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BOCS - How Common

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Michael Konopka

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I just purchased an F505V and noticed pale colors and a blue tone almost immediatly (really showed up when comparing 505v pictures to pictures from a Nikon 990).

I was just wondering... Is this a problem will all the F505Vs or have I purchased one that has been sitting on a shelf for a while?

Sony tells me that the repair center will take 10 days (YUCK!).

Thanks in advance!

Michael
 
Ok, so I'll be the first to reply to my question...

Here is my delema. I have in my possession a brand new Sony 505V and a brand new Nikon CP990 (long story) and I have to return one of them (wife's rule).

I started taking pictures of Coke cans, that's when I noticed the 505V making everything pale (I have a kitchen counter top that has just a slight tint of yellow, the 505V made it look white).

The same Picture with the CP990 looked warmer, the countertop color showed up but.... the red of the Coke cans looked really really red, and my ugly brown cabinets had a red tint too......

Further pictures taken between the 2 cameras made me notice that the 505V pictures seemed always darker (with or without flash).

Is this all related to the BOCS?
Did I just get a bad 505V?

I'll try to post these pictures somewhere so you can see what I'm talking about.

I have 5 days left before I have to return one of the camera's so any input would be apreciated. This whole process of selecting a digi cam has given me a headache, an ulcer and has my wife ready to divorce me.
 
You've joined the club ;-) Review all the coke cans in this thread http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=359849 . You will see whether you have BOCS or not.
mkonopka said:
Ok, so I'll be the first to reply to my question...

Here is my delema. I have in my possession a brand new Sony 505V
and a brand new Nikon CP990 (long story) and I have to return one
of them (wife's rule).

I started taking pictures of Coke cans, that's when I noticed the
505V making everything pale (I have a kitchen counter top that has
just a slight tint of yellow, the 505V made it look white).
The same Picture with the CP990 looked warmer, the countertop color
showed up but.... the red of the Coke cans looked really really
red, and my ugly brown cabinets had a red tint too......

Further pictures taken between the 2 cameras made me notice that
the 505V pictures seemed always darker (with or without flash).

Is this all related to the BOCS?
Did I just get a bad 505V?

I'll try to post these pictures somewhere so you can see what I'm
talking about.

I have 5 days left before I have to return one of the camera's so
any input would be apreciated. This whole process of selecting a
digi cam has given me a headache, an ulcer and has my wife ready to
divorce me.
Click to expand...
 
Sorry to say that this is a problem with most 505V's and yours suffers this annoying trait. The good news is that there is an adjustment to resolve this and will bring the camera to the same specs as other Sony Cybershots. Yes it can take anyware from 10 to 14 day to have the adjustment done by a factory Sony service center.
As for what camera to purchase ... once the Sony is adjusted it's a toss up.

There are features on both camera that I like and I have used and owned both. Unfortunately you will have to make a decision. And that is tough one. Good luck, and what ever one you choose, you can't go wrong, and I'm sure you will be happy with it. BTW check out Phils reviews on both cameras. greg.
mkonopka said:
I just purchased an F505V and noticed pale colors and a blue tone
almost immediatly (really showed up when comparing 505v pictures
to pictures from a Nikon 990).

I was just wondering... Is this a problem will all the F505Vs or
have I purchased one that has been sitting on a shelf for a while?

Sony tells me that the repair center will take 10 days (YUCK!).

Thanks in advance!

Michael
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Greg,

I've read, re-read then read the review's to the cats..... .

I tell you, after playing with both... I'd really like to take both of them apart and put the things I like about each into a single camera.

I think I'm going to stay with the Sony (that's the decision this hour) because I like the LCD and the Lens better. I'm very amature so all the manual controls on the Nikon would go un-used for now. Seems that no mater which camera I choose, I'll be fixing the images.

I was just worried that I had gotten a broken 505V.

Michael
greg said:
mkonopka said:
I just purchased an F505V and noticed pale colors and a blue tone
almost immediatly (really showed up when comparing 505v pictures
to pictures from a Nikon 990).

I was just wondering... Is this a problem will all the F505Vs or
have I purchased one that has been sitting on a shelf for a while?

Sony tells me that the repair center will take 10 days (YUCK!).

Thanks in advance!

Michael
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
mkonopka -

Here is something that I'd like for you to try.

Retake your picture of the kitchen and plants. Place a Coke can in there for good measure and whatever else you can do to match the objects as closely as possible. Try to match the time that you took the pictures, too.

Then make this change. Shoot the picture in Aperture priority mode by pressing the Program AE button once; shoot the picture in Shutter priority mode by pressing the Program AE button twice.

These modes will often bring the saturation and red values up to more than satisfactory levels for a camera that demonstrates BOCS before the repair work that is available from Sony.

If you like these results, then it may be of help to you in your decision. Remember that the BOCS problem only affects Auto mode when you use the flash. It is not an issue during any other circumstance.

The reason that some have gotten it fixed is that there are times when they NEED to have Auto mode function properly, and the BOCS fix is the only way to get that to happen.

