Olympus EP3 - IS:1 Blinking Amber on LCD, thoughts please

Gourownway · Jun 24, 2022

My EP3 has started exhibiting an amber IS:1 warning on the LCD. I gather this may mean that the IS block may need attention or be about to fail.
I am reluctant to spend money on what is likely to be an expensive repair , even if it can still be repaired.

I realise that my EP3 is old and perhaps past retirement. However I do have an affection for it and the images it produces. It’s had very light use with no environmentally challenging use. I’m surprised it has this fault and wondered if forum members have any work around or possible solutions?

I can turn off the IS and use it that way, but it’s nice to have the IS even if it’s 3 axis IS.

thanks

Electro35 · Jun 24, 2022

Maybe this YouTube-video could be of help to you if you want to attempt a repair yourself:

Photongraphy · Jun 24, 2022

I'd try to clean the unit first (or have it done) - in a decade some dust could have built up that can block or slow down the movement.

Bassam Guy · Jun 24, 2022

Gourownway said:
My EP3 has started exhibiting an amber IS:1 warning on the LCD. I gather this may mean that the IS block may need attention or be about to fail.
I am reluctant to spend money on what is likely to be an expensive repair , even if it can still be repaired.

I realise that my EP3 is old and perhaps past retirement. However I do have an affection for it and the images it produces. It’s had very light use with no environmentally challenging use. I’m surprised it has this fault and wondered if forum members have any work around or possible solutions?

I can turn off the IS and use it that way, but it’s nice to have the IS even if it’s 3 axis IS.

thanks

Remove the battery and place it safely on a shelf. Occasionally glance adoringly at it. It will flash no more.

From the diagnostics section of the manual: "the E-P3 will flash an amber 'IS:1' once eligible for a full pension".

Jack Tingle · Jun 24, 2022

Yep. Get one of those glass display domes if you like.

I've tried cleaning/repair in areas like that. Even if I could identify the specific problem & it didn't need new parts, my success rate was poor. The cost of new parts required made the idea laughable. Labor costs were a deal killer.

jalywol · Jun 24, 2022

Gourownway said:
My EP3 has started exhibiting an amber IS:1 warning on the LCD. I gather this may mean that the IS block may need attention or be about to fail.
I am reluctant to spend money on what is likely to be an expensive repair , even if it can still be repaired.

I realise that my EP3 is old and perhaps past retirement. However I do have an affection for it and the images it produces. It’s had very light use with no environmentally challenging use. I’m surprised it has this fault and wondered if forum members have any work around or possible solutions?

I can turn off the IS and use it that way, but it’s nice to have the IS even if it’s 3 axis IS.

thanks

Ah, it's just about to have its 11th birthday this month. Old in digital camera terms.

Kind of a bummer, but if it works without the IBIS on, then just use it that way going forward.

I always found the IS on the original Oly M43 bodies to be a mixed bag in terms of adding more shutter shock blur vs ameliorating motion blur, so I kept it turned off, even if it was ostensibly working. It just required more external stabilization and keeping the shutter speed up to compensate.

Sorry that you are having this problem, always a bummer when a favorite bit of gear heads south....

-J

Electro35 · Jun 24, 2022

Bassam Guy said:
Remove the battery and place it safely on a shelf. Occasionally glance adoringly at it.

For a brief second I was like: "Why would someone want to put an old battery on a shelf?"

evoprox · Jun 24, 2022

I just retired my old E-PL1 with the same issue, even though I quite liked the files of that camera - at base ISO with good light. Anyway, should something of that sort ever happen to my trusty E-M1 I'll either try to fix it myself or have it repaired.

Gourownway · Jun 25, 2022

Thanks for this, I watched and came to the realisation that the disassembly and reassembly is more complex than the fix. As a last resort I may have a go. For now I will turn the IBIS off and use occasionally avoiding low light.

kind regards

Gourownway · Jun 25, 2022

Have given your suggestion a try and without any improvement in the problem. I fear it’s a mechanical issue with the IBIS of not itself. As a last resort I can turn off the IBIS and use in favourable shooting conditions. It may be the first indication of an impending total failure, and I have ti accept that the product life has expired and try and get it recycled.

Gourownway · Jun 25, 2022

Bassam Guy said:
Gourownway said:

My EP3 has started exhibiting an amber IS:1 warning on the LCD. I gather this may mean that the IS block may need attention or be about to fail.
I am reluctant to spend money on what is likely to be an expensive repair , even if it can still be repaired.

I realise that my EP3 is old and perhaps past retirement. However I do have an affection for it and the images it produces. It’s had very light use with no environmentally challenging use. I’m surprised it has this fault and wondered if forum members have any work around or possible solutions?

I can turn off the IS and use it that way, but it’s nice to have the IS even if it’s 3 axis IS.

thanks

Click to expand...

Remove the battery and place it safely on a shelf. Occasionally glance adoringly at it. It will flash no more.

From the diagnostics section of the manual: "the E-P3 will flash an amber 'IS:1' once eligible for a full pension".

That made me smile. What I always find a little disappointing is that in-spite of it’s age , it’s had very light use. I have not checked the number of shutter actuations but I’m betting that there are plenty of cameras a year old with more than my EP3 has.
I can of course use it without IBIS, I am more vintage than my camera and can still use the sunny 16 rule for occasional use in favourable shooting conditions.
How I feel about it is there are better looking paper weights , or more aesthetically pleasing vintage cameras for a shelf. In order of preference I would rather use , up cycle, or recycle .

