Bizarre: new A55 - blocked SD slot, only accepts MS cards

I bought a new A55V(B) on ebay from Hong Kong recently. The camera was fine, although I had a little puzzle initially with changing language from Chinese to English. I put MS Pro HG Duo card in it and it works. I recently tried to put an SD card in it and the card cannot be physically inserted. It goes in about 12 mmm and then hits 3 pieces of silvery metal that are on 23 sides of the slot and are blocking access.

This is bizare. It looks like this camera has been on purpose crippled to only access Memory Stick cards. Is there a market where Sony will try not to allow SD cards? Japan, perhaps? But the little plastic door covering the batery compartment and memory slot does have the yellow sticker showing both SD and MS cards.

Another possibility is that somebody put something in the slot and it ripped this perfectly shaped piece of metal, left it behind and it now blocks access to SD slot.

Anybody can shed some light on this situation?

Thanks and regards,

ChrisJ

SD needs to be inserted with the label facing the opposite way than MS. Might be this?

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Kilrah said:

Kilrah said:

Kilrah said:

SD needs to be inserted with the label facing the opposite way than MS. Might be this?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, no. There is definitely a thin sheet of metal inside of the slot, shaped such that it blocks the slot on 3 sides. This piece of metal has the exact dimension of the contour of a cross section of an SD card. It seems to be wedged inside the slot. Removing it would require dissassembly of the camera and I am not prepared to take the risk.

I am wondering if it could come off of an adapter e.g. SD to microSD adapter that somebody tried to insert in the slot. But all of the adapters I have seen have plastic body, so this seems unlikely.

Amazingly it looks like I am the only person in the world having this problem, as Google search yields nothing relevant.

Thanks and regards,

Chris

Do you have a second camera so that you can get a picture of the slot?

Paul

I solved the problem. I poked this piece of metal that was obstructing the insertion of an SD card with a tool and after this I can insert the SD card. I'd guess it was not placed correctly during the factory assembly process and my poking put it in place.

Thanks for everybody who offered suggestions to fix the problem.

Chris

A little poke goes a long way.

chris1j said:

I solved the problem. I poked this piece of metal that was obstructing the insertion of an SD card with a tool and after this I can insert the SD card. I'd guess it was not placed correctly during the factory assembly process and my poking put it in place.

Thanks for everybody who offered suggestions to fix the problem.

Chris

Click to expand...

I just developed the same problem this morning with one of my A55. The card will not go in smoothly. Once inserted you don't get the springy feel that is necessary to eject the card properly. Help please.

My a57 SD card slot is very tricky as well - it is a very tight fit to get a card in - must be a similar issue

It seems to me that you send it back and need to make a claim on eBay's warranty.

GaryG