Greg Gebhardt
Forum Pro
YOU are! All you have to do is check thier policy so do not claim they are at fault when it is YOU!
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Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida
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Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida
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canon G9 big features with a major design flaw. hate to break the news
- Thread starter miner 49
- Start date
LeonelMaluf
Forum Enthusiast
Interesting comment.I read the policy.Any purchase prccess have a bit of luck involved, it's kind of a "Russian roulette" , if you know what i mean;specially when buying from internet business.Life is about risking, all the time.
What if it happened to you?.....Are you a corporate lawyer?
All the best for you GG.
What if it happened to you?.....Are you a corporate lawyer?
All the best for you GG.
jankrabbendam
New member
Some time ago I contacted Canon because I observed focussing problems due to dust in my G9 lens. The Canon reponse was that I could send the camera to a service center and if they could reproduce my problem the lens should be cleansed - with a turn around time of about three weeks. My problem only occured when making macro shots, so the problem did not hurt me too much and I postponed sending the camera without any certainty that the problem should be solved. But hurray! Thanks to dust in the lens, and/or on the sensor, I have a black spot of about two by four millimeter (on the rear display), on each photo. Now I can be shure that the service center will clean my lens! And this result is achieved within 9 month after I bought it. Thank you Canon for your assist!
robbert100
Leading Member
Hi Jan,
Is the dust also visible on your pictures when you look at them on your computer screen? Dust on the sensor (hotmirror filter) would be rare because of the construction of the camera (yes i did some "surgery" on a G7 half a year ago so i know how it is constructed)
The longer the lens (like the big telelenses for your DSLR) the less visible dust will be on your pictures. Since compacts all have relative short lenses (7.4 to 44.4 mm) dust will show up more easely on your pictures.
There are some minor dustparticles in my G9 lens (took the camera on a 4 week trip to South Africa so it got it's share of dust) but this doesn't show up om my pictures yet.
Best regards,
Rob
http://www.geckophoto.zenfolio.com
(for some G9 samples as well)
Is the dust also visible on your pictures when you look at them on your computer screen? Dust on the sensor (hotmirror filter) would be rare because of the construction of the camera (yes i did some "surgery" on a G7 half a year ago so i know how it is constructed)
The longer the lens (like the big telelenses for your DSLR) the less visible dust will be on your pictures. Since compacts all have relative short lenses (7.4 to 44.4 mm) dust will show up more easely on your pictures.
There are some minor dustparticles in my G9 lens (took the camera on a 4 week trip to South Africa so it got it's share of dust) but this doesn't show up om my pictures yet.
Best regards,
Rob
http://www.geckophoto.zenfolio.com
(for some G9 samples as well)
jankrabbendam
New member
Within the first three months of use, I got focussing problems when shooting in macro mode, Canon would only clean the unit when the problem should be reproduced at the service center, turnaround time about three weeks (hence without any quarantee that the problem should be solved).
After 7 months the cleansing issue is solved: a dark spot is visible on each photo, and, after my vacation, I will send the camera to Canon for cleansing.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=canon%20g9%20dust&w=26271699%40N06
After 7 months the cleansing issue is solved: a dark spot is visible on each photo, and, after my vacation, I will send the camera to Canon for cleansing.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=canon%20g9%20dust&w=26271699%40N06
Adam-T
Forum Pro
That the A650 uses the same lens and we've had one Since Launch (Nearly a year) and there's not a single speck in the lens or on the CCD ........ Must be the Gx body design whcih lends itself to dust ingression or something as I've not heard of anyone else with the A650 having this problem either
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Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
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Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
Ross Becker
Well-known member
A very interesting post.
I bought my G9 mid December last as a result of my IXUS800IS being dropped about 4 meters onto concrete.
It's taken about 11,000 photos so far, been round the world and has never been in a case.
I just had a good look into the lens with a powerful LED tourch and apart from a good dose of surface dust on the front, (now cleaned off), there a few tiny fragments of dust inside the lens assembly.
I'd say at this rate it's good for another 100,000km.
We're off for a month in Canada in 8 days & the G9 will go everywhere with my wife & I'll lug the 1D3 & 4 lenses.
We'll both get fabulous pictures.
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Ross Becker
New Zealand
I bought my G9 mid December last as a result of my IXUS800IS being dropped about 4 meters onto concrete.
It's taken about 11,000 photos so far, been round the world and has never been in a case.
