Reading mode: Light Dark

Help!!! A55 won't turn on!

Go to last post
A

alexg07

New member
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Hey guys!
I just sold my A55 (upgraded to a65) I didn't use my a55 for at least to weeks prior to selling it, when the people came and looked at the camera the batteries were flat, they were more then happy with the camera and wanted to purchase it, they said they were going home to charge the batteries, I said to them if they had any problems to call me, a day later they rang me up saying they got the camera working and used it for 2 hours then the battery went flat, also they said the charger would come up with a yellow light for 5 seconds then turn off and not come back on , they tried this on all 3 battery's, I had a spare one some where at home so I delivered the spare charger but it was doing the same, they have given me the camera a to try and get going again and if I can't getting it going I'll give them their money back, I need ideas on what to do the camera doesn't do anything with a battery, so out of 3 battery's and 2 chargers surely they aren't all broken??? Thanks
 
The A55 has been out for about 5 years now. I have noticed a rash of problems from posters here lately about the A55 where previously such reports were rare. Is the camera reaching the end?
 
Mine still strong and I hope that things stay like that!! I like a lot my camera and I can't afford any fail!

It is a power sucker indeed... I don't leave home without my 5 batteries :)
 
In the past six months I have purchased three dead A55 cameras and repaired them.

I paid $25, $30 and $40 for the three. Their previous owners had been quoted $360 to $350 for repairs.

The first camera just needed corrosion to be cleaned from the battery contacts.

The next two needed the "Shutter Charge Motor" to be replaced. I also replaced the LCD screen on two of the cameras and the "Translucent Mirror" in one. They all three work like new and I passed one down to my thirteen grandson.

Below link shows some images of my DIY repair. I had located an online repair manual but modified it for my convenience and ease of use (mainly wanted to see the sequence and screws). There were basically three screw sizes. One of the most difficult things for me was dethatching and reattaching the ribbon cables.

Hope this helps and Good Luck with your A55.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums/6111970043497915313

1b2fd1205e7e4ee8a39dfb35f34b161e.jpg

daa7272d5fc64043a333d2b608ec4839.jpg

Yeah, love the A55 (Great little camera).

Links below includes photos taken with my $25 A55 and 70-400mm G and Minolta 28-85mm.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums/6043864233376580161

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55213297

Below A55 images taken with the "Translucent" mirror removed.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums/6065636284937798161

--
A99, A900, A55, A700, R1, w/Zeiss + Sony G Glass, Samsung Galaxy Note III, PS CS6
My Picasa Albums: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums My YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TheWillybug
 
Last edited:
The most common failure I have seen on the A55 is a failed "Shutter Charge Motor". This requires a complete and extensive tear down to replace. Although the shutter charge motor was still available from Sony Service (August, 2014).

Phone: 800 488-7669 Parts

Shutter Charge Motor Unit A-1779-676-B

Price $47

Generally the cost of the repair will be around $200-$300 and no guarantee that is all that is wrong.

--
A99, A900, A55, A700, R1, w/Zeiss + Sony G Glass, Samsung Galaxy Note III, PS CS6
My Picasa Albums: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums My YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TheWillybug
 
Last edited:
William Curtindale said:
The most common failure I have seen on the A55 is a failed "Shutter Charge Motor". This requires a complete and extensive tear down to replace. Although the shutter charge motor was still available from Sony Service (August, 2014).
Click to expand...
I wonder if that failure is related to the fact the camera (and the A33) requires 2 shutter releases for each photo which in essence would cut shutter life in half.
 
tbcass said:
William Curtindale said:
The most common failure I have seen on the A55 is a failed "Shutter Charge Motor". This requires a complete and extensive tear down to replace. Although the shutter charge motor was still available from Sony Service (August, 2014).
Click to expand...
I wonder if that failure is related to the fact the camera (and the A33) requires 2 shutter releases for each photo which in essence would cut shutter life in half.
Click to expand...
 
tbcass said:
The A55 has been out for about 5 years now. I have noticed a rash of problems from posters here lately about the A55 where previously such reports were rare. Is the camera reaching the end?
Click to expand...
 
Found this video

Not for the feint hearted.
 
JimmyMelbourne said:
rolleiman said:
tbcass said:
The A55 has been out for about 5 years now. I have noticed a rash of problems from posters here lately about the A55 where previously such reports were rare. Is the camera reaching the end?

--
Tom
Look at the picture, not the pixels
------------
Misuse of the ability to do 100% pixel peeping is the bane of digital photography.
Click to expand...
Given that it is the shutter charge motor that seems to be the common problem, I wonder if it is related to the high framerate afforded by the design? The shutter is probably the typical Copal unit and the same part is probably in many other basic DSLRs. Maybe it gets hot if you run it fast and hard, so # of actuations may not be the determinant. Plus it gets generally hot in there from time to time, as A33/55 owners will know.

When you're looking for a bargain camera to fix you'll be scouting out the few that have failed and disregarding the majority that are still clacking along just fine. Sure, it's a common weak spot, but it would be nice to know whether you can get, say, 50k + actuations if you don't max the framerate and hold the button down for a few minutes while junior is running around the room.

I was always dubious about the longevity of shutters at high frame rates but it's probably the heat in the motor that is the limiting factor. For what I use continuous for, I'm lucky to get more than six off at a go, usually on lo.

