LCD Problems with SD500?

[JRoster]

I was going to buy the SD300, but so many reports of easily cracked LCDs gave me hesitation. Does anyone know if this issue has been resolved with the new SD400 and SD500 models, or do you think this will be a problem for all the 2" LCD Elphs? I don't really need more than 4 MPs, but if the durability is inferior on the SD300 batch, I'd be willing to splurge on the higher MP models (since it will cost $170 to have a broken LCD fixed by Canon anyway)... :confused:

[ProblemSolver]

I was going to buy the SD300, but so many reports of easily cracked LCDs gave me hesitation. Does anyone know if this issue has been resolved with the new SD400 and SD500 models, or do you think this will be a problem for all the 2" LCD Elphs? I don't really need more than 4 MPs, but if the durability is inferior on the SD300 batch, I'd be willing to splurge on the higher MP models (since it will cost $170 to have a broken LCD fixed by Canon anyway)... :confused:

No problems for the SD500 so far. The SD400 isn't in stores till April so no info on that.

[JRoster]

Thanks for your reply - I trust this forum will keep posted if problems develop... ;)

[bobg]

I bought a cannon sd-500 for my 17 year old son. LCD broke after three days. I ordered a new LCD from cannon for about forty dollars w/shipping.
I'm having problems getting the two part camera case to come apart.
Does anyone know if there is some secret latch or something that is holding the two halves together at the top of the camera?
I have taken out six screws and the two side panels. The bottom comes apart but not along the top. I don't want to force it.

[goletitout]

How can this happen after 3 days ? Did your son drop the cam ? I haven´t had any problems yet, not one scratch, far away from breaking.

[bobg]

I think he had the camera in his pocket. Nontheless, there was a bit of drama for a while. I have successfully replaced the LCD. It was a bit tricky once the halves decided to let go. The camera works fine...went to Best Buy last night and traded up to the Rebel XT. A lot of money, but at least the LCD seems more protected. Trust me, you had better be extremely careful with your sd500 because there is no protection for the LCD!! Good luck.

[ProblemSolver]

Well, there are lots of 3rd party LCD protectors :D

[juliezim]

I asked Canon if they stood behind their LCDs on this series - the techie on the phone indicated that A) this isn't a real problem and B) people who say it is a problem have abused their cameras by carrying them in a purse or PANTS pocket instead of SHIRT pocket, or leaving them in a cold car overnight. I did not think this was a very satisfactory answer. The camera shop here AND Best Buy said they do not cover anything with an extended warranty that Canon will not cover.

I think it is a crap shoot. Lots of people have great luck with the SD series and then there are the unlucky ones. One guy takes his skiing all the time, no problem.

I'm back looking at the Casio Exilim, but I'm afraid I'd like the Canon picture quality more..

[bobg]

I'm not slamming the camera, and it's obvious I don't work for Canon. If I did, I would include a big caution about the sensitive LCD and stick it right on the camera...perhaps it's there but we missed it...and then again, that might be admitting a flaw in their (SONY'S) product. I'm sure that with meticulus care, one could get a useful & long life out of the LCD. Yeah, I suppose we were one of the unlucky ones. But I guess everyone can't be skiing. It just seems that for that size of camera, i.e. small and portable, there should be a better protected LCD right from the factory. We bought it for quality and convenience. I agree, common sense should prevail. At least my 17 year old gets good grades. Good luck all, I'll be with the digital SLR folks.

[bobg]

This was in response to questions from another reader who just broke their LCD on their SD500. Maybe someone else is looking for answers.

Sorry to here about your sad moment. Don't despair. For less than $50 you can do the replacement yourself. I have never repaired a camera before and was a bit nervous...but I did it. It took about three hours...mostly spent pondering each step...but NOW I could probably replace the LCD in about thirty to forty-five minutes. Of course, I only needed to do it once!

I called the number that was listed for Canon USA and asked for the parts department. Service was great. I told them I needed an LCD screen for a SD500. Cost was approx. $45 which included the $5 shipping. Paid for it W/VISA. The LCD is a SONY product.
Ordered on Friday received on Tuesday morning...repaired camera that day. The camera worked perfectly as before. The SD500 is a great camera...just LCD probs. Maybe Canon should pay for pain and suffering! I guess you need a hard case for transport & look into getting a screen protector.

Sorry, no pics, my camera was broken...please laugh now.
No coverage for "damage" on the warranty. Although one employee at Best Buy said that it would have been covered if we had purchased the camera with the Best Buy credit card. (Something about malicious damage and coverage of items purchased with the Best Buy card until the item is paid off.???) I'm not too sure about this policy!!
Anywhere from $140+ to have it repaired.

This is from memory, so use your judgment when following these steps...Nonetheless; you could probably do this on your own without any help.

Okay, I bought jewelers screwdrivers from Sears. Sizes (cross tips) 000 , 00 & (flat tip) 1/16.
Wore latex gloves.
Used an ice pick to work the LCD connecter into the socket.

Wait till you get the replacement LCD before you start. It helps to know exactly how it looks before you remove the original.

I put a piece of printer paper on a table.
I penciled an outline of the camera to the paper.
I edged the paper with reverse rolled masking tape to hold the screws in their relative locations.

Remove all visible screws on the outside of the case. The screws are not all the same length.
Remove the plastic end covers. You will have to use the flat tip to pop one out.
Now remove the screws under the plastic cover...one is hidden where the wrist strap is located. Slide the plastic/rubber piece that slides under the metal loop for the wrist strap up to reveal the last screw.
The two halves are now ready to be separated. All the buttons will stay with the cover.
I was stumped at this point because the covers didn't separate easily at the top. I thought there might be a secret pin or something that needed pushing to release the halves. The halves basically snap together along the top in two or three places. I was frustrated at this point and pulled the bottoms apart enough to slide the camera out of its case. When I did, the two halves popped loose. I think some steady pressure with some slight lateral twisting might do the trick. Try to avoid doing it the way I did because you might bend the tabs resulting in a little gap at the top of the camera case when you snap it back into place.

With the inside out, you will see the LCD and the touch pads on the back of the camera.
The LCD is now ready to be removed. As I recall, it is held in place by a screw on the left side as you look at the camera from the back side...and maybe another on the right.
Study the replacement LCD to determine what actually has to be removed.
Once the LCD releases, notice how it is plugged in and rotated into place. You can pull the connecter loose at the end of the "ribbon wire" now or wait for the next step.
I say this because you can't put the connecter back into place at this point and be sure it's properly connected in my opinion.

You must remove another screw that is located close to the optical viewfinder. Look for the smaller ribbon wire that comes from the silver plate that the LCD rests on (look to the top right of this plate). The screw is under it. Carefully push the wire aside and back out the screw. This screw holds the silver back plate in place on the left and the touch pad to the right. Try not to take the screw all the way out as it will be more difficult to get the two holes to line up. Just lift the two parts up and out of the way to expose the plug.
If you haven't done so already, pull the connecter loose.
Use something such as the end of an ice pick to push the new LCD connecter into place. It has a small hole in it perhaps for that purpose.
I practiced a couple of times with the broken LCD.
Now go in reverse order to complete the repair.

I hope this has been of some help. I wish I had documented the procedure as I went along...but have faith, you can do it!

[BBDI473]

Sorry for bringing back an old thread but it related to my current problems. I work at best buy in the digital imaging department. As part of a best buy conference, we all got free SD500's. Awsome camera and it was durable the whole time i was down in florida.

Then yesterday the LCD screen mysteriously broke. It was in the case that canon gave us in my pocket, I took it out at my college graduation to take some pictures with my friends and that was it, cracked in the corner. Awsome, simply awsome. It wasn't dropped and nothing else was in my pocket. So yeah that stunk.

Today a customer told me about other problems with it, and then i found this site. Found some helpful things here and in other threads. I'm going to use this site for well a resource page for my sales experiences and i'll try to share some of mine with all of you.

[stangeland]

I broke mine too. Canon told me that they do not let users replace their own dispays. I imagine if they detect that I opened my own camera, the warranty would be void. Anyway, I didn't persue it. It sounds like it will be covered. We'll see. (want me to tell y'all if it is/isn't?)

But if in the future it happenes again, it might be worth it to me to do it myself anyway for $50... so my question is where does one find this replacement SONY LCD? I searched and I can't find these small LCDs forsale whatsoever. Would I have to just ask for the parts department at Canon?

Mike

This was in response to questions from another reader who just broke their LCD on their SD500. Maybe someone else is looking for answers.

Sorry to here about your sad moment. Don't despair. For less than $50 you can do the replacement yourself. I have never repaired a camera before and was a bit nervous...but I did it. It took about three hours...mostly spent pondering each step...but NOW I could probably replace the LCD in about thirty to forty-five minutes. Of course, I only needed to do it once!

I called the number that was listed for Canon USA and asked for the parts department. Service was great. I told them I needed an LCD screen for a SD500. Cost was approx. $45 which included the $5 shipping. Paid for it W/VISA. The LCD is a SONY product.
Ordered on Friday received on Tuesday morning...repaired camera that day. The camera worked perfectly as before. The SD500 is a great camera...just LCD probs. Maybe Canon should pay for pain and suffering! I guess you need a hard case for transport & look into getting a screen protector.

Sorry, no pics, my camera was broken...please laugh now.
No coverage for "damage" on the warranty. Although one employee at Best Buy said that it would have been covered if we had purchased the camera with the Best Buy credit card. (Something about malicious damage and coverage of items purchased with the Best Buy card until the item is paid off.???) I'm not too sure about this policy!!
Anywhere from $140+ to have it repaired.

This is from memory, so use your judgment when following these steps...Nonetheless; you could probably do this on your own without any help.

Okay, I bought jewelers screwdrivers from Sears. Sizes (cross tips) 000 , 00 & (flat tip) 1/16.
Wore latex gloves.
Used an ice pick to work the LCD connecter into the socket.