But the majority of users are working quite well with cameras that would give the exact same images as your own.
mkonopka said:
I've read, re-read then read the review's to the cats..... .

I tell you, after playing with both... I'd really like to take both
of them apart and put the things I like about each into a single
camera.

I think I'm going to stay with the Sony (that's the decision this
hour) because I like the LCD and the Lens better. I'm very amature
so all the manual controls on the Nikon would go un-used for now.
Seems that no mater which camera I choose, I'll be fixing the
images.

I was just worried that I had gotten a broken 505V.

Michael
greg said:
mkonopka said:
I just purchased an F505V and noticed pale colors and a blue tone
almost immediatly (really showed up when comparing 505v pictures
to pictures from a Nikon 990).

I was just wondering... Is this a problem will all the F505Vs or
have I purchased one that has been sitting on a shelf for a while?

Sony tells me that the repair center will take 10 days (YUCK!).

Thanks in advance!

Michael
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
The Dallas Repair Center cannot see any problem with my brand spanking new F505v....they said they are not aware of any pale blue when taking pictures indoors using auto everything....i finally asked to speak to the head hog and they agreed for me to send them my pictures of auto everything versus manual mode....

You know, i could probably live with this but, and this is a heavy butt, it is a pain to remember to switch to manual mode when taking pictures indoors...

I let ya'll know how Dallas handles this....thanks for listening...
Ulysses said:
Here is something that I'd like for you to try.

Retake your picture of the kitchen and plants. Place a Coke can in
there for good measure and whatever else you can do to match the
objects as closely as possible. Try to match the time that you took
the pictures, too.

Then make this change. Shoot the picture in Aperture priority mode
by pressing the Program AE button once; shoot the picture in
Shutter priority mode by pressing the Program AE button twice.

These modes will often bring the saturation and red values up to
more than satisfactory levels for a camera that demonstrates BOCS
before the repair work that is available from Sony.

If you like these results, then it may be of help to you in your
decision. Remember that the BOCS problem only affects Auto mode
when you use the flash. It is not an issue during any other
circumstance.

The reason that some have gotten it fixed is that there are times
when they NEED to have Auto mode function properly, and the BOCS
fix is the only way to get that to happen.

But the majority of users are working quite well with cameras that
would give the exact same images as your own.
mkonopka said:
I've read, re-read then read the review's to the cats..... .

I tell you, after playing with both... I'd really like to take both
of them apart and put the things I like about each into a single
camera.

I think I'm going to stay with the Sony (that's the decision this
hour) because I like the LCD and the Lens better. I'm very amature
so all the manual controls on the Nikon would go un-used for now.
Seems that no mater which camera I choose, I'll be fixing the
images.

I was just worried that I had gotten a broken 505V.

Michael
greg said:
mkonopka said:
I just purchased an F505V and noticed pale colors and a blue tone
almost immediatly (really showed up when comparing 505v pictures
to pictures from a Nikon 990).

I was just wondering... Is this a problem will all the F505Vs or
have I purchased one that has been sitting on a shelf for a while?

Sony tells me that the repair center will take 10 days (YUCK!).

Thanks in advance!

Michael
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi there, JoMo -

Sorry that you happened to have run into this problem. But trust me, this is sure to have been only a temporary setback. Sony has a lot of methods at their disposal as they try to improve education not only for their customers but also for their customer service reps. I would say that on the whole, I've been rather impressed by their service lately. You'll likely find similar comments from others who have had good experiences.

The point is that there are occasionally customer service folks who may not be up to speed on what may be the important issue for us personally. But with a little help, they can usually be pointed in the right direction.

For example, here is one thing you could try. I would contact the Dallas service center again, first of all. Give them another chance. Don't argue, but you should ask them specifically to check their database for any service bulletins on the issue of F505V cameras with blue or pasty colors, while operating in Auto mode, with the flash turned ON. This should spur a search on their part leading to a resolution of the issue for you.

Referring them to threads in this forum is not in itself likely to be of help.

If this does not lead to anything or does not get the results you would like, then call the number at 1-800-222-7669. The customer information service rep there can help in getting this resolved, and they can give direction in how to make your camera available for the fix, if even necessary.

Of course, I should add that there is an outside possibility that you do not have a BOCS problem at all if your camera was a recent purchase -- you did say "brand spanking new" (what is the serial #, if you don't mind saying?). I would surely expect that newly produced cameras would not have this problem. But it takes time to get older ones off the shelves. You should post some images to an online album so that we can see them, as well.

Get back to us, and let us know how it's going.
JoMo said:
The Dallas Repair Center cannot see any problem with my brand
spanking new F505v....they said they are not aware of any pale blue
when taking pictures indoors using auto everything....i finally
asked to speak to the head hog and they agreed for me to send them
my pictures of auto everything versus manual mode....

You know, i could probably live with this but, and this is a heavy
butt, it is a pain to remember to switch to manual mode when taking
pictures indoors...

I let ya'll know how Dallas handles this....thanks for listening...
Click to expand...
 
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