I just had a good look into the lens with a powerful LED tourch and apart from a good dose of surface dust on the front, (now cleaned off), there a few tiny fragments of dust inside the lens assembly.
I'd say at this rate it's good for another 100,000km.
We're off for a month in Canada in 8 days & the G9 will go everywhere with my wife & I'll lug the 1D3 & 4 lenses.
We'll both get fabulous pictures.
--
Ross Becker
New Zealand
Greg Gebhardt
Forum Pro
I have no dust after near 16 months with my G9! I will shelve it but only when the G10 arrives.
Paragraphs! Please!
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Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida
Paragraphs! Please!
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Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida
Greg, possibly you mean your G7 smile --the G9 just came out last Sept. which makes it about 10 mos. old (I bought mine the week they came out) at best--though it sure seems to have been around much longer.
I don't have dust either that shows up in RAW at 100%--though I admit I most likely don't use mine nearly as much as others.
Diane
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Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/galleries
JD Fisher
Member
I bought my G9 in November. In April, I sent it to Canon Factory Service to remove a nasty blob. They did the service under warranty.
In June another massive blob appeared, so again back to Canon for cleaning. They did the work under warranty and returned it.
At this rate, I will be sending it to them 2-3 times a year!
I never had this problem with my G7.
I use the G9 when I want to be as portable as possible. Lugging a 5D around isn't the greatest when you're with family or friends.
Will a G10 solve this problem? I hope so.
Is this enough paragraphs?
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JD Fisher
Cleveland Rocks!
Blog: http://www.wazopia.com
In June another massive blob appeared, so again back to Canon for cleaning. They did the work under warranty and returned it.
At this rate, I will be sending it to them 2-3 times a year!
I never had this problem with my G7.
I use the G9 when I want to be as portable as possible. Lugging a 5D around isn't the greatest when you're with family or friends.
Will a G10 solve this problem? I hope so.
Is this enough paragraphs?
-----
JD Fisher
Cleveland Rocks!
Blog: http://www.wazopia.com
bogeyman
Forum Enthusiast
The real major design flaw is the lens alright but it's the zoom range, 35mm at the short end is ridiculous.
Kunga Jigme
Member
If this is such an issue, I have to wonder what it would take to more effectively seal the camera against the entry of dust and why the designers chose not to do so. From where in the body does the air enter? If it is around the extending lens, would more effective sealing create increased friction thereby requiring a stronger motor, possibly increasing the camera's size and weight and/or decreasing battery life?
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KJ
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KJ
n0bby
Active member
I just bought a G9 to replace my S70, which after 3 years' use recently died with the "E18" error - the lens mechanism jammed upon opening one day and refused to move any more. Whether this problem is related to the one reported here, I don't know - but as I'd had three years use from the cam I decided against bothering to try getting it fixed, and replace it with a new model.
The other reason I decided not to replace the S70 was due to the fact that, almost from new, a speck somewhere in the optics had manifested itself as a large blob that showed up at the telephoto end of the zoom. I never got this looked into, as the cam was mainly used at the wide end. But again, I suppose this also could be seen as evidence of a problem with the extending lens units on Canon's compacts.
So, I did my background research for a replacement, and the spec of the G9 is so good that I decided to buy it even though I was aware of these potential problems. I hope that I'll get at least the same service out of it that I had from the S70 - and in doing so feel like I've had my money's worth.
Well I've had the camera for less than a week, and although the lens unit doesn't seem to be filling up with crud just yet (!), I have noticed that a small piece of what appears to be lint has appeared almost in the middle of the LCD screen, under the plastic cover. I can't see how this can have got there, if it wasn't already in the camera when it was screwed together, and has since shifted into this noticeable position through the gap between the LCD and its protective plastic cover.
It's not huge, and won't distract me enough to make any difference in day-to-day use, but it is a bit disheartening to see this in a camera that's all-but brand new.
I know this problem is not directly related to the OP's original report, but it does seem to tie in to stories of general dirt ingress problems with these cameras - and also makes me wonder if there's even potentially problems with quality control in the environment that the cameras are manufactured in.
--
http://www.n0bby.com
The other reason I decided not to replace the S70 was due to the fact that, almost from new, a speck somewhere in the optics had manifested itself as a large blob that showed up at the telephoto end of the zoom. I never got this looked into, as the cam was mainly used at the wide end. But again, I suppose this also could be seen as evidence of a problem with the extending lens units on Canon's compacts.