Wait till you get the replacement LCD before you start. It helps to know exactly how it looks before you remove the original.

I put a piece of printer paper on a table.
I penciled an outline of the camera to the paper.
I edged the paper with reverse rolled masking tape to hold the screws in their relative locations.

Remove all visible screws on the outside of the case. The screws are not all the same length.
Remove the plastic end covers. You will have to use the flat tip to pop one out.
Now remove the screws under the plastic cover...one is hidden where the wrist strap is located. Slide the plastic/rubber piece that slides under the metal loop for the wrist strap up to reveal the last screw.
The two halves are now ready to be separated. All the buttons will stay with the cover.
I was stumped at this point because the covers didn't separate easily at the top. I thought there might be a secret pin or something that needed pushing to release the halves. The halves basically snap together along the top in two or three places. I was frustrated at this point and pulled the bottoms apart enough to slide the camera out of its case. When I did, the two halves popped loose. I think some steady pressure with some slight lateral twisting might do the trick. Try to avoid doing it the way I did because you might bend the tabs resulting in a little gap at the top of the camera case when you snap it back into place.

With the inside out, you will see the LCD and the touch pads on the back of the camera.
The LCD is now ready to be removed. As I recall, it is held in place by a screw on the left side as you look at the camera from the back side...and maybe another on the right.
Study the replacement LCD to determine what actually has to be removed.
Once the LCD releases, notice how it is plugged in and rotated into place. You can pull the connecter loose at the end of the "ribbon wire" now or wait for the next step.
I say this because you can't put the connecter back into place at this point and be sure it's properly connected in my opinion.

You must remove another screw that is located close to the optical viewfinder. Look for the smaller ribbon wire that comes from the silver plate that the LCD rests on (look to the top right of this plate). The screw is under it. Carefully push the wire aside and back out the screw. This screw holds the silver back plate in place on the left and the touch pad to the right. Try not to take the screw all the way out as it will be more difficult to get the two holes to line up. Just lift the two parts up and out of the way to expose the plug.
If you haven't done so already, pull the connecter loose.
Use something such as the end of an ice pick to push the new LCD connecter into place. It has a small hole in it perhaps for that purpose.
I practiced a couple of times with the broken LCD.
Now go in reverse order to complete the repair.

I hope this has been of some help. I wish I had documented the procedure as I went along...but have faith, you can do it!

[kuyars]

I broke mine too. Canon told me that they do not let users replace their own dispays. I imagine if they detect that I opened my own camera, the warranty would be void. Anyway, I didn't persue it. It sounds like it will be covered. We'll see. (want me to tell y'all if it is/isn't?)

Mike

I, for one, would love to know if Canon offered to cover it or not. This is one of the only issues that is stopping me from purchasing a Canon SDxxx camera now.

[JTL]

I, for one, would love to know if Canon offered to cover it or not. This is one of the only issues that is stopping me from purchasing a Canon SDxxx camera now.Please remember that what you refer to as an issue (cracked LCD) effects only one in thousands and thousands of cameras, is usually due to user abuse (whether conscious or not) and effects ALL camera brands, not just Canon and Canon SD models...

[kuyars]

Please remember that what you refer to as an issue (cracked LCD) effects only one in thousands and thousands of cameras, is usually due to user abuse (whether conscious or not) and effects ALL camera brands, not just Canon and Canon SD models...

That's completely true - normally I would agree with you, however some notables still cause hesitation for me.

Firstly, most all accounts of broken LCDs have pointed out that there was no user abuse involved. As you said, they may have simply been unaware of camera mishandling, but the "large" number of complaints still raises some red flags for me.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the actual description of the problem. From what I understand, the outer glass is not broken, but rather the inner LCD layer. I would tend to think that pressure from user camera mishandling would damage the outer glass as well as the inner. However, the anecdotal cases that have been showing up on the forums indicate that this is not the case. Please correct me if my assumptions are wrong. I cannot think of a reason for the inner part of the LCD to break and the outside glass part to remain intact other than some kind of hardware defect rather than user abuse.

Please let me know your thoughts, especially on the second point.

[JTL]

That's completely true - normally I would agree with you, however some notables still cause hesitation for me.

Firstly, most all accounts of broken LCDs have pointed out that there was no user abuse involved. As you said, they may have simply been unaware of camera mishandling, but the "large" number of complaints still raises some red flags for me.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the actual description of the problem. From what I understand, the outer glass is not broken, but rather the inner LCD layer. I would tend to think that pressure from user camera mishandling would damage the outer glass as well as the inner. However, the anecdotal cases that have been showing up on the forums indicate that this is not the case. Please correct me if my assumptions are wrong. I cannot think of a reason for the inner part of the LCD to break and the outside glass part to remain intact other than some kind of hardware defect rather than user abuse.

Please let me know your thoughts, especially on the second point.I had a credit card sized SecureID card that had an LCD display and the inner part broke but the glass did not crack. This also happened to a lot of my co-workers. We had been carrying them in our back pockets and the flexing action caused by sitting obviously was enough to damage the inner film but not break the glass. Clearly, this was abuse, even though we weren't conciously/knowingly abusing them. So, from my personal experience, it is possible to apply pressure in way that breaks the inside and not the outside of an LCD...

[BBDI473]

I've been doing a lot of analysis of the camera lately and another thing i noticed is how the LCD screen itself is not flush to the rest of the camera. It sticks out, so if something does hit the camera its more likely to hit the lcd screen.

My situation was solved, because it was a gift from Canon & Best Buy, we are just going to return it to the store and get a store credit along with everything else from the conference. But with my store credit i'm hesitant to go out and buy it again. I loved the camera, but it broke in less then a month.

I have a S230 as well and its been through hell and back, and is in mint condition. It's a tough choice because i know if the lcd screen breaks again it will not be covered under our service. I'm sure i'll figure something out sooner or later.

[kuyars]

I've been doing a lot of analysis of the camera lately and another thing i noticed is how the LCD screen itself is not flush to the rest of the camera. It sticks out, so if something does hit the camera its more likely to hit the lcd screen.

My situation was solved, because it was a gift from Canon & Best Buy, we are just going to return it to the store and get a store credit along with everything else from the conference. But with my store credit i'm hesitant to go out and buy it again. I loved the camera, but it broke in less then a month.

I have a S230 as well and its been through hell and back, and is in mint condition. It's a tough choice because i know if the lcd screen breaks again it will not be covered under our service. I'm sure i'll figure something out sooner or later.

Thanks for getting back to us with the update on your Canon. I'd like to ask, given JTL's input regarding the likelihood of user mishandling. Do you think that, in any way, that your SD500 possibly cracked due to an error on your part? Or do you honestly feel that it was protected and broke due to an inherent weakness in the hardware design of the case or lens?

Thanks!

[BBDI473]

There was definatly no user abuse. Sunday night i used it too take pictures with my family. I uploaded my pictures and took the battery out to charge that night. Monday morning i put everything back in and put it in the leather case. Put it in my car, and went to graduation. Took it out to take some pictures of my friends and classmates and it was cracked.

Thats what made me mad the most knowing i didn't do anything to break it. I guess i got one of the unlucky ones. What i wonder is if any of the other 1700 sd500's that they gave out had any problems.

[JTL]

There was definatly no user abuse. Sunday night i used it too take pictures with my family. I uploaded my pictures and took the battery out to charge that night. Monday morning i put everything back in and put it in the leather case. Put it in my car, and went to graduation. Took it out to take some pictures of my friends and classmates and it was cracked.

Thats what made me mad the most knowing i didn't do anything to break it. I guess i got one of the unlucky ones. What i wonder is if any of the other 1700 sd500's that they gave out had any problems.
Wow. Sorry to hear that. Of course as an SD500 owner myself, this makes me very nervous...oh well. Was there anything like a temperature drop or rise that could help explain this? Even if there is some kind of underlying defect, some physical phenomenon had to occur in order to make it crack.

[BBDI473]

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Of course as an SD500 owner myself, this makes me very nervous...oh well. Was there anything like a temperature drop or rise that could help explain this? Even if there is some kind of underlying defect, some physical phenomenon had to occur in order to make it crack.

Thats exactly what everyone is telling me. But there really wasn't anything or at least not that i'm aware of and i'm usually pretty on top of things. Oh well, now i'm just nervous to whether or not i want to get another one with the store credit i'll recieve.

[kuyars]

Thats exactly what everyone is telling me. But there really wasn't anything or at least not that i'm aware of and i'm usually pretty on top of things. Oh well, now i'm just nervous to whether or not i want to get another one with the store credit i'll recieve.

I've literally spent one whole month with daily readings of camera forums and reviews and I'm sad to say that your experience is very similar to all the others that I've read regarding the lens cracking. All users swear that no harm was done to the camera, yet the LCD cracked anyway. I really wanted to get the Canon, but with limited funds and the fact that Canon is charging $165 for repairs...I just don't want to take the risk, even if it's something in the minority. Thank you for providing your feedback.

As for your SD500, JTL, hopefully you will not experience anything such as this. Overall, I trust Canon and its build quality and if I had the money to take a "gamble," then certainly I would go for it.

[JTL]

As for your SD500, JTL, hopefully you will not experience anything such as this.I certainly hope not (he says, anxiously looking at his camera...).

[tim4umd]

i was sitting next to my wife and she took a pix. set down camera on her lap, still in her hand. when she picked up it cracked.
sd400! piece 0 cr8p

[Ruffian29]

I had a friend once who said she was arrested for no reason. Well... everybody that she tells that to KNOWS there was a reason. I find it hard to belive that the LCD would just break, completely out of the blue, with no forwarning, and nothing done by the user. Maybe not at the current time, maybe you had it in your pocket or in a room/ car with a temp change a few days before? And the ware just wore it down.
Something had to have happened. And I dont think that it would be anything worse than you would get from another camera with a 2inch lcd screen.
If your worried, get an LCD protector.

