SD550 Issues

[r600835]

I bought the SD550 a few months ago. It takes wonderful pictures but I'm having a couple of issues. The first is the initial startup time. If I haven't used the camera for a few hours then after I turn the camera on, there is a 30 second lag time before the camera will even focus and take a picture.

The second is the zoom control at the top of the camera seems to get "sticky" when it is cold and is very difficult to move. Under summer conditions this is not an issue.

I just want to add that upon opening the box and first using the camera these were not an issue. Is anyone else experiencing these problems and can anyone give me any suggestions?

[David Metsky]

Neither of those sounds good. Especially the 30 second start up time, does this happen even when the battery is fully charged?

-dave-

[r600835]

Even when the battery is fully charged this happens. My brother bought the same camera about a month ago and he has the same issue with the startup time when it hasn't been used for a couple of hours. Fortunately he does not have the issue with the zoom being sticky.

I thought about calling up Canon but I bought it from an on line store and it has already been abuot 4 months since I bought it. I also took the initiative and sprayed some graphite into the zoom switch so because I messed with it I don't know if Canon would even touch it. Any ideas as to what I can do? Maybe I can try taking it apart?

[David Metsky]

Maybe I can try taking it apart?
As long as it still functions, I'd avoid taking it apart. Your chance of being able to fix stuff on your own are pretty slim.

-dave-

[BowerR64]

It sounds like the flash. Try somthing for me if you would.

Set the camera in manual and leave it in manual. Turn the falsh off and take a few pictures outside. Test it outside and see if it does the lag thing. If i havnt used my S2 for a while and i fire it up and take a few pictures with no flash then pop up the flash it lags and wont let me shoot till the flash charges.

It could be your camera needs to charge right from power on because it think its ready to use the flash. But when it boots its doing a ton of stuff at the startup. Booting, powering ont he LCD, extending the lens AND charging the flash. What if the LCD is off and its in manual mode? then it only needs the power for the lens and booting?

[r600835]

Thanks guys. I tried putting the camera on manual and turning the flash off. I tried taking pictures the next day and the camera worked right away. The funny thing is that I don't remember the flash lagging like that when I first started using the camera. But if this is inherent to all cameras I guess I'll just have to get used to it. As far as the sticky zoom goes, now that its starting to warm up with the summer weather whatever is gumming it up has loosened. I just going to dread using next winter. Thanks again everyone.

-jb