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EM-5 locking up. Is this due toe heat?

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El Chubasco

El Chubasco

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Hi. I'm curently in the Yucatan documenting archeological buildings and my EM-5 is having some problems. After taking few pictures the shutter locks up, the viewfinder (or LCD) goes black and I can't operate the camera. Turning off the camera for few minutes allows me to take few more photos before this happens again. The temperatures here are on the upper 90s and I am wondering if this behavior is due to heat. I have never had this situation happening before.

Any suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated. I need to get this job done and this situation is kind of driving me crazy.
 
El Chubasco said:
Hi. I'm curently in the Yucatan documenting archeological buildings and my EM-5 is having some problems. After taking few pictures the shutter locks up, the viewfinder (or LCD) goes black and I can't operate the camera. Turning off the camera for few minutes allows me to take few more photos before this happens again. The temperatures here are on the upper 90s and I am wondering if this behavior is due to heat.
Click to expand...
Even before the notable warming trends of recent years, 90 degrees F in itself is hardly an unusual operating condition.

Unfortunately it sounds like your shutter mechanism is failing. I've heard of failing units eking out a few more shots as you describe, but they generally proceed to complete failure shortly. I fear yours is headed there soon.
 
On the slight chance that the battery is shutting down in the middle of a shot, does the problem exist with your spares?

The EM5 does have an internal over-temperature warning icon and is rated to work in a 102F ambient.

d87f7035f1b64e37b470af3df9707529.jpg

Your behavior sounds like a camera fault though.
 
I'm afraid you are right. I do not see this icon on the monitor although is very possible that the camera reaches the 102 degrees.
Thanks for the info.
 
Regarding the battery. I have the battery grip mounted, therefore two batteries. I have assigned the battery in the grip to be primary and the in-camera to be secondary. I'm assuming that if one battery fails the second will take over.
 
El Chubasco said:
Regarding the battery. I have the battery grip mounted, therefore two batteries. I have assigned the battery in the grip to be primary and the in-camera to be secondary. I'm assuming that if one battery fails the second will take over.
Click to expand...
I would definitely try removing the grip entirely and try both batteries in the body. Sometimes poor contact between its components or between it and the body can create some odd failure modes.

There are settings to determine the priority between the in-body and the battery in the grip, but I think it always should use one if the other is dead.
 
El Chubasco said:
Hi. I'm curently in the Yucatan documenting archeological buildings and my EM-5 is having some problems. After taking few pictures the shutter locks up, the viewfinder (or LCD) goes black and I can't operate the camera. Turning off the camera for few minutes allows me to take few more photos before this happens again. The temperatures here are on the upper 90s and I am wondering if this behavior is due to heat. I have never had this situation happening before.

Any suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated. I need to get this job done and this situation is kind of driving me crazy.
Click to expand...
It could be heat.

I had a Panasonic G3 that occasionally gave me shutter problems when it was hot.

What colour is your camera? I have a black G5 and a sliver EPL5. when I have both cameras around my neck and out in the heat, the silver coloured EPL5 is a lot cooler to the touch than the black G5. So far, the G5 has not exhibited the same issues as the G3.

A temporary fix for a black body would be to cover the body with white tape.

Allan
 
gollywop said:
1. Are you using third-party batteries?

2. Does this happen with all lenses?



--
gollywop



D8A95C7DB3724EC094214B212FB1F2AF.jpg
Click to expand...
Yes. I'm using third party batteries but never had any problems with them.
Why do you ask?
 
Allan Brown said:
El Chubasco said:
Hi. I'm curently in the Yucatan documenting archeological buildings and my EM-5 is having some problems. After taking few pictures the shutter locks up, the viewfinder (or LCD) goes black and I can't operate the camera. Turning off the camera for few minutes allows me to take few more photos before this happens again. The temperatures here are on the upper 90s and I am wondering if this behavior is due to heat. I have never had this situation happening before.

Any suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated. I need to get this job done and this situation is kind of driving me crazy.
Click to expand...
It could be heat.

I had a Panasonic G3 that occasionally gave me shutter problems when it was hot.

What colour is your camera? I have a black G5 and a sliver EPL5. when I have both cameras around my neck and out in the heat, the silver coloured EPL5 is a lot cooler to the touch than the black G5. So far, the G5 has not exhibited the same issues as the G3.

A temporary fix for a black body would be to cover the body with white tape.

Allan
Click to expand...
My camera is black. I agree, I think is heat because this is the first time this is happening to me.
 
El Chubasco said:
El Chubasco said:
1. Are you using third-party batteries?

2. Does this happen with all lenses?
Click to expand...
Yes. I'm using third party batteries but never had any problems with them.
Why do you ask?
Click to expand...
I've had my E-M5 lock up using a 3rd-party battery and wasn't able to get to unlock until I put in an OME battery. Do you have one? and, if so, does the same thing happen with it?

Also, you didn't answer whether it happens with all lenses.

--
gollywop



D8A95C7DB3724EC094214B212FB1F2AF.jpg
 
How did the camera work in your hotel room or a cooler place? Does it run normally?
 
gollywop said:
El Chubasco said:
gollywop said:
1. Are you using third-party batteries?

2. Does this happen with all lenses?
Click to expand...
Yes. I'm using third party batteries but never had any problems with them.
Why do you ask?
Click to expand...
I've had my E-M5 lock up using a 3rd-party battery and wasn't able to get to unlock until I put in an OME battery. Do you have one? and, if so, does the same thing happen with it?

Also, you didn't answer whether it happens with all lenses.
Click to expand...
I ended up confirming that heating is the problem. The camera works flawlessly in cooler environments but the camera starts acting up once I hit the field and work under the sun. The hump covering the EVF gets very very hot when the shutter locks up.

To answer your question, this problem happened with all lenses I am traveling with (9-18, 12-40, 35-100, 75-300)

Thanks

gollywop said:
--
gollywop

D8A95C7DB3724EC094214B212FB1F2AF.jpg
Click to expand...
 
baxters said:
How did the camera work in your hotel room or a cooler place? Does it run normally?
Click to expand...
I was able to confirm that the camera only locks up when I use it under the sun and very warm temperatures (95 degrees). When temperatures are lower and environment is cooler the camera works flawlessly. I have bee trying to cover the camera form sun light while I am walking around and the problem has improved a bit.
 
El Chubasco said:
baxters said:
How did the camera work in your hotel room or a cooler place? Does it run normally?
Click to expand...
I was able to confirm that the camera only locks up when I use it under the sun and very warm temperatures (95 degrees). When temperatures are lower and environment is cooler the camera works flawlessly. I have bee trying to cover the camera form sun light while I am walking around and the problem has improved a bit.
Click to expand...
Interesting information. I can recall that at least one of the times mine locked up was on a hot afternoon of heavy shooting. I can't recall the particulars of the other time. But I'll certainly keep tabs in the future with your information in mind. Thanks.

--
gollywop



D8A95C7DB3724EC094214B212FB1F2AF.jpg
 
On occasion I've experienced those issues on my E-M5, and it's been due to the lens not being twisted perfectly tight in its coupling with the body. The higher temperatures which you're shooting in might be loosening the flange tightness due to thermal expansion--just enough to muck things up. Try giving the lens a gentle little twist and see if things work better. It couldn't hurt.
 
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