[JTL]

Call me a nut, but this all sounds silly to me...:rolleyes: If I had a nickel (oh no...not another "if I had a nickel" story...) for everytime someone told me that:

A. I didn't touch it
B. I don't know what happened
C. That's the way I found it
D. You must have done something wrong (the old reversal trick)

You get the picture...

[hokiro]

Your skepticism here and in other threads seems a little unwarranted, JTL. I've searched 30+ separate site forums and have found that the SDxxx series stands out considerably in number of posts with regard to broken LCDs. Your statement that it is a universal problem to all cameras is true in the same way that seatbelt malfunction is a fundamental problem in all automobiles. Of course all seatbelts (like LCDs) will likely malfunction if used improperly. However, an astonishing number of these broken LCD reports claim little or no mistreatment. It sounds as if these LCDs are breaking with normal everyday use. While I'm sure the numbers must be one in thousands, or even tens of thousands, it seems evident that the rate of damaged screens is significantly higher with these cameras than with their Sxxx predecessors and other competing brand models of compact cameras.

Combine this issue with the ever notorious, and poorly supported, E18 issues that have plagued canon cameras (including the SD series) for the past 4+ years and you have a lot of cons to weigh before making a $250 to $700 purchase for an SD series camera.


Regarding screen protectors: I've read posts from people suggesting these as the solution to SDxxx LCD woes. However, most reports state that the inner component of the LCD is broken with a purplish blob underneath an intact cover glass. If you were able to break the inner component of an LCD without damaging the outer glass, I don't really think a 1/16" piece of plastic or acrylic (that is even more superficial to the glass, I might add) is going to help. Screen protectors are designed primarily to protect against scratches and superficial blemishes. They offer nominal protection, at best, against mechanical damage including pressure(i.e. sitting on), torque, and blunt force(i.e. drops). They can't hurt, of course, but people shouldn't think that buying a screen protector will protect their LCD from breaking in any significant way.

[JTL]

The fact that I know over 30 people with Canon point and shoots and none of them have ever reported a problem or that the dozens and dozens of regulars who own cameras on this site have never reported a problem seems odd. We all know that the E18 error happens, but how many times in relation to the multimillions of cameras sold? If the problem did not display a error number...you would have never even heard about it. As far as the LCDs go, there is not one piece of scientific eveidence that anyone has presented that I am aware of that explains spotaneously cracking LCDs. The LCDs may in fact be "too fragile", but they get broken somehow. I stated in another thread, it is something in the neighborhood of one-thousanth of one percent, but after looking at sales figures reported by NPD, it's more like one ten-thousanth of one percent that have reported this problem! That makes statistically insignificant even if it is true.

Canon is now the market leader and it makes perfect sense that on a percentage of sales basis, more Canon problems will be reported than others.

[hokiro]

One ten thousandth of one percent. Hmm...lets see. That would mean that this problem occurs in one in one million cameras. According to the NPD, which you referenced somewhat loosely, Canon sold 13 million compact cameras in the US in 2004. So let's be EXTREMELY generous, considering the SD200/300 have only been out since November and say that there are 6.5 million SD200+ series cameras out there (because prior to the 200, SD's had 1.5"screens). By your humble estimates, there are approximately 6.5 people in the US with a reported broken LCD. I'd say you should rethink your numbers.

Wait... let's rethink them for you. Lets go back to your original estimate of one in one thousandth of one percent. That means one in 100,000 cameras has this problem. In other words there are 65 people in the US with a reported broken LCD.

Let's further our generosity on your behalf and assume that only 25 percent of consumers with this problem report it. That means anywhere from 26 to 260 people in the US have an SD with a broken LCD both reported and unreported.

Even having skewed the numbers (to a ridiculous extent, I might add) in favor of your argument, the numbers seem a little low considering the hundreds of individuals claiming this problem.

Perhaps if we assume that 50 percent of the posts are made by pathological liars...

Regarding E18:
I'll admit you're right. If the cameras did not display an E18 error, we would have never have heard of the E18 error occuring. How very astute of you. Instead we'd be hearing from hundreds of users that their canon lens spontaneously locked up for no apparent reason.

That gets me thinking. Maybe canon should have a separate, more durable, LCD dedicated to showing an E-lcd error message.

[JTL]

One ten thousandth of one percent. Hmm...lets see. That would mean that this problem occurs in one in one million cameras. According to the NPD, which you referenced somewhat loosely, Canon sold 13 million compact cameras in the US in 2004. So let's be EXTREMELY generous, considering the SD200/300 have only been out since November and say that there are 6.5 million SD200+ series cameras out there (because prior to the 200, SD's had 1.5"screens). By your humble estimates, there are approximately 6.5 people in the US with a reported broken LCD. I'd say you should rethink your numbers.

Wait... let's rethink them for you. Lets go back to your original estimate of one in one thousandth of one percent. That means one in 100,000 cameras has this problem. In other words there are 65 people in the US with a reported broken LCD.

Let's further our generosity on your behalf and assume that only 25 percent of consumers with this problem report it. That means anywhere from 26 to 260 people in the US have an SD with a broken LCD both reported and unreported.

Even having skewed the numbers (to a ridiculous extent, I might add) in favor of your argument, the numbers seem a little low considering the hundreds of individuals claiming this problem.

Perhaps if we assume that 50 percent of the posts are made by pathological liars...

Regarding E18:
I'll admit you're right. If the cameras did not display an E18 error, we would have never have heard of the E18 error occuring. How very astute of you. Instead we'd be hearing from hundreds of users that their canon lens spontaneously locked up for no apparent reason.

That gets me thinking. Maybe canon should have a separate, more durable, LCD dedicated to showing an E-lcd error message.Why are you limiting the sales numbers to simply the U.S.? Use the worldwide figures, or is that too tough to figure out. Also, you forgot to take into account the difference between LCDs that got broken vs. the claim of being "spontaneously" cracked. Do you really believe LCDs just spontenously crack? And, if someone broke their camera and told me that they just found it that way...that's not pathological...it may be untrue, but not pathological...maybe you ought to check your definitions...

[hokiro]

I used US numbers because, yes, it was simpler and, as a US citizen, those are the numbers I am directly interested in. But I wouldn’t expect someone who has a limited understanding of fractions, decimals, and percentages (a sixth grade math skill), to understand population sampling in statistical analysis.

To humor you, I’ll assume the defects occur at the same rate in all nations across the board. Whoops… the calculations are exactly the same. (See fractions, reducing; Ch.5). OK, now let’s assume the defects occur more frequently in the US. Congratulations to the rest of the world. You may now buy an SD with a little more peace of mind. Still sucks for those of us residing in the US, which, I’ll remind you, are the numbers I’m interested in. I won’t even address the possibility that this occurs more frequently outside the US because then you’ll really take a defensive posture and start freaking out.

No, I don’t think LCDs spontaneously crack. In fact I don’t think these LCDs are cracked at all. From the descriptions of the broken LCDs it sounds as if the nematic liquid crystal is becoming detached from the polarized planes it is sandwiched between. Keep in mind that I’m going off of owner descriptions and that I haven’t actually seen one of these broken displays. However, this would account for the purple blob in an otherwise intact LCD. It would also explain how this could happen without any physical abuse. If this is true then it is probably a manufacturing defect affecting only certain batches of displays. And if these are Sony parts, as I’ve heard, then Canon isn’t totally to blame (feel better now?). Regardless of the cause, I do believe that a very rare few of these LCDs are faulty.

However, to prove my objectivity, in spite of my reservations, I plan on buying an SD400 in the near future. As stated above, I think this problem affects a very small percentage of cameras. I won’t try to put a number on it, as others have done, because I’d just be guessing, but it appears quite small. This, combined with the observation that about half of the complaints I’ve reviewed got theirs repaired for free, makes it worth the risk on an otherwise excellent camera. Because others may not feel the same way, I think it is important for anyone considering an SDxxx to first educate themselves about this issue from an objective and reputable source. Also, before buying an extended warranty, be sure the LCD is covered because it usually isn’t.

Oh, and about the pathological liar thing. No dictionary needed. I assumed it was obvious that I did not mean that in the literal sense. For your sake, JTL, I’ll try to make my posts a little less hyperbolic in the future.

[JTL]

Oh, and about the pathological liar thing. No dictionary needed. I assumed it was obvious that I did not mean that in the literal sense. For your sake, JTL, I’ll try to make my posts a little less hyperbolic in the future.Thank you. And, not for my sake...for clarity's sake...
No, I don’t think LCDs spontaneously crack. In fact I don’t think these LCDs are cracked at all. From the descriptions of the broken LCDs it sounds as if the nematic liquid crystal is becoming detached from the polarized planes it is sandwiched between. Keep in mind that I’m going off of owner descriptions and that I haven’t actually seen one of these broken displays. However, this would account for the purple blob in an otherwise intact LCD. It would also explain how this could happen without any physical abuse. If this is true then it is probably a manufacturing defect affecting only certain batches of displays. And if these are Sony parts, as I’ve heard, then Canon isn’t totally to blame (feel better now?). Regardless of the cause, I do believe that a very rare few of these LCDs are faulty.That is a plausible explanation. But, when people say that their LCDs just "cracked" for no reason...you should understand my skepticism...you yourself were skeptical and have done a good job at starting to research a more rational cause...

[ProblemSolver]

I called the number that was listed for Canon USA and asked for the parts department. Service was great. I told them I needed an LCD screen for a SD500. Cost was approx. $45 which included the $5 shipping. Paid for it W/VISA. The LCD is a SONY product.

