Problem with Samsung Digimax S500 (Canon EOS, Fuji, Nikon, Sony)

[colleeng47]

I have a Samsung Digimax S500 camera that won't work. When I turn it on it beeps three times and turns off. The lens stays out also. I saw on another camera forum that other people had the same problem, and the advice there was something wrong with the lens track, and to place it on a towel on a table and press gently, turn it on and see if it retracts. It didn't. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? The batteries are fine, they've recently been re-charged and when you turn the camera on, it shows the battery is full, but it beeps and turns back off again. Any help would be appreciated.

[Azkadellia]

Colleen, I really don't want to tell you this, but its been my experience as a camera retailer, that Samsung cameras are one of the LEAST reliable. If the camera is still under warranty, then I'd get it sent in for repairs. If by chance you can return it, and exchange for a better model, say a Nikon, Canon or a Fuji, then that is precisely what I'd do.

I'm sorry I can't offer more help, but I don't recommend the fix that you mention, you may indeed break the lens beyond repair.

See if you're under warranty and send it in.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by Azkadellia

Colleen, I really don't want to tell you this, but its been my experience as a camera retailer, that Samsung cameras are one of the LEAST reliable. If the camera is still under warranty, then I'd get it sent in for repairs. If by chance you can return it, and exchange for a better model, say a Nikon, Canon or a Fuji, then that is precisely what I'd do.

I'm sorry I can't offer more help, but I don't recommend the fix that you mention, you may indeed break the lens beyond repair.

See if you're under warranty and send it in.

I'm not sure if it still is under warranty. The problem is, it's my 16 year old daughter's camera, and she's a little disorganized Is this a fixable problem do you think? Would it be worth having a camera shop look at it?

She would love a Canon, but she's also saving to buy a horse, so she can't do both

[Azkadellia]

Well, let me put it this way: what you may spend to get it fixed if its NOT under warranty, would probably be every bit as much as a new camera.

Canon has a pretty vast product line, covering just about all price points.

I would check to see if its under warranty. If it is, you can get it fixed. If its not, then I'd find out how much it would cost just to send it in. Sometimes there's a "Just to look at it" fee, then the other costs of repair. If its cheaper to replace it, and that probably will be the case, then I'd do that.

If you have a camera shop locally, that offers repair and such, you could ask them. Again, if the repair costs more than a new one, buy the new one. Even if its not a Canon, you can get a pretty nice Kodak for under $100. Kodak makes a better product, and it would do the job until she saves enough for the Canon she wants.

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by Azkadellia

but its been my experience as a camera retailer, that Samsung cameras are one of the LEAST reliable.

I am sure, due to your line of work, that you are accurate in your opinion. However, my first ever digital camera was a Samsung. Because I had not one bit of trouble with it my second camera was also a Samsung. Oh, and for the very same reason, my third as well. All three are still operating without the first glitch. The first one is pushing ten years old now. The second Samsung is now being used by a seven year old girl who just loves all the adjustment knobs (not a lot, but to her, it is the bomb). I have seen every single angle you could possibly take of a hamster. I guess I was just lucky. On the other hand, my sister has had nothing but troubles with her point and click Canon. I guess she was just unlucky.

[Azkadellia]

I only say that because of the rate of returns by unhappy customers who purchased them. Samsung and Sanyo, have by far the worst record of return with our store anyhow. I'd say the third place winner is Sony, coming in at fourth would be Polaroid, I call those things 'roids' for a reason.

Cameras I never see come back, or if I do, its RARE:

Kodak, Nikon, Fuji, Canon, Panasonic, Pentax, and Olympus.

Remember, you get what you pay for. If you buy the cheapie, you may end up disappointed, spend a little more, get a little more, and be happier. If the difference is only $30 bucks and you're going to get a bit more bang for that buck, spend it. Now if the difference is more like a couple hundred bucks more, then do your homework before you buy it.

And if the camera store is nice enough (I am by the way) to allow you to take the display model, put a card in it, and do a little shooting on site, then print out the photos to see them, that's the store I'd deal with. I don't care what a customer spends on their purchase, they want to be happy. If taking the time, to allow them to 'test drive in store', then I do it. Even now, I have people stop me, and say, "remember that camera? I love it!"

I'm glad you like your Samsung, it does what you want, and you are happy, that's money well spent then.

