reduction and it will activate automatically.

The manual P59 says:

This function reduces the noise that is generated during long exposures. When shooting
night scenes, shutter speeds are slower and noise tends to appear in images. When the
shutter speed is slow, noise reduction is activated and the camera automatically reduces
noise to produce clearer images. However, shooting time is approximately twice as long as
usual.

It also says:

MENU[W][NOISE REDUCT.]
[OFF]/[ON]
• The noise-reduction process is activated after shooting.
• The card access lamp blinks during the noise-reduction process. You cannot take more
pictures until the card access lamp goes out.
• [busy] is displayed on the viewfinder while noise reduction is operating.

If you get the chance tonight, take one shot then wait twice as long as the exposure was and try another.

I half suspect you will get no problems, just a long wait.

When doing long exposures the chip gets hot (=noise) and there is general noise,

[pipnina]

Your camera has Noise Reduction and it will activate automatically.

The manual P59 says:

This function reduces the noise that is generated during long exposures. When shooting

night scenes, shutter speeds are slower and noise tends to appear in images. When the

shutter speed is slow, noise reduction is activated and the camera automatically reduces

noise to produce clearer images. However, shooting time is approximately twice as long as

usual.

It also says:

MENU[W][NOISE REDUCT.]

[OFF]/[ON]

• The noise-reduction process is activated after shooting.

• The card access lamp blinks during the noise-reduction process. You cannot take more

pictures until the card access lamp goes out.

• [busy] is displayed on the viewfinder while noise reduction is operating.

If you get the chance tonight, take one shot then wait twice as long as the exposure was and try another.

I half suspect you will get no problems, just a long wait.

When doing long exposures the chip gets hot (=noise) and there is general noise,

Hm, I had all the noise reducing features turned off... I'll try turning them on and see what happens (after the factory reset I changed that back, probably a silly thing to do!)

[pipnina]

Just reset all the settings. Took a 1/250 second image at low iso and it worked fine. The next image crashed the camera.

After waiting for the camera busy light to stop flashing, which took about a minute ish, the camera no longer responded to anything- not taking photos, using menus, nothing. It needed to be turned on and off again.

[happy-kat]

Have you tried a different memory card yet

[pipnina]

I've used both my XD and my CF that are always in the camera. Both have the same issue. I'll dig up any older cards I can find (probably a 64 meg somewhere)

[pipnina]

Found a 16MB XD card from a very old 3.2MP point-and-shoot. Also has the same issue. All other cards were remnoved from the camera.

[nightfisher]

I would be tempted to get a used 1000D body, good camera

[pipnina]

I would be tempted to get a used 1000D body, good camera

I need a lens to go with it. That would be out of my budget.

I liked the idea of doing wide field because I already had all the equipment I needed to get started- tripod, DSLR.

I have olympus lenses. So unless I can use those with the 1000D... Can I?

[happy-kat]

You can get I would think adaptor rings to go from Olympus to Canon EOS lens mount.

I did a google search and Ebay brought lots up. Though you would need to check what mount your lenses have exactly.

I use vintage M42 lens on my Canon using lens mount adaptors.

Does your camera crash if you change the settings to only shot in Jpeg?

[pipnina]

You can get I would think adaptor rings to go from Olympus to Canon EOS lens mount.

I did a google search and Ebay brought lots up. Though you would need to check what mount your lenses have exactly.

I use vintage M42 lens on my Canon using lens mount adaptors.

Does your camera crash if you change the settings to only shot in Jpeg?

I just tested. in RAW only, SHQ+RAW, HQ+RAW, SQ+RAW, SHQ, HQ and SQ it crashes.

[pipnina]

OK, I just turned the camera from manual to automatic and it now cerashes without even displaying the busy light. Nothing makes it respond past this and it needs to be reset.

Seriously thinking this is an electrical fault now.

[happy-kat]

I guess no warranty left now.

Whilst you can very likely get a Canon EOS to Olympus lens mount you may not get automatic control of your camera through it so would be using M or say AV modes when shooting. If this is not an issue then could research adaptors to see if you can keep your lenses but use a Canon body.

[happy-kat]

Might be worth a read for a reset process.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/50259805

[pipnina]

Might be worth a read for a reset process.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/50259805

Thanks for finding that for me, but alas, while the process did reset the camera fully, the issue remains. On the second shot the camera starts blinking with the busy light and moves the focus (probably turning off) back and forward again after a minute or so.

I'll take it to the London Camera Exchange tomorrow and see if I can get it fixed. If not, I'll have to look for a new one.

    Au revoir!

        ~pipnina