Canon has been relying on Sony LCDs in their ELPHS since the S100 and I think it has been a little TOO LONG and it's time to use the Pro 1 type of LCD (Probably made by Canon). The Pro 1's LCD is 2.0" yet I never heard of its flaws

[SamuraiJack]

I just had to make a quick post in this thread. I recently returned from a 10 day trip in Italy and France during which I took over 800 photos with my SD500. It literally stayed in my hand the entire trip with the cord around my wrist. I have probably pushed the SD500 as hard as anyone else has. It has been in rain, dusty air, and all sorts of other weather and I have never once had any problems with it. The LCD remains looking like brand new and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.

Just thought I would put a plug in for a great little camera.

-Wes

[BBDI473]

These camera's fly off the shelf at work. Am i still pissed that mine broke "randomly" of course. Is there a chance that over the few weeks i had it, caused it to break that morning, as JTL stated. Possibly yes. But whatever all i know is it was working when i put in the case that morning and when i took it out it wasn't.

We have yet to have any customer come back with a problem regarding the lcd. Everyone is very pleased. And as far as i know i have not heard back of any other "achiever" camera's having a problem. Canon i believe gave away close to 2000 of them to us best buy employees.

I've had my s230 for a few years and that has gone thru hell and back and is perfect. Had the sd500 for 3 weeks and it broke. Have not had any time to go through cannon to see what it'll cost to get fixed tho. All i know is since my accident plenty of cases are being sold just in case.

[camshy]

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Of course as an SD500 owner myself, this makes me very nervous...oh well. Was there anything like a temperature drop or rise that could help explain this? Even if there is some kind of underlying defect, some physical phenomenon had to occur in order to make it crack.

I too have a broken LCD. It is obviously very fragile regardless of what others (like Canon emps) might say. We do not know how ours broke. We had in a soft case and in my wife’s purse. There was an extra battery that might have been forced against the LCD which caused a crack that propagated from the upper right edge and extended across the screen to the left edge. No indentations on the screen or case were apparent.

Great camera and we have no complaints other than the durability of the LCD. I will fix my own thanks to the person who was kind enough to leave the instructions.

[BBDI473]

Since we have a few people with the crack. Where exactly is it on the LCD screen. It maybe just a coincidence (sp) but you never know. Mine is in the upper right hand corner and extends diagonally to the left.

[skier23]

I have just started looking into this problem with Canon powershots and I have mostly found complaints with the LCDs of the SD200 and SD300, and some SD500. Am I just fooling myself to think that the SD400 is somehow different? Everyone I know who has a Canon digital camera loves it, but they all own older versions (S230 and SD100). I would love to buy a canon and was planning on buying the SD400 but now I am extremely hesitant. Has anyone else noticed that the SD400s have hardly any complaints?

[smudgecycles]

I too have a broken LCD. It is obviously very fragile regardless of what others (like Canon emps) might say. We do not know how ours broke. We had in a soft case and in my wife’s purse. There was an extra battery that might have been forced against the LCD which caused a crack that propagated from the upper right edge and extended across the screen to the left edge.

Mine broke the exact same way. I went to the beach with my wife yesterday, had the camera in a case on my belt, LCD always facing my body. I had taken a few photos, put it away, pulled it out to snap pick of my wife holding a starfish, and LCD was toast.

To make matters worse, I took it to Best Buy today, and they refused to accept it to send it out for repair.

Strangely, my wife has a Sony T-1 that's LCD inexplicably broke early this month.

[outpost05]

I wonder if the LCD cracking problems are from one bad Manufacturing batch?
A couple weeks ago I was hiking and fumbled the SD500 handoff to my wife.
The camera dropped on the trail with the lens extended landing on the back (LCD side down). I was happy the lens wasn't damaged, I brushed off the dirt from the LCD and everything was fine. So the LCDs aren't normally as fragile as some folks have experienced.

[ReF]

i removed my statement, please ignore this post :p

[Clyde]

i removed my statement, please ignore this post :p

Oh no! You sound just like my ex girlfriend. This sort of stuff drives me nuts. You are gonna cost me hours of sleep wondering what I missed!

Clyde

[BLUEICE]

I bought a sd500 and loved it. Its almost perfect. I droped it a couple of times and it still felt solid. I bought a very cheap case from walmart that didnt fit it very well, and sometimes i would run with it will hiking to climbing spots. I never had a problem. Well im down here in brazil doing business and it feel down under the seat and i forgot it and it was stolen. Ya really sucks dosnt it.

Anyway i just bought a new one today and im really worried. I wouldnt be so worried but every says that they didnt do anything now i agree with one guy that says these guys are just lying, but theres so many

You do have to consider at shopper.com it is the 11th most bought Digital camera on the market and the ones that are above it are almost all SLRS that means that alot of people have this camera. I am a very analitical person which most people arnt. So thats why Im researching about the camera, but most of the people whos camera hasnt borken dont bother looking on the internet but, people that do have there LCD screen break go to GOOGLE and type in SD500 broken lcd.

Then they come here and we at at were we are with alot of people talking about broken lcd screens. Thats my two cents i dont know if im right but i loved the camera enought to drop another 600 bucks on the camera and other stuff for it.

[danthep]

Mines broke in the bottom right.

black quarter circle splodge, no cracks leading out into the rest of the screen.

No obvious damage to the case or the outer layer of the screen.

bad camera photo of it attached

[psxindo]

From what i heard so far, most people have the inner lcd broken... well mine is the outer glass of the lcd, the lcd is still working perfectly, no purple blemish, no weird color, no discoloration... so i was wondering would it still cost the same to send it in to canon to fix? ($165) thanx

[frlvne]

http://www.zlk.com/canonlcdscreen.html

[Donato777]

Wouldn't a quality LCD screen protector solve this problem? I would like to hear from any SD users whose LCD cracked even with the protector.

[RiCoChEt]

I have been researching this camera for a month now. I wanted to make sure I decided to choose the right camera for my birthday. Ironically, today is my birthday and I'm ordering the SD500 today.

Most of the problems with the SD500 (the purple fringing, etc.) are not in every shotand depends on what photographic situation you are in (what you are you trying to capture). The blurring in the corners is minimal and it is common for people to crop their photos, so you can remove the border of the photo (with the blurring corners).

The only main problems the SD500 has is the movie mode, the red-eye, and lack of manual controls. The movie mode of the SD500 saves to .AVI and so it takes up a lot of space, compared to the MPEG-4 that the Exilim Z750 utilizes. The movie mode itself is superb and I cannot confirm the low humming sound during recording. The degree of noise during the movie mode may vary with the camera. The red-eye is a problem due to the proximity of the lens to the flash, but there is red-eye reduction software and ways to edit it out effectively in Photoshop CS. The lack of manual controls is understandable since the camera was originally designed for P&S not for professional photos, get an SLR. For those complaining about the movie mode, get a camcorder. The SD500 surpasses most compacts in image-quality except for 2-4 in the market.

Addressing the weak LCD issue, I also cannot confirm this. Although I don't have the camera today (I'm ordering it today form newegg with a warranty), I can assure you that the LCD is strong. I went to Circuit City and beat the hell out of the LCD. It took all my punishment. I used blunt force attack by pressing down to see if it can withstand large surface area punishment, and I also flicked it and banged it on a table to test pin-point durability. The LCD was flawless even though it is a tester model, so everyone touches it (probably people bigger than me, although I am big myself). All in all, I can say that the complaints about the LCDs are numerous, but when compared to the large population that actually bought one...it may represent like 1% of all SD500's bought. Not a lot of people buy cameras and run online and to say that their LCD is fine, only the ones that need to whine about their broken LCD do. Thus, we normally hear about the cons of the SD500 vs the pros.

It's a great camera, and I have chosen it over all other compact models (specifically for ergonomics too). You can e-mail me if you need to compare the SD500 to the Sony P200 or the Exilim Z750. I will gladly persuade you why the SD500 is the best.

Good luck guys with your camera.

Happy 16th Birthday to me. =]

[jmsnyc]

One option is to buy it at Costco, though I didnt see it at the store. It is $339 (sd400) plus tax and shipping. Newegg has it for $325 with shipping probably close to $75 less.

[RiCoChEt]

Newegg has no tax.

[BLUEICE]

Ok everyone keeps talking about these little problems that the SD500 has. Wake up people have you seen the size of this freakin thing its tiny. And its not for advanced users but more for beginners and intermidiate users. Why would a little camera like that for snap photos have advanced controls. I could be wrong.

This camera cannot be matched by any other in its class. Come on 7.1 MP
this camera takes some awesome photos too
if anyone wants to see examples you guys can go here
dont worry no bad photos
http://public.fotki.com/ShadSorensen/my_home/

http://public.fotki.com/ShadSorensen/brazil/angra_dos_reis_wiza/fireworks/
these firework pictures i took just resting the camera on a bar!!!!

http://public.fotki.com/ShadSorensen/brazil/angra_dos_reis_wiza/boat_ride/
some of these pictures i was messing around with the color change so some arnt very good

[BLUEICE]

Wouldn't a quality LCD screen protector solve this problem? I would like to hear from any SD users whose LCD cracked even with the protector.

IF A THICK PEICE OF GLASS WONT PROTECT THE LCD THAN A LITTLE THIN PEICE OF PLASTIC SURE WONT. They´re are made more for preventing scratches

[BLUEICE]

I know the last three post are from me but i have had alot of time today.

BUT I GOT IT. I know why there is all this hype about cracked lcd screens.

I have an english school down here in brazil and its the best around. So the competition cant keep up with me. So what do they do start lies, and tell people that i really dont give away the stuff i do.

THE COMPETITION IS DOING THE SAME THING. Maybe some of these people of lagit but thats what i think it is. LCD screens just dont break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There doing the samething with the Life Drive. (PDA frim palm)
Palm is the best company out there when it comes to PDA´s if you doint believe me go to shopper.com and see which PDA´s are being bought the most.


So the competition pays some nerd to get online and start crap about products from the other companys. If you look on shopper.com canon is the number one selling brand too.

