At work, some of the common faults I encounter with digital cameras include:
[1] bent or broken CF card pins
[2] broken or jammed CF card eject lever
[3] memory card error
[4] camera cannot power on
[5] error message displayed when camera is switched on
[6] images cannot be captured followed by an immediate error message
[7] completely black images
[8] lower half black images
[9] black band in images
[10] bright band in images
[11] pixel defects or image corruption
[12] inconsistently overexposed images
[13] no display on rear LCD
[14] out-of-focus images
[15] stuck built-in pop-up flash
[16] sticky or stuck buttons
[17] battery drains or dies quickly
[18] dislodged or jammed motors
Usually, a logical thought process and technical knowledge on how a camera operates electronically and mechanically are required to diagnose faults with cameras. Sometimes, photographic principles are also required to dismiss fault complaints because not everybody who uses a camera is an educated professional photographer.
The flash-charging capacitor inside a digital camera can store very high electrical energy that can cause a painful shock to the body or a sparking explosion.
Repetitive mechanical stress on the shutter curtain can cause its blades to break and mangle.
Corrosion and rust developing on the main circuit of a Canon EOS 7D that had fallen into water. Like terminal cancer, most electronic products cannot be reliably repaired if they have been submerged in water. This camera was added to landfill. RIP!
Shattered CMOS bandpass filter due to a very forceful fall of a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Although it is possible to replace the filter, the CMOS imager glass surface would be scratched by the shards of shattered glass. The entire assembly had to be replaced. Expensive!
Measuring the current drawn by the camera from a power source when powered off, on standby, and shutter release operated.
Repairing a Canon EOS 1D Mark II professional-class digital SLR camera at work.
Like many other products, the ease and speed of repair is dependent on the several factors:
[1] Does the manufacturer have a network of service centers across the country to receive and repair their products?
[2] Does the manufacturer keep a sufficient quantity of spare parts for their products?
[3] Does the manufacturer supply spare parts, repair manuals, tools and programs to service centers to perform most/all repairs?
If the above questions are mostly “no”, then performing repairs are likely to be difficult or even impossible.
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A period of my life in Melbourne was previously penned in a blog on a social networking website called Friendster. The blog was read and enjoyed by several good friends who were interested in my life experiences, observations and opinions in Melbourne.
In mid 2011, Friendster was quietly revamped, and my blog on Friendster was totally deleted from cyberspace without notice. To keep my life experiences, observations and opinions separate from this photography website, a new blog website has been set up at Jemapela’s Journal.
I mostly use my Facebook profile to share photos of my life with friends and family.
In July 2011, a few friends and I went on a road trip to Mount Hotham and the nearby alpine village of Dinner Plain. Rising to 1861m, Mount Hotham is the highest altitude in Victoria for skiing. The ‘powder capital’ of Australia which regularly posts the highest snowfall in Victoria, Mount Hotham also offers spectacular views of the Victorian alpine mountain range, and is a challenging 4 hour 30 minute non-stop drive from Melbourne. With stops along the way for quick meals, wheel chain hire, and at visitor information centers, the drive to Mount Hotham realistically took us slightly over 6 hours.
During this visit to Mount Hotham, some HDR images were shot and are presented in the gallery below.
The Victorian alpine mountain range as seen from Mount Hotham.
Walking in knee-deep snow near the Razorback which leads to Mount Feathertop.
On a snow field at the alpine village of Dinner Plain.
Thank you Calvin, Setiadi, Nikki, Ivan and Jenny for your effort and contribution into making this 3-day 2-night 910km road trip to Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain a success. More images and information are in my Facebook profile.
In June 2011, I went on a few road trips to countryside Victoria and did the following HDR (high dynamic range) images. Locations included Olinda, Cape Schanck, Narbethong, Eildon, Kinglake and Murrindindi.
The above gallery of images contains HDR images photographed using Canon EOS digital cameras and processed using PhotoMatix Pro. You may notice a few images slightly blurred because the camera moved slightly between exposures when no tripod was used. Ideally a steady tripod should be used to keep the camera absolutely still when shooting images for HDR photography.
At Olinda doing HDR photography.
Near Cape Schnack at Mornington Peninsula doing HDR photography.
Near Cape Schnack at Mornington Peninsula doing HDR photography.
At Narbethong doing HDR photography.
At Narbethong during sunrise doing HDR photography. This is a HDR image.
At Eildon (Lake Eildon / Eildon National Park) doing HDR photography.
At Eildon (Lake Eildon / Eildon National Park) doing HDR photography.
At Murrindindi doing HDR photography of a waterfall.
At Murrindindi doing HDR photography of a waterfall. A triumphant end-of-the-day photo for the successfully completion our road trip objective.
Thank you Harnam, Lily and Vincent for your companionship on these road trips to the countryside. More images and information are in my Facebook profile.
