Springs in battery compartment fell off in Rebel T3 - possible to fix?

Hi guys, just returned back from vacay and got very sad, My working horse Canon Rebel T3 is not turning on. I closely looked and noticed that the battery compartment inside the camera there supposed to be 4 springs that would align with the battery and one of the string came off and is missing, therefore, the camera cannot have contact with the battery, hence, no power. Any idea whether it’s something fixable? Or perhaps it will be so expensive that it’s cheaper to buy new Rebel? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

If I'm understanding you correctly, one of the four spring-loaded battery contacts deep inside of the camera is missing. Yes, the the right parts it's possible to fix but it's not a simple replacement fix. It will require camera disassembly and so your guess that it may not be economical to repair is probably a good one. It needs to go into the shop.

The T3 is a 12Mpixel camera. For little more than the repair cost on your T3, you can get a refurbished 18Mpixel camera like a T5 or an SL1 with a newer lens and a 1-year warranty. You might look here:

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:11&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

Correct.

Um, if you want a camera with one simple mode that shoots everything, then you don't really want a dSLR. Canon's "P" mode on its dSLRs will usually shoot an acceptable photo, but no camera can figure out that you're shooting a car or a bicycle or a fast-running child that require a faster shutter speed. You still need to take some responsibility for telling the camera what's important (shutter speed, depth of field, whatever you want to emphasize). Otherwise, you may as well use the camera in your cellphone. Cellphone cameras can take amazing photos, for what they are.

That said, I've often recommended the Canon SL1 as an inexpensive 18Mpixel Canon dSLR with an excellent and simple touch-screen interface. It's small, light, cheap, and shoots excellent photos. It's not a new camera, but it's capable of shooting really fine photos. For general work, I use it rather than my larger, heavier, but more capable 60D. An SL1 will cost a little more than half of your $600 budget if you get a refurbished unit with a 1-year warranty from Canon's online shop.

Good luck.

Yes, that's the camera but heavy and bulky it's not. Compare the actual dimensions. The SL1 is the smallest, lightest dSLR on the market.

Also, do not pay that inflated price. That's way too much for an SL1. You sent me a Best Buy Canada link, so does that mean you're in Canada? There must be camera shops in Canada with better prices than Best Buy.

Don't equate weight with quality. If that's what you want, then everyone should buy the biggest, heaviest camera they can find, on the assumption that it will be more durable.

The SL1 is a fine camera (and dirt cheap), but it will have night capability perhaps only slightly better than the T3.

I don't know how much cameras cost in Canada, but if the price is in Canadian dollars, $630 Canadian is less than I would pay in the U.S.

Sounds it stupid, when I suggest to solder a drop of tin instead ? Or to the respective battery contact ?

Get your US contact to buy here, directly from Canon:

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:11&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

InfinitSilver wrote:

Oh man I would be happy to buy it cheaper, but these are the prices that we pay here..... It's extremely overpriced I know.

Wait a minute. Is that price in Canadian dollars? Cdn $630 is very reasonable, but US $630 would be on the expensive side.

InfinitSilver wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

Sounds it stupid, when I suggest to solder a drop of tin instead ? Or to the respective battery contact ?

I am sorry but I don't understand this. Can you please elaborate on possible solution?

I mean, if there is still the rest of the broken spring, to make it bigger with a liquid metal to regain the electrical contact.

But I'd rather send it to Canon.

InfinitSilver wrote:

Well the more I think about it, the more I think maybe it's time to say good buy to Canon in the first place

Yes it was a good buy.  An excellent camera for a song, and given reasonable care, it should last a long time.