It makes since to me. I could be wrong though. If anyone is looking to buy the camera. BUY IT. I JUST BOUGHT MY SECOND ONE CAUSE THE FIRST ONE WAS STOLEN. DONT BE FOOLED ITS WORTH PAYING 45 BUCKS AND SPENDING A COUPLE OF HOURS TAKING YOU CAMERA APART even if it breaks.

Its an awesome camera.

[Donato777]

:confused:
Hi RiCoChEt:
I am looking for an ultracompact and have narrowed my choices to the SD500, Casio Z750, Nikon 7900 or Kodak v550. I am looking for a final push to purchase to buy the SD500. You sound like a great salesman for this gem. Please convince me! And Happy 16th Birthday too! Thanks.

I have been researching this camera for a month now. I wanted to make sure I decided to choose the right camera for my birthday. Ironically, today is my birthday and I'm ordering the SD500 today.

Most of the problems with the SD500 (the purple fringing, etc.) are not in every shotand depends on what photographic situation you are in (what you are you trying to capture). The blurring in the corners is minimal and it is common for people to crop their photos, so you can remove the border of the photo (with the blurring corners).

The only main problems the SD500 has is the movie mode, the red-eye, and lack of manual controls. The movie mode of the SD500 saves to .AVI and so it takes up a lot of space, compared to the MPEG-4 that the Exilim Z750 utilizes. The movie mode itself is superb and I cannot confirm the low humming sound during recording. The degree of noise during the movie mode may vary with the camera. The red-eye is a problem due to the proximity of the lens to the flash, but there is red-eye reduction software and ways to edit it out effectively in Photoshop CS. The lack of manual controls is understandable since the camera was originally designed for P&S not for professional photos, get an SLR. For those complaining about the movie mode, get a camcorder. The SD500 surpasses most compacts in image-quality except for 2-4 in the market.

Addressing the weak LCD issue, I also cannot confirm this. Although I don't have the camera today (I'm ordering it today form newegg with a warranty), I can assure you that the LCD is strong. I went to Circuit City and beat the hell out of the LCD. It took all my punishment. I used blunt force attack by pressing down to see if it can withstand large surface area punishment, and I also flicked it and banged it on a table to test pin-point durability. The LCD was flawless even though it is a tester model, so everyone touches it (probably people bigger than me, although I am big myself). All in all, I can say that the complaints about the LCDs are numerous, but when compared to the large population that actually bought one...it may represent like 1% of all SD500's bought. Not a lot of people buy cameras and run online and to say that their LCD is fine, only the ones that need to whine about their broken LCD do. Thus, we normally hear about the cons of the SD500 vs the pros.

It's a great camera, and I have chosen it over all other compact models (specifically for ergonomics too). You can e-mail me if you need to compare the SD500 to the Sony P200 or the Exilim Z750. I will gladly persuade you why the SD500 is the best.

Good luck guys with your camera.

Happy 16th Birthday to me. =]

[RiCoChEt]

:confused:
Hi RiCoChEt:
I am looking for an ultracompact and have narrowed my choices to the SD500, Casio Z750, Nikon 7900 or Kodak v550. I am looking for a final push to purchase to buy the SD500. You sound like a great salesman for this gem. Please convince me! And Happy 16th Birthday too! Thanks.

Thanks, and it was a happy one as a finalized my SD500 purchase from Newegg. I also bought an extended warranty so as to protect the LCD if it does break (I bought a case). Half the people who have broken their LCD's, if they were honest, probably were carrying it around without a case. All LCD's regardless of what product or company are fragile.

I will compare the Nikon 7900 and the Kodak v550 against the SD500. The Casio Z750, I will save for last since I did more research on the Casio than the Nikon or the Kodak. I can't compare the cameras overall, but I will tell you why I would choose the SD500 over the rest. I was looking for a small camera for point and shoot. If you're trying to do some kind of professional photography, then I'm not the kid you should look to.

The Nikon 7900 is an excellent camera, but I have disregarded it as a contender of my purchase for a few reasons. The SD500 is not an extremely small camera, but it is certainly a lot smaller than the Nikon 7900. The macro (up-close shots) is great, but with the flash it is atrocious. If you're like me, you will compromise size for quality, but the SD500 has more or less the same image quality. The Nikon 7900's size is not worth it. In addition to this, the power-on speed is terrible compared to the SD500's (3.6 seconds compared to 1 second). A point-and-shoot camera should have fast power-up so you don't miss a photo opportunity. If you find a dragonfly that you want to capture, it might fly away by the time the Nikon 7900 is ready to shoot. The 7900 does not perform well in low-light conditions. The 7900 is an excellent camera and excels the SD500 in giving its user more manual control over certain options. Depending on what angle you are coming from and what kind of camera you'd want, both are fine. Keep in mind that the Nikon 7900 is much less expensive.

I barely looked into the Kodak v550 because it only had 5.0 MP. I will be pursuing image editing and image design, so the more MP, the better. I will mention that I've heard so many great things about the camera (great 2.5 inch LCD), but in the end I trust in Canon. It has an average speed from shot-to-shot and this is an issue if you like taking numerous photos. It also has a nasty 30 second buffer-clearing time compared to the 6 second SD500. The SD500 also has better image-quality in my opinion. The colors are much more vibrant and you can compare these two camera's test images at http://www.imaging-resource.com. It's battery is also weak, but the SD500's battery isn't that great as well. Overall, it's a fabulous camera and if 5 MP is good with you, then definitely purchase it. The movie mode is also amazing and very efficient, saving movies as MPEG-4.

The EXILIM Z750 by Casio may seem like a great camera, but it is most definitely not. The image quality is good, but it is nowhere near the SD500 or any other of the high compact models. The images are soft, the movie recording is efficient (MPEG-4 vs the bulky AVI of the SD500), but has a loud buzzing noise in the background from what I've seen. It gives the user excellent manual control, but what mostly caused me to forget this camera was its focus. No one could recommend this camera to me because it had a terrible focus in the test model. It has an excellent battery life and a large LCD, but the viewfinder is really terrible (and viewfinders do come in handy, professionals use it instead of the LCD). The Casio is a no-buy and I'd rather go with the Sony DSC-P200 than this.

Camera Rankings (from highest to lowest) for my purposes: Canon SD500 (barely beats the Kodak), Kodak v550, Nikon 7900, Casio Z750

Camera Rankings (from highest to lowest) for your purposes: Kodak v550, Canon SD500, Nikon 7900, Casio Z750



Do what you want, but I certainly do not regret my SD500 purchase and its coming on Monday. However, the Kodak v550 did make me turn my head.

Good luck with your choice, hope this helped. Please tell me what you decided to buy.

[Donato777]

WOW! You have a ton of knowledge about cameras and express yourself in a highly articulate and intelligent manner - and at 16 no less! Dcresource ought to hire you to do some of their reviews.

Your remarks and insights were singularly helpful. I was surprised by your comment about the Kodak v550 at the end when you said that the SD500 "barely beats the Kodak." I did not think the Kodak was that good, but then, I have only read two reviews for it, and I am sure there will be many more in the weeks ahead. The Kodak is also much less expensive than the SD500 ($100+ less, in fact, especially if you buy it on eBay from a Powerseller.)

OK, well, I think I'll wait and read more reviews about the Kodak when they appear and then decide b/t the SD500 and the Kodak. I already have a Panasonic FZ5 and I love it, so this ultracompact will be a second camera to carry around as a pocket camera. I do not think there is too much difference in image quality b/t a 5mp. and 7mp. resolution camera, do you? Maybe more detail w/ the 7mp., but hardly noticeable to most people. I just want clean, sharp images with rich, vivid colors. I doubt that I'll be doing much photo enlargement, if at all. Manual controls are not important since I have them on the FZ5, so a simple P&S will do fine.
Let's hear from you again when your Canon arrives and you have had a chance to play with it and take some shots. I'd like to hear your post-purchase comments. They will contribute highly to this discussion, I am sure.

[RiCoChEt]

Thank you for the compliments. I obtain my knowledge by firsthand experience in test centers of electronics stores, but I mainly receive my knowledge from compiled reviews of well-respected sites.

I found a comment by a user possessing both the Kodak and the SD500 that the Kodak was a much better camera than the SD500. Myself, I like the SD500's colors a lot better.

Megapixels do not determine the "power" of a camera, but rather deal with another parallel issue-- size. As you may know, as you increase or decrease the size of a photo, detail and quality may be lost. With a larger amount of megapixels, you can take larger photos with the same quality.

A 5 MP camera could have the same quality as a 7 MP camera, it is just that as the dimensions of the prints increase (working with a larger photograph) the details will soften.

I'm receiving the SD500 on Monday and I will definitely post pictures and an additional review of the camera. Who knows? I may have been entirely wrong and the SD500 is just a paperweight with a lens.

"I just want clean, sharp images with rich, vivid colors. I doubt that I'll be doing much photo enlargement, if at all. Manual controls are not important since I have them on the FZ5, so a simple P&S will do fine."

In response to the assertion above, I can say that both the Kodak v550 and the Canon SD500 are capable of fulfilling your needs. The only two main problems I can find with the Kodak is its battery life and the bundled software. Most camera users are inclined towards the Canon's packaged software rather than the Kodak's. I hate to reiterate myself, but the SD500 has much more depth to its colors than the Kodak. It comes down to if you're willing to sacrifice the extra $100 for just the colors because the Kodak is pretty much on par with the SD500 on other features (much better movie compression I might add).

Most definitely, this is my first photography forum I am posting in. After seeing all these complaints about the SD500 LCD, I wanted to put it to rest. Honestly, I tried to break the LCD in the store (not that I'm proud of it), but it took a lot of damage. The torture test was conducted on physical terms and I am yet to test the effects of the weather or physical attacks during operation. I won't be testing this on my SD500 (too expensive, I'm going to pamper it). I will post every other week until the first week of September when I have to reattend school.

