Bended Compact Flash pin inside the camera

[Simon]

Friend of mine invited me over to check her camera. She couldn't stick in the CF card into the camera. It turned out a pin got bended and she got a quote from Kodak for $450 Canadian to get it fixed. Well, I think she has the DC240 or one of the lowest model. She paid $800 Canadian for it but now I'm sure she can get a new camera for the price of the repair.

I'm going to take it and see if I can fix it for her. I was just curious what happen if I cut the pin out. Would all the pins being used for tranfer data? The one that's bended is kinda in the middle.

I told her she has nothing to lose even if I screw it up because it's already screwed anyway

Thanks for your info.

Simon

 

[Spencer Jones]

I'm going to take it and see if I can fix it for her. I was just
curious what happen if I cut the pin out. Would all the pins being
used for tranfer data? The one that's bended is kinda in the
middle.

Cutting the pin out could be VERY, VERY BAD. Almost all pins are used for something.

Instead -- get a very small flat head screw driver (or similiar tool) and poke/nudge/pry the pin back into place. If it breaks, it is like you cut the pin anyway.

BTW -- She should check her CF cards. Any that have irregular holes should be scrapped -- they will tend to bend pins and turn cameras into battery powered paper weights.

Spencer

 

[Glenn S.49022]

You need every pin intact to have it work at all. cut one pin out and it's toast.
Glenn

 

[alick]

You need every pin intact to have it work at all. cut one pin out
and it's toast.
Glenn

I don't think that that is quite right - several pins (according to the specification) are not used. For example, there are 10 or 11 address lines, but only three are used. Also, several pins have no function in a CF PC Memory module application - they are used for more advanced applications.

It might be worth determining which pin is bent and checking its function in the spec - the Hitachi card version is at:

http://www.hitachi-eu.com/hel/ecg/products/memory/flashcar/index.htm

 

[Spencer Jones]

I don't think that that is quite right - several pins (according to
the specification) are not used. For example, there are 10 or 11
address lines, but only three are used. Also, several pins have no
function in a CF PC Memory module application - they are used for
more advanced applications.

It might be worth determining which pin is bent and checking its
function in the spec - the Hitachi card version is at:

http://www.hitachi-eu.com/hel/ecg/products/memory/flashcar/index.htm

True, but the issue is both: 'does the CF need it?' and 'does the camera need it?'.

From the description, it sounded like one of the 'long pins' got bent.

Long pins are used by the reader/camera to detect the presence of the CF, before all fifty pins connect.

A pc OS/CF reader may be able to live without a long pin 'CF present' working, but a Camera most likely won't.

Spencer