Although digital images are easier and cheaper to capture than film images, digital cameras have their own ever-growing unique set of functions and features different to those found in film cameras. Digital camera technology, functions and features are constantly evolving and improving, and requires frequent relearning to be kept up-to-date. Today’s newest digital cameras have more innovative features than those digital cameras of a decade ago, and have naturally become more complicated to understand and use.
When I was a photographer some years ago, I moved from using film SLR cameras to digital SLR cameras including Nikon D100, Nikon D70, Canon EOS 20D, Canon EOS 30D, Canon EOS 5D, Fujifilm S2 Pro, Fujifilm S3 Pro. Although I currently work as a digital camera repair technician and do less photography, I still have opportunities to use the latest digital SLR cameras when they arrive on my “surgery table” as “patients”.
See more of my work at camera repair and lens repair.
Sometimes these “patients” are not “sick”. These cameras have no malfunction and no fault, and belong to people who do not know their cameras intimately, or do not understand photography clearly, or often both.
Nothing is wrong with the camera. Please read the instruction manual. Be sure of what your camera does, can do, and how to do it.
To help improve the quality of your photos, understand the different modes on the mode dial of a digital SLR camera.
Sometimes, some people’s complaints about taking lousy photos can be avoided or resolved by reading, understanding and applying basic photography principles.
It is extremely important to understand how every image exposure is made by a shutter speed and an aperture. Then proceed to understand how a slow or fast shutter speed affects the appearance of an image, and also to understand how a small (big f/ number) or big (small f/ number) aperture affects the appearance of an image. Just as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division is taught to children in primary schools, these are the most fundamental basics of photography principles every photography student must learn. If these principles are not clearly understood, nobody should be using a digital SLR camera, not even in the “Full Auto” mode.
To better understand the use of your camera, learn the meaning of the symbols and figures shown on the top LCD of a digital SLR camera.
To maximise the use of your camera, familiarise yourself with the features listed in the menu shown on the rear LCD of a digital SLR camera.
As a camera repair technician who repairs digital cameras and lenses, I have encountered amateur photographers, or worse, professional photographers, who clearly have little understanding of basic photography principles, or little knowledge of how their digital camera works and how it should be used. Due to their lack of understanding and knowledge, they waste their own time and money sending their digital cameras to a “doctor” when it does not require “treatment”. However, when a digital camera or lens is really faulty, and repair is required, it is best to let a qualified or experienced technician do the work.
See more of my work at camera repair and lens repair.
The mechanical system of levers and springs in the mirror box of a high-end professional Canon digital SLR camera. When repair to a camera is required, it is best to leave it in the hands of a qualified or experienced technician.
The mechanical system of gears and levers in the mirror box of a consumer-class budget Canon digital SLR camera. When repair to a camera is required, it is best to leave it in the hands of a qualified or experienced technician.
The internal barrels, elements, collars, circuit and external barrel of a Canon professional fast telephoto zoom lens. When repair to a lens is required, it is best to leave it in the hands of a qualified or experienced technician.
No matter how advanced or how “intelligent” your new digital camera is, it will take time to improve your photography especially if you have just started. No overnight experts are made by having the latest newest digital camera. Absolutely no. Read the books, practice with the camera, assess the images, repeat practice to improve, do it all over again tomorrow, and again next week. Do this until people who see your images are genuinely impressed.
This post is not finished yet. More images will be uploaded soon.
In this gallery are some images I photographed in Australia and in Singapore in 2009.
Compliments and criticisms through the comments feature, or through e-mail, are welcomed.
This post is not finished yet. More images will be uploaded soon.
On some model photo shoots, casual behind-the-scenes images, and sometimes even videos, are shot for sentimental keepsake and potential documentary.
In this gallery are behind-the-scenes images of some photo shoots that happened in 2008.
This post is not finished yet. More images will be uploaded soon.
In 2008, I holidayed twice in Singapore. These are some of the images I shot.
Compliments and criticisms through the comments feature, or through e-mail, are welcomed.
This post is not finished yet. More images will be uploaded soon.
In this gallery are some images I photographed in Australia in 2008.
Compliments and criticisms through the comments feature, or through e-mail, are welcomed.
My work at Camera Clinic as a camera technician not only has me repairing digital SLR cameras but sometimes also modifying them for special applications such as infrared photography. With an increasing interest in infrared (IR) photography, I now do more infrared conversions on digital cameras. In October 2010, I did about 10 infrared conversions mostly on digital SLR cameras.
Using an infrared converted and focus corrected Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8L USM and Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lenses, I shot a few infrared portrait images in RAW+JPEG formats. I also used the infrared converted Canon EOS 5D Mark II to record infrared videos. Shot with custom white balance, these images shown are the JPEG images out-of-camera and have not been digitally manipulated or enhanced.
Infrared portrait using an infrared converted Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
Infrared portrait using an infrared converted Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
Contrary to popular theory or belief, infrared converted digital cameras are not completely free from the hot spot problem that is very common with unconverted digital cameras. Through my experience converting digital cameras and testing them with several lenses, faint hot spots can still occur with a very few lenses.