In conclusion, if you'd rather spend an additional $100 for more dynamic colors, definitely go for the SD500. The extra 2 MP do not hurt. The SD500, in my opinion, may be the best compact on the market running on a rechargeable battery (normally Li-ion). It's a great camera, but certainly not worth that much (it's $90 too much in my opinion). I don't know if you understood that. The Kodak is a bigger bang for the buck. If you're looking into the best compact (I would have got it, except it runs on AA batteries), it's the Sony DSC-W7. Be aware of the monopoly that Sony has over it's own memory sticks, the only compatible capacity devices for Sony digital cameras.

Here's my friend's photoblog, http://flummerous.com he's a "professional" photographer. He's been using crappy cameras and comes out with those photographs. I have much respect for him and he just purchased the Canon Rebel XT (arguably the best SLR), so we can definitely see an increase in his picture quality.

I may even get a few of my pictures up there if I get good enough, after all the SD500 would be my first digital camera.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that with compact cameras, ergonomics are an issue. The more comfortable a camera is, the less hand-shake you'll receive. The Kodak v550 has an angular shape to it, which I disliked. I really had a blast holding the Canon SD500, it was love at first touch. Canon has dubbed its design the "perpetual curve."

[Donato777]

OK, thank you RiCoChEt. Once again, you have been quite helpful and articulate. This is much appreciated. I look forward to your user review of the SD500 and will also begin to compare image quality b/t the v550 & SD500. From what I have already seen on other forums and at pbase.com, the Kodak will have to go far to outdo the SD500 in vivid, lush, rich color.

[Donato777]

For all, and especially for our teen camera wiz, RiCoChEt: Since I am also considering the Kodak v550, w/ 5.0 MP, what about the Canon SD400? How does that earlier model measure up against its elder brother, the SD500 in terms of color, image quality and battery life? I know that it is smaller, w/ 5.0 MP, but what about its other virtues? Any thoughts about that? If you were choosing a 5.0 MP camera, would you choose the Kodak v550 or the SD400 or some other model we have yet to explore? Thanks. :rolleyes:

[RiCoChEt]

For all, and especially for our teen camera wiz, RiCoChEt: Since I am also considering the Kodak v550, w/ 5.0 MP, what about the Canon SD400? How does that earlier model measure up against its elder brother, the SD500 in terms of color, image quality and battery life? I know that it is smaller, w/ 5.0 MP, but what about its other virtues? Any thoughts about that? If you were choosing a 5.0 MP camera, would you choose the Kodak v550 or the SD400 or some other model we have yet to explore? Thanks. :rolleyes:

The SD400 and SD500 are not that different. They both utilize a Digic II processor, allowing for great photographic quality and speed. For those who are into small cameras, the SD400 has been one of the smallest cameras released. The SD500 is a little larger, but from holding both of them, I can barely tell the difference. On this site there is a comparison of test shots between the two digital siblings.

http://www.dcresource.com/specials/SD400_vs_SD500/index.shtml

I personally can see the color and quality differences with the stained glass and church building pictures. My friend has the SD400 and it is a wonderful camera, the one responsible for attracting me towards the Canon SD series. Because the SD500 has a +2 MP over the SD400, it comes at a higher price. The SD500's larger CCD is an advantage as well. The SD500 has a bit faster startup time and shutter range. Also, I believe the blurring in the corners of the SD500's shots are of a lesser degree in the SD400's shots. I also think that the SD500 has more purple fringing problems (although they are exaggerated in most reviews since the SD500 doesn't have many other flaws). In any case, I'd take any of these over the Casio Exilim Z750's image artifacts. The SD400 and the SD500 are fine cameras. I would personally go for the Kodak over the SD400, but this is only because I have yet to see anything bad about the Kodak (not that it is the best).

The SD400 and the SD500 are virtually identical. The 2 MP different and other mechanical differences lead to variances in their image-taking ability. I would say that the SD500 is the better camera. If you don't have enough money, don't push yourself for the SD500 and settle for the SD400. All three cameras mentioned are exceptional, and you will not regret your purchase.

I forgot to mention, the SD500 is larger than the SD400, but there are certain benefits reaped from this. There is a stronger flash, one of the strongest in the compact digital camera line. It also has a longer battery life...I think it was something along the lines of a 14% increase. It is an improvement, but both cameras still have mediocre battery life.

Canon is a well-respected company and their brand-name attraction would lead me to choose the SD400 as one of the best 5 MP model (Kodak v550 being one of them too). It really just depends what you are going to use the camera for, there are cameras better than the SD400 in other aspects.

[akysiev]

In my experience, the SD400, while packed with all the standard P&S features, is far too small and awkward to be held comfortably. Other than that, it has all the same features as the SD500 except for the 7.1MP and, obviously, the larger image size option. One slight thing that the 400 has over the 500 is the 2.1 fps continuous shooting speed versus 2.0. However, this difference is marginal and really isn't worth splitting any hairs over.

I believe the 400's CCD is smaller than the 500's. The lens' focal length is also shorter (5.8-17.4mm) and overall provides a bit more wide-angle and a bit less telephoto than the 500. Again, the difference is so small that it really is not noticeable.

The SD500 has a fastest shutter speed of 1/2000 seconds, compared to the SD400's 1/1500. Shooting in bright light might be better with the 500 for this reason, but the 1-stop difference can be easily achieved by holding a sunglass lens in front of the camera lens (I've done this before with only minimal distortion).

So, if you don't mind the smaller size (I'm a DSLR guy so I can't handle it), and don't need the extra 2 megapixels, the SD400 will be perfectly fine. In terms of color, during side-by-side comparisons I've done with both cameras, I did not see any difference between the two. Anyone who has used both the 400 and the 500 will know that the 400 is much harder to hold. Personally, I kept thinking it would slip out of my hand.

But I've gotta say, the SD500 looks much better :D

I have not had any experience with the Kodak 550 but my friend RiCoChEt knows what he is doing so I trust his judgment on that.

[RiCoChEt]

I'm not your friend. Who are you?!

EDIT: Visit http://flummerous.com, the webmaster is probably more talented than you akysiev. :D

[akysiev]

hmm, the photos on that site look oddly familiar..... :D

[RiCoChEt]

After setting up the camera, I turned it on and snapped a few pictures in my garden. I'm satisfied with the camera tremendously, and seeing how this is one of my first times using a camera ever, I think the photos came out well. All the credit goes to camera's automatic mode, which is truly amazing. Resized by PSCS to 1024 x 768 and further resized by photobucket.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/RiCoChEt1/IMG_0013r.jpg

Flower Cluster


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/RiCoChEt1/IMG_0006r.jpg

Dirty Kitchen

[Donato777]

OK, thanks; please keep us posted about your photos. The photo of the flower cluster is just awesome! I wish I could say the same about the dirty dishes in the sink. Why don't you wash them for your mother? :D

[RiCoChEt]

The next two are on Auto mode as well until I get free time to read the manual. Also, I tested the movie mode...the quality is great, but there is a humming noise in the background. It doesn't drown out the movie and is barely audible, but is there.

http://photos22.flickr.com/34379672_7fa426563e.jpg

http://photos22.flickr.com/34379673_d6476da6cd.jpg

[psxindo]

that's a great water shot, how did you do it?

just change the lcd by myself, it is not as hard as it seem... i got big hands and fingers, but i was able to fix it... well next time canon should use canon's lcd instead of SONY's... cost is $33 + 5 shipping or ($7 for 2 days fed ex)... pretty good deal instead of sending it in ($165)... just a tip, be very carefull when opening the case don't scratch it... good luck for those who are trying to fix their own camera... :)

[slikk]

I, for one, would love to know if Canon offered to cover it or not. This is one of the only issues that is stopping me from purchasing a Canon SDxxx camera now.


Same is the case with me. I was at a distance of pressing the button of mouse to buy sd 300 but stopped coz i read a review stating it had LCD problems..which sucks... i would love to share the optimistic view that its coz of user's abuse ..but then again so many complaints :(

[SDK]

Are you buying the lcd screens from canon or another website. i recived mine on thursday went on a trip and saturday the inner screen broke it was in my car and tucked between myfriend and the center consol so it wouldn't roll around. got out of the car and pulled it out adn it was cracked from left to right and when i turned it on it is just white with black around where it broke. i loved the camra for the one full day i used it. well lesson learned and need to fix it.

Shane

[RoughLaw]

Can somebody post the PART NUMBER or MODEL NUMBER of the LCD screen that you purchased and received in order to replace the cracked screen? It'd be nice to share it to allow its search and possible purchase from other websites. Thanks!

[MrGrinchman]

I just bought the SD400. Love the picture quality, etc. but had it in my pocket the other day, took it out for a photo and the LCD was all messed up. Mostly black and white with funny colors. No visible external damage, no "crack", just broken. From this post seems like I'm scr...d. Canon should own up on this one. I mean part of the reason you buy a camera so small is so that it is easy to carry. If the LCD is so fragile they should A) include a warning with a quote of their "warranty" B) improve design to protect LCD.

I'm just starting the "process" of sending it to Canon to be reviewed. Sounds like I should save shipping and just order a new LCD and change it myself. Has anyone every gotten the LCD covered under the warranty? I read of a guy on another site that traded several letters/emails with a VP or something. Always the same. You must have mistreated it for it to break. Maybe they should deliver with a hard case if it's sooo fragile. I expect more for my $400, but apparently Canon doesn't care, and doesn't read this post.

[malola]

I have read all the forums, but none of them describe my situation. I love my SD100 and have owned if for almost 2 years. I have taken it everywhere. I went to take a picture yesterday, it turned on correctly, I even viewed via the replay mode the last pictures I had taken, but once i put it in camera mode, there was nothing on the display, no image, nothing. It allows me to take a picture with the LCD black, but when I try to view it, there is a black image. I can see the images I stored on my card, but I can't take a picture so everything else works fine. I have tried resetting it, taking the battery out, recharging the batter, formatting the memory card, even resetting the camera to the default settings, but no image. I am absolutely devastated. I called Canon and the minimum quoted price was $150. My LCD is intact.Any ideas?