So, I did my background research for a replacement, and the spec of the G9 is so good that I decided to buy it even though I was aware of these potential problems. I hope that I'll get at least the same service out of it that I had from the S70 - and in doing so feel like I've had my money's worth.
Well I've had the camera for less than a week, and although the lens unit doesn't seem to be filling up with crud just yet (!), I have noticed that a small piece of what appears to be lint has appeared almost in the middle of the LCD screen, under the plastic cover. I can't see how this can have got there, if it wasn't already in the camera when it was screwed together, and has since shifted into this noticeable position through the gap between the LCD and its protective plastic cover.
It's not huge, and won't distract me enough to make any difference in day-to-day use, but it is a bit disheartening to see this in a camera that's all-but brand new.
I know this problem is not directly related to the OP's original report, but it does seem to tie in to stories of general dirt ingress problems with these cameras - and also makes me wonder if there's even potentially problems with quality control in the environment that the cameras are manufactured in.
--
http://www.n0bby.com
With thanks and credit to miner 49's I cleaned up the original post with paragraph breaks. Hopefully I have retained the orginal intention. There is some great insight here and it's worth reading the research miner 49 did.
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Original post written by miner 49
Most G9 owners will go through a series of emotions when they read this; disbelief, anger, then nothing but acceptance of the facts of modern marketing. I say most G7s and G9s will be permanently shelved in about a year after use unless canon steps up (a recall if you like) and fixes this major design flaw.
Your very cool G9 (and mine too) has a drop in lens assembly sharing basically same design as used in G7 and a few other point and shoot models in Canons’ line up . this lens/iris/auto focus/power zoom/ view finder optics unit sort of a drop in modular cartridge type unit holds most of the actual moving parts of the camera.
This cartridge will get contaminated with dust to a point so bad you can’t even use it for simple family photos. You can’t clean the dust out, and you can’t change out the moving parts unit because it’s mounted deep into the “internals” of the camera. Someone posted that Canon will replace this lens cartridge unit for you once, but not twice.
My G7 started showing blotches in images with smooth even lighting like a shot of the sky or a wall for example. I thought it to be sensor dust but it was most noticeable at full optical zoom. I can’t clean it so I shelved the G7 figuring I did something wrong. I thought that perhaps I took it camping too many times in dusty locations etc. (I loved that G7) and replaced it with a new G9 that has raw. I bought the G9 in January 08’ winter, mostly took shots of family and building projects with no camping trips yet as its too cold out. Guess what? Same blotchy images with too many to Photoshop out. I did notice tiny specks inside my optics when cleaning (the exterior) a few weeks after purchase, but life is not perfect so I did not worry about it too much.
My big pro lenses sometimes have had a few very tiny tiny specks of dust after years of use but those specks never showed up in the final product. This is not so with today’s point shoot with the extending lens. Now the dust really shows up on those tiny lens elements. My G9 finder also has a lot of dust and what look like tiny lint fibers.
I took a bright led flashlight and extended the G9 lens to full optical zoom, looked inside and found a load of lint, dust. To see this on your G7/G9 look into the lens at a extreme side angle with the camera front element acting as a magnifying glass. You see for yourself the amount of crud sticking to the interior of the most forward lens barrel, the stuff sort of looks like its clinging by static electricity. I always keep my (G9) camera in a Lowepro pouch and not in my pocket.
I took the camera to a medical equipment company in Irvine CA. that we have worked with and I met a dust specialist who is highly paid to keep their integrated circuit manufacturing clean rooms (mostly) particle free. Within 20 min we had an answer to the problem.. A tiny static electrical charge is created with moving plastic and glass materials and a lens unit that draws in (un filtered) air and dust every time it extends as you turn it on. As the lens retracts the air is forced out of the collapsing lens tower leaving the dust and lint statically trapped inside. As the air moves past the optics it also produces a static charge. We did a test with a special chemical in a chamber with a video scope that enabled us see the fluoresce vapor in slow motion. We were able to see how air moves in and out of the lens barrel gaps and surprisingly the view finder adjustment wheel slot to the left of the eye port. The tech explained how dust just keeps adding up each and every time the user powers up or zooms.
Canon should have installed a system to prevent this. Yes you could purchase the lens adapter a 58mm uv filter and yes this will help but this flimsy plastic adapter now makes a point and shoot camera clumsy and also blocks the viewfinder. We need the G9, it has no equal. It is a powerful imaging tool with video and audio too.