As to whether the camera is reaching the end, I think it was perhaps a bit under built and heat prone, which is bound to shorten the life of things. It was never going to be like a Nikon D70 for durability.
Click to expand...
In my case I ran i to about 10 K shots and rarely used the fast burst. I think the a33, a35, a55 probably all used the same part and there is a weakness of some kind in this part for these models. I have not heard of any well documented cases for later models such as a37 and a57. It is like Sony knows about it, improved it, but did not recall the earlier models and this flew under the radar.
Click to expand...
Well, so much for my theory. The next question is whether I'd want to fix the thing if mine blew. Then there's the question of whether the replacement part is just as failure prone as the original.

When I left the camera repair business - at the end of the film/mechanical era - I never wanted to get inside one again. Digitals are way more modular and repair friendly than the old gears and levers nightmares, but there's no romance in there - for me anyway. But for $250 labor…….and a $47 dollar part…..
 
Here is the second episode. Sorry not in english but gives you an idea of the work involved.

 
Jimmy, that is an outstanding video and I will save the link. It is just about the same as the A55.

Although, I learned to do my work w/o the benefit of a video like this. Actually I'm glad I did not see the video first because I probably would not have taken on the task of repairing my A55.

I also noted a couple things he did that I did not (was not required to remove the lens mounting flange. I also like the way I was disconnecting the ribbon cables better. I noticed he shorted and discharged a capacitor which I did not but should have (I handled very carefully).

Another thing I might point out: On the new A7II recent post of being disassembled showed the "Shutter Charge Motor" as integral to the shutter assembly (much easer to get at and repair. Yeah, the A7II looks to be much easier to service all around.

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2015/02/the-a7ii-teardown-a-look-inside-sonys-new-camera
JimmyMelbourne said:
Found this video

Not for the feint hearted.
Click to expand...
--
A99, A900, A55, A700, R1, w/Zeiss + Sony G Glass, Samsung Galaxy Note III, PS CS6
My Picasa Albums: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109849611643818398019/albums My YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TheWillybug
 
Last edited:
rolleiman said:
Given that it is the shutter charge motor that seems to be the common problem, I wonder if it is related to the high framerate afforded by the design? The shutter is probably the typical Copal unit and the same part is probably in many other basic DSLRs. Maybe it gets hot if you run it fast and hard, so # of actuations may not be the determinant. Plus it gets generally hot in there from time to time, as A33/55 owners will know.
Click to expand...
That's another good point. Some people seem to use high burst rate a lot based on some posts here. I, like you, usually keep my bursts to 10 frames or less. The A55 was the first consumer level camera to offer such high burst rates and cameras at that price point usually don't have heavy duty shutters.
 
Hi Bill

It was interesting to watch and its amazing how much electronics are in these cameras, especially at the price they were selling these for, hard to believe they were making a profit on the a35 - a37 models.

I found the part here in EU but I do not think I am up to try stripping down my a35, its a little high risk buying the parts then getting it wrong somewhere along the line.
 
tbcass said:
rolleiman said:
Given that it is the shutter charge motor that seems to be the common problem, I wonder if it is related to the high framerate afforded by the design? The shutter is probably the typical Copal unit and the same part is probably in many other basic DSLRs. Maybe it gets hot if you run it fast and hard, so # of actuations may not be the determinant. Plus it gets generally hot in there from time to time, as A33/55 owners will know.
Click to expand...
That's another good point. Some people seem to use high burst rate a lot based on some posts here. I, like you, usually keep my bursts to 10 frames or less. The A55 was the first consumer level camera to offer such high burst rates and cameras at that price point usually don't have heavy duty shutters.
Click to expand...
 
Jimmy, I understand and agree.

I took the project on for the fun of it and ended up with three good cameras. I had fun and learned along the way.

In the end I could tear the camera down in 45 minutes, replace the motor and put it back together in another 45 minutes.

JimmyMelbourne said:
Hi Bill

It was interesting to watch and its amazing how much electronics are in these cameras, especially at the price they were selling these for, hard to believe they were making a profit on the a35 - a37 models.

I found the part here in EU but I do not think I am up to try stripping down my a35, its a little high risk buying the parts then getting it wrong somewhere along the line.
Click to expand...
 
My first A55 ($25 one) had a Shutter Charge Motor with a part number of A-1779-676-A and that part was replaced in service with A-1779-676-B. I expect the A-1779-676-B has some improvements. The failure seemed to be in the motor it's self (gears were fine). Obviously on mine all electronics ahead of the motor were also fine. I had been cautioned that the main board could also fail (but not the case on any of my three cameras).
rolleiman said:
I see reports of these shutters going at 50k, which seems to be a reasonable design parameter, although somebody posted [??] that they were over 100k - as I very faintly recall - but maybe on a second shutter. So I'm not going to be Very Afraid for a long time, if ever, given that I use mine as a backup.

By the look of the motor, it's a typical DC with brushes, so that may have had a run with bad brushes or commutators or forgot to oil the bearings. Presumably….one would think….the replacement parts are good. We also don't know if the motors go or if the plastic gears give up or the sensors that tell the motor to stop winding poop out.

I still like mine for what it does, and forgive it for what it doesn't, which is a good attitude toward many aspects of life.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Allan Brown
Why a USB charger / power bank and not multiple camera batteries?
2 3 4
Replies
70
Views
71
mfinley
mfinley
Emil Varadi
Charging GFX 100 II - had problems
Replies
12
Views
129
Emil Varadi
Emil Varadi
C
Z9 PCB Failure. Anyone Else?
2
Replies
25
Views
816
Claus H
C
R
I forgot…
Replies
1
Views
2
JustSomeone
JustSomeone
Winterfrost
Sony A3000 (ILCE-3000) does not power on
Replies
5
Views
88
Winterfrost
Winterfrost

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top