[RiCoChEt]

The camera has been running smoothly and I cannot complain. The video mode in the SD500 does have a humming noise in the background though.

I haven't had enough time to test the entire camera out and maximize its potential. I will later on in the year as I will take part in a digital photography club in school.

For those of you who are interested in a few novice pictures taken by my little beast: http://chingster.myphotoalbum.com

By the way, I've taken great care of my camera and the LCD seems fine so far (crosses fingers). I did drop it once or twice, but the case was on and absorbed most of the potential damage.

However, I'm sure none of you are interested anymore since the SD500 is/will be obsolete in the upcoming months. Have fun clicking that shutter!

[RiCoChEt]

I just bought the SD400. Love the picture quality, etc. but had it in my pocket the other day, took it out for a photo and the LCD was all messed up. Mostly black and white with funny colors. No visible external damage, no "crack", just broken. From this post seems like I'm scr...d. Canon should own up on this one. I mean part of the reason you buy a camera so small is so that it is easy to carry. If the LCD is so fragile they should A) include a warning with a quote of their "warranty" B) improve design to protect LCD.

I'm just starting the "process" of sending it to Canon to be reviewed. Sounds like I should save shipping and just order a new LCD and change it myself. Has anyone every gotten the LCD covered under the warranty? I read of a guy on another site that traded several letters/emails with a VP or something. Always the same. You must have mistreated it for it to break. Maybe they should deliver with a hard case if it's sooo fragile. I expect more for my $400, but apparently Canon doesn't care, and doesn't read this post.

All LCD's are fragile. I do find it hard to believe that an LCD is capable of breaking on its own. A compact camera, especially one of this size, is much safer in a loose shirt pocket. Eliminate all chance of damage, and there will be no damage. Almost everyone I know with a camera does not carelessly place it in a pocket (whether its within a case or not).

[slikk]

Finally i bought Canon SD200 ... what case do you suggest i should buy for the camera coz i know for a fact that a camera which is very fragile due to its compact size can not be left without a case....

[AbbyZam]

My family has had our Canon SD300 Digital Elph for quite some time now, and just today I found the LCD not functioning. I tried replacing the SD card and that wouldn't work, and I think the problem is not related to the battery. Everything else is working fine, such as the zoom, the sounds in the camera (when I press buttons the camera sounds like it's actually doing something except the LCD just isn't showing me what's happening), and it turns on properly, but the LCD is just wrecked. Can someone please tell me if I myself can do something about this or if I'd have to get a professional and fix it for me?

By the way, the LCD turns on but it's really weird (it's white and has a black line running across it with many colors and it just looks totally broken).

[bobbyd123]

My family has had our Canon SD300 Digital Elph for quite some time now, and just today I found the LCD not functioning. I tried replacing the SD card and that wouldn't work, and I think the problem is not related to the battery. Everything else is working fine, such as the zoom, the sounds in the camera (when I press buttons the camera sounds like it's actually doing something except the LCD just isn't showing me what's happening), and it turns on properly, but the LCD is just wrecked. Can someone please tell me if I myself can do something about this or if I'd have to get a professional and fix it for me?

By the way, the LCD turns on but it's really weird (it's white and has a black line running across it with many colors and it just looks totally broken).

i'm having the same exact problem with my sd500. i have no idea what happened.

anything i can do to fix this?

[GregDigital]

I have an sd500. The camera is the best digital I have ever had for picture quality and ease of use. I take very good care of the camera and handle it carefully. It has never been dropped, yet one day I discovered the LCD was broken. It looks fine when the camera is off, but when it is turned on, the lcd is broken similar to what is described in the other posts.

I have a close friend who has the sd400. His camera also has this same broken LCD issue.

I have had several digital camera's for years, and I have never had this type of issue with any of them. I am sure this is a factory or design defect in the sd line of cameras. We need to all get together and write to canon or start a web petition or something.

RiCoChEt - It may be hard for you to believe that these screens are breaking for no apparent reason, but I dont think you understand. However, I think you will understand when yours goes bad.

I took my camera back to Circut City and they are sending it back to Canon. I hope they will fix the issue without charging me, but chances are they wont.

Check out this guys page about his camera(with pictures, looks like my screen):
http://rene.conneriver.com/archives/000107.html

Links from his site on this issue (Canon will have to pay attention to this):
http://www.zlk.com/canonlcdscreen.html

http://webshots.com.com/5208-7593-0.html?forumID=58&threadID=119566&messageID=1357279

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=13539942

Other forums and links:
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=44980&forum_id=15&page=2

How many posts can you find with "broken lcd"? (too many)
http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/canon-powershot-sd300-reviews.html

[laureng]

hey, just wanted to let everyone know that lcd screen protectors DO NOT prevent the lcd from breaking. i had a da products thick proctector on mine and the lcd broke. it wasn't dropped or bumped against anything. i put it in my pocket and the pressure from the pocket must have cracked it (how this is possible, i have no idea.) i know i shouldn't have put it in my pocket, but this camera is so flimsy, i'm sure the lcd would've broken eventually even if i could put a defensive shield around the camera so nothing could touch it. canon really needs to fix this issue. i'll never buy another canon and i'm telling all my friends not to either. i've had 2 other digital cameras that can withstand a whole lot more than being placed in a pocket. good luck to everyone who has a canon. BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH IT and never carry it around without a case. i learned my lesson the hard way.

[Bradley1000]

I just wanted to post that I had the same exact thing happened to the LCD on my camera (SD500) as has been described elsewhere in this thread. I have had this camera for 3 weeks. I'm not going to say that it just broke on it's own, but it sure didn't take much for this to happen. The only thing we may have done wrong is carry it in a soft case. It wasn't stepped on, run over, poked, prodded or otherwise abused. I can't really tell if the screen is physically cracked, there is just a purple blob and a multicolored line running horizontally across the screen on a white background - no evidence of physical damage on the outside. It was a replacement for a Nikon digital camera that we carried the same way and never had any issues. This is a real problem, whether or not some people want to believe it. The LCDs in some of these cameras are either defective from the beginning or just too sensitive for a compact point and shoot type of camera.

And yes, after being given the run around form the idiots at CompUSA :mad: I came across this thread by typing 'broken LCD SD500' on Google. I appreciate the knowlegable posts in the thread concerning how to deal with this problem. The camera store I went to quoted me $230 with an 8 week turnaround time, so a $50 part doesn't sound so bad. Thanks.

[tian]

My SD500 (ixus 50) has just broke!! I am mad, as i bought a daprotector to protect it! The daprotector is still in perfect condition, so i have no idea what happened.... will the warranty cover me?? I hope so... but Canon really need to get their act sorted....

[MikeKS]

First off i would like to say that no, my LCD didn't break on it's own.. However it's pretty damn fragile to be a compact camera LCD. Isn't the point of this camera being so small is to have it as a worry free carry along that doesn't burnden you much. I like Canon and i have always bought Canon cameras... but their using a Sony LCD in this camera was a mistake. IMO Sony merchandise is cheap as was this LCD.

With that said my LCD broke after about 2-3 weeks. I wanna thank everyone who gave informative post. I am about to order an new LCD screen from Canon and follow directions that were given in a link in one of the threads. GL to me ^^

[MikeKS]

Seem as CNET talked to Canon and they had somewhat a change of policy regarding cracked LCD's
http://reviews.cnet.com/4531-10921_7-6370594.html?tag=blog#talkback

[MikeKS]

Talked to Canon and they didn't give me any smack about doing the repair... Now lets see if they actually offer to fix the lcd for free.

here are some pics of my Cracked LCD... tell me what you guys think... it look like an impact break?
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Dirti/BrokenLCDonCanonSD500017.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Dirti/BrokenLCDonCanonSD500014.jpg

[joshua_msu]

My camera looks like the one above. What number did you all call, and how do you make sure that you get it replaced for free.? I have no idea how my screen cracked, the rest of the camera is flawless. It will be nice if they fix it for no charge.

[Futrell]

Here's the note I'm sending with my warranty claim...

1/22/06

Attn: Cannon Factory Service Center

LCD not working.

This was a Christmas gift for my wife. I bought the Canon Deluxe Red Leather Case made for the SD400 as recommended by the salesman at BestBuy. I agreed with him that the case made by Canon would provide the best protection for her camera. She kept the camera in her purse, and was able to use it, without any problems, for two weeks. On January 7th, she took the camera out to take pictures of friends, turned it on, and the LCD was obviously damaged. She did not drop, abuse, or otherwise mishandle the camera. It was always kept in the Canon case when not in use. Up until this incident, she was very happy with the camera, it took excellent photos and was small enough to carry in her purse, which were the main reasons for me choosing the SD400 over it’s competitors. Needless to say, she and I are now very disappointed.
Last night we tried to make an exchange at BestBuy only to be told the warranty doesn’t cover the LCD display and that, due to the high repair cost, it would probably be better for us to just buy another camera. They said that the LCD appeared to have been damaged by pressure to the body of the camera, “even light pressure can cause this.” We were also told that this was a very common problem and that they “wished they could help us, but (they) can’t.” We felt a bit taken.
Upon further research I was able to find many customers with the same problem, an example of some of them are at the link below.

http://shop.bellsouth.net/pur_discussions.php/product_id=6982592/id_type=masterid/masterid=6982592/pur_id=268813

While inspecting the camera, I noticed that the damage to the LCD started at the right side of the display. Pressing VERY lightly on the camera body at this location caused the crystals to move visibly. Coincidentally, this spot is directly below the large, metal, magnetic “snap” of the Canon case. It appears that any pressure from closing the case, or anything pressing, even slightly, on the “flap” of the case will directly transfer pressure to the spot that the damage to the LCD originated from. I’m tempted to believe that the combination of Canon not isolating the LCD from the body of the case adequately and the location of the snap on the case combine to indicate a “defect in workmanship.” I also believe that if I had purchased a non-Canon case with a Velcro closure, the camera would be in perfect condition today.
I would like Canon to repair the camera at no cost as covered under warranty.