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by Azkadellia;

I'm glad you like your Samsung, it does what you want, and you are happy, that's money well spent then.

Well I have since bought a Canon EOS 40D, which is a step up from the point and clicks I used in the past. Like I said, I am sure you would know, being in the biz an all. But I just had a very good experiences with my Samsungs. In fact, the best pictures I have on my Flickr account were taken with a Samsung. For a point and click type camera the macro ability and quality was/is awesome in my book. With your input and my experience I now feel bad for recommending them!!

[Azkadellia]

No, bulldawg, don't do that. There are pros and cons to every last product on the shelf.

We just see a real high volume of those two brands, and the others I mentioned coming back, so that can give us an idea, that we may have a problem. Its always the $100 dollar Sanyo or Samsung, that someone comes back saying, "I just don't like it" or "Its too slow", or "The pictures are grainy" (now that's an easy one, stop using the digital zoom too much!!) There have been one or two models, that every one that comes back has a lens error, much like the op's problem with her S500.

If what you buy makes you happy, and others ask you about it, then by all means recommend it. Show them why you're happy with it, and then when they decide chances are they'll be happy with it too. Nothing like seeing the product in the hands of someone who uses it and is happy with it. Most people who buy a digital camera from us say this one thing when they come in:

"My friend has a (insert brand/model of choice here) camera and she really likes it, and her pictures look just great. Do you have that camera here?" You'd be surprised, how many of our customers say that very thing when coming to buy a camera. So recommendations from friends are most definitely important in purchasing a camera.

Don't you dare stop recommending your camera, just because our store sees a higher rate of return on some of the models. If yours is doing an awesome job, and someone you know likes the images you get, by all means recommend it!

[shastalore]

The reason why your Samsung Digimax S500 camera beeps 3 times and shuts down is because the internal workings of the telescoping / retracting lens barrels may be damaged beyond reasonable repair, of the casual user, and the internal circuitry senses the malfunction.

And to open up and attempt to service any digital camera, with an electronic flash, is a dangerous proposition. The Samsung Digimax S500, for example, has an internal 320 Volt, 110 microfarad photo-flash capacitor that, if accidentally touched, would hit you like a stun gun. In fact, I had to discharge the capacitor by bridging two soldered contacts (just to the upper-left and upper-right of the "53", of the "STS2-53-SR" printed on the internal circuit board). And, even though I was careful to use an old, worn out flat-head screwdriver, electrically grounded (MUST have an insulated wooden or plastic handle), the discharge arc was so violent that it destroyed the tip of the screwdriver.

And don't think that the telescoping / retracting lens barrel can be "gently forced" open or closed, as the tiny DC motor has a plastic worm-gear on its shaft, initiating torque to a miniature train of 7 plastic spur gears, before reaching the final plastic spur gear track, 120 degrees part-way around the large outside lens barrel. So, to make a long story short, any attempt to manually move the lens barrel out, or in, will most certainly damage the spur gears, as absolutely no manual movement is possible at the worm gear on the motor shaft. And, anyway, the geared motor drive provides more than enough torque, by itself, to extend / retract the lens barrel, unless there is grit and debris interfering with the smooth motion of the gears and angled slots.

Sand, grit, and other debris can sometimes find its way between both lens barrels, and into the curved, 120 degree spur gear track. And since the 120 degree spur gear track is not lubricated, it can possibly be cleaned by very lightly tapping the camera on a table top, with the lens down, to loosen any debris, and then using a vacuum cleaner: Taking care to apply the open nozzle of the vacuum cleaner, tilted (to reduce its intensity), but directly on the perimeter of both lens barrels, so as not to suck the lens barrels out, yet apply a strong vacuum into the narrow grooves.

This may damage your camera -but do you really have a choice?

Also, a piece of paper can easily inserted between the lens barrels and run along the circumference to help clean out some of the grit. And repeat the process above, until the lens works.

But that's assuming that the problem is caused by dirt and grit in the inner workings of the lens.

The other cause for the telescoping / retracting lens barrel to malfunction is either the camera was dropped (while the lens barrels were extended), or the camera "POWER" button was somehow depressed while the camera was stowed away, and the lens barrel was prevented from extending. Either situations will break off 2 teeth of the final circular plastic spur gear, that powers the 120 degree spur gear track on the outer lens barrel. If you know either of these to be the case, then your camera cannot be fixed, and a repair would probably cost more than the camera.