Gourownway · Jun 25, 2022

Thank you all for your suggestions. I had a walk about at a coastal reserve yesterday. I used the EP3 with the 17mm F1.8 and took a few images of the boats on the estuary. As you see it works ok without IBIS (for now) and the light was sufficient to get an acceptable exposure using the sunny 16.

thank you all for your thoughts and comments and participating in this thread

kind regards

Electro35 · Jun 25, 2022

jalywol said:
I always found the IS on the original Oly M43 bodies to be a mixed bag in terms of adding more shutter shock blur vs ameliorating motion blur, so I kept it turned off, even if it was ostensibly working.

Wow, you are absolutely right! I love my little E-PM1, but shutter times below 1/100s usually lead to blurriness. I always thought it was shutter shock, but the IBIS seems to be indeed a contributing factor. I just made some – not very scientific – tests, with and without IBIS, and most of the times the outcome without IBIS was way better.

I always had had good experience with Olympus IBIS, so it never occurred to me to try it without. From now on it stays off (only on the E-PM1, of course). Thank you!

Bassam Guy · Jun 25, 2022

Gourownway said:
Bassam Guy said:

Gourownway said:

My EP3 has started exhibiting an amber IS:1 warning on the LCD. I gather this may mean that the IS block may need attention or be about to fail.
I am reluctant to spend money on what is likely to be an expensive repair , even if it can still be repaired.

I realise that my EP3 is old and perhaps past retirement. However I do have an affection for it and the images it produces. It’s had very light use with no environmentally challenging use. I’m surprised it has this fault and wondered if forum members have any work around or possible solutions?

I can turn off the IS and use it that way, but it’s nice to have the IS even if it’s 3 axis IS.

thanks

Click to expand...

Remove the battery and place it safely on a shelf. Occasionally glance adoringly at it. It will flash no more.

From the diagnostics section of the manual: "the E-P3 will flash an amber 'IS:1' once eligible for a full pension".

Click to expand...

That made me smile. What I always find a little disappointing is that in-spite of it’s age , it’s had very light use. I have not checked the number of shutter actuations but I’m betting that there are plenty of cameras a year old with more than my EP3 has.
I can of course use it without IBIS, I am more vintage than my camera and can still use the sunny 16 rule for occasional use in favourable shooting conditions.
How I feel about it is there are better looking paper weights , or more aesthetically pleasing vintage cameras for a shelf. In order of preference I would rather use , up cycle, or recycle .

I hear you. I have an OM-4 I bought the year it was released, 1983. It still works - or at least did a couple years ago when I last tested it. (I replaced it with an OM-4T in 1986 that I use for film.) Had it not fallen down a waterfall I'm sure the OM-1 I was gifted in 1978 would still work today.

Unfortunately, with all the sensitive electronics, those days are gone.

Gourownway · Jun 26, 2022

I always converted the OM 4T but at the time it was too much of a stretch for me. I still have and use occasionally my tank like OM1. It still works and I keep meaning to have the battery conversion done. I last used it at a wedding for an outdoor reception and produced some pleasing candid shots. The OM series are small and discrete with prime lenses apart from the obvious shutter noise.

madmaxmedia · Aug 11, 2022

I also have an E-P3 with blinking IS light but otherwise functional. I've done some research on DIY repair, so Just to add some further info on the non-functional IBIS/ Blinking light issue.

Great care must be taken when disassembling the camera and detaching the sensor, as the sensor assembly seems have shims (washers) for proper alignment. So you would need to carefully remove and keep track of the shims, as well as keep them away from the IBIS magnets:

E-PL1 IBIS problem FIXED!! finally!!

Hi, i recently fixed the blinking IBIS indicator in my camera, i have the E-pl1, i live in chile and we don´t have repair service, so since the camera is really old, i decided to fix it myself. My camera apparently was dropped while on, so the battery moved and the camera went unpowered...

www.mu-43.com

I still like this camera very much, and decided it wasn't worth the risk to take it apart.

The IBIS in these earlier Olympus bodies was sort of a mixed bag anyway, many people say it increases blur at faster shutter speeds. I for one would much rather get blurry photos when I know shutter speed is questionable and I can take measures to stabilize the camera, then get blurry photos with fast shutter speeds in broad daylight.

Gourownway · Aug 12, 2022

madmaxmedia said:
I also have an E-P3 with blinking IS light but otherwise functional. I've done some research on DIY repair, so Just to add some further info on the non-functional IBIS/ Blinking light issue.

Great care must be taken when disassembling the camera and detaching the sensor, as the sensor assembly seems have shims (washers) for proper alignment. So you would need to carefully remove and keep track of the shims, as well as keep them away from the IBIS magnets:

https://www.mu-43.com/threads/e-pl1-ibis-problem-fixed-finally.59751/

I still like this camera very much, and decided it wasn't worth the risk to take it apart.

The IBIS in these earlier Olympus bodies was sort of a mixed bag anyway, many people say it increases blur at faster shutter speeds. I for one would much rather get blurry photos when I know shutter speed is questionable and I can take measures to stabilize the camera, then get blurry photos with fast shutter speeds in broad daylight.

Thanks for sharing. Prior to having the issue Myself I had no idea there was an issue with IBIS in this model.
I am with you all the way on not attempting a self repair .

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Olympus EP3 - IS:1 Blinking Amber on LCD, thoughts please

Gourownway

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Electro35

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Photongraphy

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Bassam Guy

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Jack Tingle

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jalywol

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Electro35

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evoprox

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Gourownway

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Gourownway

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madmaxmedia

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E-PL1 IBIS problem FIXED!! finally!!

Gourownway

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