Sincerely,

[MikeKS]

Joshua_msu I haven't heard back from Canon as of yet to find out if they will repair the camera for free or not. The person that i talked to from Tech. asked me if i had squeeze it, dropped it, sat on it etc. etc. Once i told him no, he told me to send it in for repair. I had to ask him if this is usually covered by warranty for him to say that they have to inspect it for an impact. So i am taking this as a good sign that Canon has been fixing many LCD's without much of a fight ( I hope). Heres the number i called 1 (800) 828-4040, they have one if you live in Cananda as well 1-800-OK-CANON

When i talked to the tech i was told that it takes 1-5 buisness days for them to inspect the product and give a call back, currently my camera has been at Canon for 2 buisness days. I'll post here asap once i hear anything from Canon.

Futrell, sorry to hear about your camera as well. Your letter sounds really good.... now i wish i could write my letter over again.

PS. Canon has told me that it takes 8-15 buisness days for them to complete any repairs at this time of the year cause it's so close to the season.

[MikeKS]

I woke up this morning, opened my email and i was more than happy to finally see, that i got an email from Canon stating that they approved the repair on my camera for free.

So it's true that Canon is doing repairs for free on the SD series. Way to go Canon for stepping up^^
here is a ss of the email
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Dirti/Canonsrepair.jpg

[aldouse]

the issue regarding this i believe may or could be related to the apple ipod nano incident. as many of you know, apple pressed for the release of its nano series mp3 players despite knowing that their lcd was imperfect and led to easy cracking. -- i work for a large retail sales company and faced the issue of trying to deal with customers coming back angry at us (the sales company) for selling them "crap" products. we had to reason that any lcd cracks are not the responsibility of the retail company and that lcd screen cracks such as those on the nano are usually the result of misuse or abuse by the consumer. we got a lot of crap regarding that issue from customers but in the end lets just say they weren't happy with us or anyone at all. as you know some guy from the san jose, california region filed a class action lawsuit against apple regarding the defective lcd screen and won. apple is now accepting any warranty claim regarding a cracked lcd screen pending it meets certain criteria.

and i believe this is what canon may be doing as well. many many many users and owners of the canon sd200+ series cameras face this issue of lcd screen cracks.(assumingly the crack is internal and not external). possible scenarios that can utlimately lead to a lcd cracking internally usually is from drastic to extreme temparature changes, evelation changes, pressure change (when flying on airplanes). its common and its a big issue. regarding canon's honoring of this and many other statements from other owners, consumers, and retailers, i'm not quite sure of what canon will be doing to address the issues. but what is certain for sure is that canon is still continuing the same lcd design.

anyone care to file a class action against canon as well if things dont get resolved? jk.

[JTL]

...but what is certain for sure is that canon is still continuing the same lcd design.

anyone care to file a class action against canon as well if things dont get resolved? jk.Aaaaahhhh...it's NOT Canon's LCD design...it's Sony's...so you should sue Sony if you want to sue anyone...Canon is a "victim" as well...

[aldouse]

lol good stuff.

[bluesy]

I'm a new owner of a SD500 digicam, and have not experienced the LCD screen problems yet. Then again, I am worried a little about it, and have read all I can to prepare for the day I might have to try and fix my own.

But here's a question for all of you who have ordered a new LCD and fixed your camera yourself (or know someone who has) -- has your LCD screen ever failed again, beyond the time when you originally fixed yours?

I'm just wondering if the combination of a delicate part and the pressure of machine assembly might just stress these things out so they fail fast? Conversely, doing the assembly by hand (as we might generally do at home) might not create as much stress on the delicate screen, letting it survive longer....

If that was plausible, then maybe there's be some rationale for taking apart a working SD digicam just to put it back together by hand BEFORE it failed....

Just floating an idea... your thoughts??

Larry (in Maryland)

[jechambe]

the instructions posted for the SD500 don't seem to match entirely to the procedure involved on the SD400 but its a good starting point. its just very hard to fish the ribbon cable through the camera body. i took out several screws securing the aluminum frame so i could get the components loose enough for me to get the cable through. the ribbon cable for the lcd screen snakes its way from the back of the camera body to the front going through an aluminum frame located near the camera mount.

Ordering the part was also more expensive than posted here. My total with shipping came out to $67.68. The part number is CK9-1103-000. Direct phone number to Canon Parts is 732-521-7230

If someone in the LA area broke their camera and want some help let me know. I would like to document the fix step by step now that I have a working camera and know what to do :p

Here are some pictures of my cracked screen and invoice.

http://www.jimchambers.com/temp/IMG_1431.JPG

http://www.jimchambers.com/temp/IMG_1432.JPG

http://www.jimchambers.com/temp/IMG_1433.JPG


Jim

[joshua_msu]

I sent my SD500 in for its crack screen. I got a response saying that it will be fixed for free under warranty. I suggest you all make a claim if your lCD is cracked, unless there is other visible exterior damage.

[Futrell]

I just wanted to say I just got an automated email back a few days ago from Canon. They've received our SD400 and will be replacing the LCD for no charge. This is good. I really wished I had found the thousands of posts regarding broken LCDs before I bought this camera as I would've never purchased it. When we get it back, I think I'm going to be afraid to touch it, much less take pictures with it. Bummer. My suggestion to everyone with a broken LCD is to submit it to Canon to be covered as it seems they have rethought their policy about covering this repair. Good luck.

[tester272001]

Hi all, Anyone have or can point me to the SERVICE manual fo rthe SD500 digi ? Not the user manual. :confused:
Can not find anywhere, googled, etc.

[sammy]

I just bought the SD450. Less than 24 hours later, I noticed the LCD screen cracked in the center. Appears to be cracked from the inside - total discoloration making screen white with a black crack and a purple blob in the center.

Not even aware of this site - I did a Google search and was amazed at what appears to be a defect in the Canon cameras.

Before JTS (or whatever his initials are) counters questioning my honesty, and states that it was a "user" error and that I am just 1 of the 6.5 people in the entire world that this could possibly happen to....let me state that I am responding not to argue with JTS, but to post information to the rest of the reviewers to let them know that it happened to someone else.

As background information, this is the 4th or so digital Canon Elph series that I have had. I've quit counting. They are very fragile, and I was probably foolish to purchase another one. I went through the E18 error problems on several of my last models. Of course, always at the expense of being without the camera, paying for shipping, etc. I never had a problem with the LCD screen until now though.

On this last purchase, knowing how fragile the cameras are, I thought I was being smart by purchasing the camera from Best Buy and paying for the extended warranty. I have not yet visited Best Buy, or gone through what I am expecting to be World War III to get Canon or Best Buy to replace the camera or provide me with a refund.

I'll let you know how it goes...

[jmarmot]

I've had the SD450 for 2 months and have taken less than 50 pictures with it. The screen is cracked directly down the middle from the inside exactly like you describe. I have never dropped it and have ALWAYS kept it in a case. It is in absolutely perfect condition. I took it to best buy today who mailed it to Canon. Two of my sisters also have the same camera (they bought it a week ago). If they don't repair mine free of charge, my sisters have agreed to return there's as well for a different camera. I'll let you know how it goes.

[andyoz]

I've repaired two Canon digital cameras with broken LCD screens. I've put instructions on how to buy a new screen, replace the old screen, and in general fix the problem of a broken lcd screen. (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~jo262/miscellany/broken_lcd_cracked_screen_canon_sd-300_sd-200_ixus-40_ixus-30.html)

I've also provided instructions if you've got a canon lcd screen that rotates on your digital camera. Here's how to fix a broken screen if your screen has gone black and won't turn on. (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~jo262/miscellany/twisted_canon_camera_lcd.html)

[gagi4]

OK Im another not so happy customer of a Canon SD500 :mad:, bought it via internet, got it, worked for a couple of days :D , flew 5 hours back to my country and when I arrived here I noticed that the LCD stoped working.. :confused: now all I see is a white screen with a line in it. I see that it is a common flaw on those cameras, and now I have to fix it. I 've been looking for it on Amazon with no luck. Where can I buy via internet the LCD replacement? Thx

[BowerR64]

I almost had a problem with an A70 before when i was working on them. There are wires and a few cables that run threw the camera behind the LCD. If the wires and componets arnt push flat and you put the LCD back on it tends to want to curve over the wires. If you force it, it puts stress on the glass and then all it need is somthing to get the glass going and it can just snap. Hot and cold might do it, sitting it down hard or even ptting it in a pocket,

As much crap as they pack into these cameras its no wonder they break. WHen you take out the old LCD, lay it flat on somthing and look at the curve of the glass. Ill bet you its bowing outward and it has cracked OUT not inward from pushing on it or from an impact.

Most are in a little metal case but the metal is darn near tin foil. If you replace it maybe you could put somthing thin behind the screen so that it has somthing solid to rest against. Push any wires or componets down firmly if there are any sticking up behind the LCD.

You would think that of all the models canon has and if they see a string of only one model with problems over and over and over they could put 2+2 together and figure there has to be somthing else causing JUST the SD500 to crack LCDs

[Seward]

OK Im another not so happy customer of a Canon SD500 :mad:, bought it via internet, got it, worked for a couple of days :D , flew 5 hours back to my country and when I arrived here I noticed that the LCD stoped working.. :confused: now all I see is a white screen with a line in it. I see that it is a common flaw on those cameras, and now I have to fix it. I 've been looking for it on Amazon with no luck. Where can I buy via internet the LCD replacement? Thx

You can buy a replacement LCD from the Canon parts department. Cost in the US (including shipping) is about $40.