W 90 problem

[bearbait]

Went out to check the camera yesterday, nothing good so I deleted the pictures on the card, turned the camera off, and then wanted to check the settings but the camera now will not turn on at all no matter which buttons I push.  Changed to fresh battery and still nothing.   where should I start checking?  Worked flawlessly for the last six months.  Sony W 90 in homebuilt.
Bearbait

[Ridgeratt]

still sounds like a dead battery. try another one.

[gramps]

I have had problems turning on both of my W90s after the hack.  It seems that the little 'on' button is difficult to actuate.  I use a finger nail or something small and stiff to gently push the button and it works everytime.  I think the added wires or the re-assembly of the shutter board makes it difficult to turn on.
Hope you get it figured out.

[Skyvalhunter]

Make sure you turn the LCD off or it will drain the battery fast. That or wire in an external battery for the camera.

[javman]

I've found that if you use too much solder when you add the wires, you can block the button from being pressed. Use as little solder as possible. Or maybe when you routed the wires out, they got in the way of the button.

Disconnect the wires from the board, and touch the red and black wires together. If it turns on that way, but not by pressing the button, you either have too much solder or the wire is blocking the connection. If it doesn't turn on by touching the wires together, then you've got no power, or one of your solder connections came off.

[Skyvalhunter]

It doesnt have to power on via the power button as long as it powers on when red and black are touched together

[javman]

Good point, but then you wouldn't be able to easily turn on the camera to look at pictures in the field, change camera settings, etc...

[wildebeast]

 I have a s600 that the button doesn't work to turn on the camera.  I built a small switch that I use in the field to turn the camera off and on to check the pictures.

Not sure what kind of plugin you used between the camera and board, but if you can get another one that hooks to the board and wire a button switch to the one end and plug it into the camera it should work fine if that's the problem.

cliff

[gkowen]

There is a button on the back you can use to turn your camera on while it is in the case. It is the picture preview button. Press it once and the camera should turn on in pic preview mode. Press it again and I believe the camera goes into pic taking mode. Its the button with the triangle symbol like a vcr has for the play button.

[bearbait]

As I stated above, the camera worked flawlessly for six months and several thousand pictures, but will not come on now no matter which buttons I press.  I had tried a recharged battery and a battery out of my other camera that was working, to no avail.   The other camera works with the Yeti board so I think it must be something that went wrong inside the W-90.

BobR if you are out there, what do you think?


Bearbait

[gkowen]

it is probably internal to the camera.  The only other thought I have is what would happen if the power switch wire got shorted to ground.  Would the switch be seen as always on and that mess up the camera. I don't have a camera close by to test.  I'd give a good visual to the external wiring and if you can't see any problems, it must be internal. It is possible the camera just died too. Maybe one of the battery terminals is bent and not making contact? I am just thinking out loud here. Your testing so far does indicate the camera is the problem. Go slow and look carefully at each step of disassembly.

[BobR]

Les,  I think you might have a problem with the main board. If it was on the shutter assembly, the camera would still power up when you press the picture review board. About a year ago, I helped a guy with this same problem. He fixed his by just taking the camera apart and re-seating the ribbon cables. When you get the covers off, stand the camera on a table top with the battery inserted. Check to see if you have 3.6 volts to the red and black wire that is connected to the top right corner of the main board. If you have that voltage, the problem  is either the main board or or one of the ribbon cables needs to be reseated, But as soon as you check the voltage, remove the battery.
  If re-seating the cables does not fix the problem, start looking for a parts camera on ebay. I would look for one that works but has a broken LCD. The board is easy to change out. I can explain that if you need it. There is a small white cable that runs across the flash capacitor on top of the camera. It is soldered to one board, and it plugs into a small socket on back od another board. Someone on this forum sent me a camera that would not power up. That cable was not seated and cockeyed in the socket. That cable connects both power up switches to the main board.
Bob

[bearbait]

Thanks BobR !!!!!!  I went into the camera and reseated the ribbon cables and guess what???  The camera works as before.....I guess there must have been a little corrosion or something on the connections.       Shure glad it was an easy fix......Now back to the field.
   Think I will get a backup camera and hack it as a spare.  I have two going now, again.   Seeing more deer on my place than I thought I had,  even had a 3 point whitetail come by a couple days ago.  Mostly mulie does and forkys,  haven't seen the big boys since July 14th.
Look in the monthly photography contest here in the photography forum for another picture of the big one.

Thanks again,
Bearbait

[BobR]

  Glad it was that easy !  That is a great picture of a great buck. I have a suggestion for you. When you make a set, clear branches , brush and grass that might block the camera's view. I always carry a spare camera when checking my cams. When I make a new set, before I hang the camera, I hold my pocket camera on the tree and take a picture. This shows if you need to make adjustments. I always carry the new battery and memory in the pocket cam and change them out at the set.
Bob

[bearbait]

Yah!!  I will do a better job of clearing next time.  Thought I had it good enough, but the deer muzzled the camera and moved it around.  Have one pictire of it's nose.  Will mount the camera more substantially from now on too.  Like the spare camera idea.  I carry my spare batterys and card in their cases, all velcro'd together, charged and ready.  When I change them I put the card in the case with the contacts facing out so I know that one has pictures on it and the batterys need charging,  works for me.
Bearbait