Can any one who works at Canon look into this? I feel Canon should have installed a better optics module on a camera of this quality. It’s also a slap in the face to the hard working engineers who did an excellent job on the rest of the camera and let the optics R&D dept blow is for us all. Sorry to break it to you, a camera is only as good as the lens.
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Original post written by miner 49
Most G9 owners will go through a series of emotions when they read this; disbelief, anger, then nothing but acceptance of the facts of modern marketing. I say most G7s and G9s will be permanently shelved in about a year after use unless canon steps up (a recall if you like) and fixes this major design flaw.
Your very cool G9 (and mine too) has a drop in lens assembly sharing basically same design as used in G7 and a few other point and shoot models in Canons’ line up . this lens/iris/auto focus/power zoom/ view finder optics unit sort of a drop in modular cartridge type unit holds most of the actual moving parts of the camera.
This cartridge will get contaminated with dust to a point so bad you can’t even use it for simple family photos. You can’t clean the dust out, and you can’t change out the moving parts unit because it’s mounted deep into the “internals” of the camera. Someone posted that Canon will replace this lens cartridge unit for you once, but not twice.
My G7 started showing blotches in images with smooth even lighting like a shot of the sky or a wall for example. I thought it to be sensor dust but it was most noticeable at full optical zoom. I can’t clean it so I shelved the G7 figuring I did something wrong. I thought that perhaps I took it camping too many times in dusty locations etc. (I loved that G7) and replaced it with a new G9 that has raw. I bought the G9 in January 08’ winter, mostly took shots of family and building projects with no camping trips yet as its too cold out. Guess what? Same blotchy images with too many to Photoshop out. I did notice tiny specks inside my optics when cleaning (the exterior) a few weeks after purchase, but life is not perfect so I did not worry about it too much.
My big pro lenses sometimes have had a few very tiny tiny specks of dust after years of use but those specks never showed up in the final product. This is not so with today’s point shoot with the extending lens. Now the dust really shows up on those tiny lens elements. My G9 finder also has a lot of dust and what look like tiny lint fibers.
I took a bright led flashlight and extended the G9 lens to full optical zoom, looked inside and found a load of lint, dust. To see this on your G7/G9 look into the lens at a extreme side angle with the camera front element acting as a magnifying glass. You see for yourself the amount of crud sticking to the interior of the most forward lens barrel, the stuff sort of looks like its clinging by static electricity. I always keep my (G9) camera in a Lowepro pouch and not in my pocket.
I took the camera to a medical equipment company in Irvine CA. that we have worked with and I met a dust specialist who is highly paid to keep their integrated circuit manufacturing clean rooms (mostly) particle free. Within 20 min we had an answer to the problem.. A tiny static electrical charge is created with moving plastic and glass materials and a lens unit that draws in (un filtered) air and dust every time it extends as you turn it on. As the lens retracts the air is forced out of the collapsing lens tower leaving the dust and lint statically trapped inside. As the air moves past the optics it also produces a static charge. We did a test with a special chemical in a chamber with a video scope that enabled us see the fluoresce vapor in slow motion. We were able to see how air moves in and out of the lens barrel gaps and surprisingly the view finder adjustment wheel slot to the left of the eye port. The tech explained how dust just keeps adding up each and every time the user powers up or zooms.
Canon should have installed a system to prevent this. Yes you could purchase the lens adapter a 58mm uv filter and yes this will help but this flimsy plastic adapter now makes a point and shoot camera clumsy and also blocks the viewfinder. We need the G9, it has no equal. It is a powerful imaging tool with video and audio too.
Can any one who works at Canon look into this? I feel Canon should have installed a better optics module on a camera of this quality. It’s also a slap in the face to the hard working engineers who did an excellent job on the rest of the camera and let the optics R&D dept blow is for us all. Sorry to break it to you, a camera is only as good as the lens.
Kingsgraphic
Member
I saw a tip regarding sucking dust out with a vacuum cleaner. First attempt was unsuccessfull. However....making a tube from cardboard, about 8" loang, and fixing it snuggly to the extended lens with duck-tape, and doing the same to the cleaner-hose, making sure the join up the tube was sealed too, I applied about two-minutes of 'suck' to the lens barrel. And...Yey! dust gone.
I feel this is a better way of trying to remove dust and still have a working camera, rather than the 'strip-down' method and blow-off the IR filter method. Certainly for me with limited electro-mechanical assembly experience.
Dale Buhanan
Senior Member
This is a 5 year old thread. These folks are long gone.
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