Fuji

Anouilh

This is a cry for help.

Having bought a Fuji Finepix e500 a few years ago, I was happy with the quality. However it started giving "Card Error" notices just after the guarantee ran out.

Too much time was wasted trying to work out what the problem was and, having contacted Fuji, it was not worth paying to have it fixed as the cost would have almost bought a new camera.

I'm now wondering if I can fix it myself.
It works perfectly as a Web Cam, though the photos are a bit avant-garde-ish, given the small size.

I've tried taking out the card and blowing air into the slot.

When connected in card mode to the computer, there is a communication error which prevents the computer reading images or formatting the card.

I have found that this is a general problem with Fuji and it certainly influenced us when we bought new SLRs. We did not feel inclined to repeat this mistake.

This is a pity, as it is a really nice little camera.

oeb

Anouilh wrote: »

This is a cry for help.

Having bought a Fuji Finepix e500 a few years ago, I was happy with the quality. However it started giving "Card Error" notices just after the guarantee ran out.

Too much time was wasted trying to work out what the problem was and, having contacted Fuji, it was not worth paying to have it fixed as the cost would have almost bought a new camera.

I'm now wondering if I can fix it myself.
It works perfectly as a Web Cam, though the photos are a bit avant-garde-ish, given the small size.

I've tried taking out the card and blowing air into the slot.

When connected in card mode to the computer, there is a communication error which prevents the computer reading images or formatting the card.

I have found that this is a general problem with Fuji and it certainly influenced us when we bought new SLRs. We did not feel inclined to repeat this mistake.

This is a pity, as it is a really nice little camera.

Have you tried a new card? These flash cards do not have an unlimited life, you can only write to them a certain number of times before they start failing.

Anouilh

The helpful Fuji expert in Dundrum tried her card in our camera and it failed to work, so the problem seems to be in the camera itself.

Also, the fact that the card works perfectly when connected to the computer in "Web" mode seems to prove that all is Ok there. I can even delete photos taken in web mode, through the usb video system in Windows.

I think that if I knew more about technology I would be able to solve this.

DaireQuinlan

Sounds as though something inexplicable has gone wrong. Its a pity, but these things just aren't designed to be fixed anymore. I had a fuji s602 a while back that started growing fungus on the sensor. It was years old so i took it apart to see if o could get to the sensor. Never have I seen something so awkward. I gave up eventually when i finally got to the lens assembly to discover that the sensor and lens and zoom/focus assembly was all one plastic welded bit, obviously jus designed to be replaced totally if one bit of it gave up the ghost. Everything is just commoditized now, the global economy RELIES on you getting out there and buying a new camera every year ! Just do it !

Dragan

I have a Fuji point and shoot, gave me the same error for a while and eventually out of frustration i just restored all the settings to factory default and bam,worked again.

Anouilh

I did buy new, but chose a Canon.

Is the Planet about to fill up with useless bits of metal, glass and plastic?

I'm now intent on getting to the bottom of this problem.

This link shows how the reset system works in the Finepix e510, which is similar:

http://www.megapixel.net/reviews/fuji-e510/e510-gen4.php

I have hit the reset button, Dragan, but it has not fixed the problem. Did you have some special way of resetting to factory defaults?

Thanks for all the feedback.

artyeva

my little pocket point n shoot fuji does this sometimes - the ''card error'' thing. But I noticed it was only when the card/camera or both had just come from somewhere cold into somewhere warm - so obviously something to do with condensation on the metal contacts. leaving it for about an hour and trying again has always worked so far!!

Anouilh

That was a good suggestion, so I left the camera in the hot press over night. Still no improvement, however.

I think the problem may be linked to the fact that I may have deleted images from the camera in the past using the computer rather the in-camera format. This analysis comes from reading, and I have no way of testing if it is the case.

The fact that the camera communicates with the computer while in "Web" mode, but gives a "non communication" message while in the two other possible modes makes me wonder if there is some software I could download that would help?

I cannot format the card, either in-camera or through the Windows formatting system and if this link could be restored all would probably be well.

artyeva

Anouilh wrote: »

I think the problem may be linked to the fact that I may have deleted images from the camera in the past using the computer rather the in-camera format. This analysis comes from reading, and I have no way of testing if it is the case.

ahaaaaa!!!!! yes - this happens me too. Ok - this is fixable. When you get the card error hit whatever you hit to delete an image - on my camera it's menu > delete >delete frame> ok.

There will be a delay longer than normal and you may not even see the menu options on the display but it should still work. Seriously - it will take a good few seconds and the screen might flash a few times but this has worked for me.

If it doesn't I have my stripey woolly hat in hand ready to eat

Anouilh

Unfortunately, hitting the OK button when trying this has no effect. It's almost as if the instruction is not moving on to the next stage.

I could leave it, but I'm learning quite a bit so it's worth persisting. It appears that the technology in XD cards is shrouded in professional secrecy and there is not much help to be found on the net. Some threads I've discovered have helped me understand cameras in general much better.
Many have made me laugh, as people tend to berate themselves on their own stupidity on not knowing how to fix this error.

I've turned it to advantage by making a nice Christmas image using the webcam setting:

http://photographedublin.blogspot.com/2008/12/oh-chritsmas.html#links

Admire the grainy pixels...

artyeva

aw no - please persist!!!!! There has to be a fix.

ok - so- well - the 2 things that fix this error message on my fuji/xd didn't work.... so....*

*steps aside

Mycroft H

Murphys law at this stage - if it breaks it needed replacing anyway lol.......... I got a zoom error on my old fuji a345, the lens wouldnt come out of its housin, i tried taken it apart, but was left wit extra parts wen i put it together (never a good sign). It didnt turn on after that. it was 5 years old anyway but it was a good little p&s in its day......
(Edit: iv come to the conclusion that xd cards are useless; slow and only come in small sizes)

DaireQuinlan

landyman wrote: »

i tried taken it apart, but was left wit extra parts wen i put it together (never a good sign).

Hahaha, for sure :-) Bad enough when you have a bunch of screws left over. Worse still when you put the thing back together and you have a little mysterious plastic widget left over ... Or a circuit board ... And sometimes , IT STILL WORKS !!!????!!