DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

XZ-1 shuts down on startup, except…

Started 8 months ago | Discussions
Jeff Biscuits Senior Member • Posts: 1,157
XZ-1 shuts down on startup, except…

I bought a faulty XZ-1 for buttons ages ago, and have never got round to dismantling it to see what’s causing this problem, but I recently discovered something that might act as a pointer to anyone with experience of this issue…

The camera powers up in both record and playback mode, but in the former case there is a reasonably loud buzzing sound as the lens extends. It settles down momentarily, then decides to have a think, then the buzzing sound comes again, and its thinking concludes with the thought that it ought to shut itself down again before any of the buttons become responsive.

The buzzing sound is mechanical, maybe the sound of some small gears or a small motor slipping.

Now, the thing that I discovered yesterday is curious. If I physically obstruct the lens with my hand when turning the camera on, it recognises this and gives me the message to do the good old turnitoffandonagain. Turn it off, turn it on… and hey presto, everything works absolutely fine.

When turning on after the obstruction, the sounds come in a slightly different order: first the buzzing, then the lends stents partway, it has a quick think, and then it decides it’s all good.

This is absolutely repeatable, I can reliably start the camera up this way. And when I do, everything works fine, as far as I can tell. Focus and zoom are both operational, as is the iris.

So… Are these symptoms familiar to anyone, and do they point to a specific thing that I should head towards if and when I get around to opening it up?

Many thanks 🙂

 Jeff Biscuits's gear list:Jeff Biscuits's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital II Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X20 Fujifilm XF10 Ricoh GXR S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC +13 more
Olympus XZ-1
If you believe there are incorrect tags, please send us this post using our feedback form.
Ken Croft Senior Member • Posts: 1,803
Re: XZ-1 shuts down on startup, except…

I have a Stylus1 bought for parts with a similar problem but with none of your noises. When it turns on the lens fully extends, pauses then retracts and the camera shuts down. I have tried all the usual ideas like removing the battery for a few hours wtth the shutter button pressed, installing new firmware etc but nothing works. I also tried upstructing the lens both as it extends and as it retracts. On the Stylus1 this was a well known problem back when the camera was popular and I do not believe a general solution was found, though in individual cases some tricks were found to work. Incidentally I have opened up my camera to see if there is an obvious fault but there are so many tiny ribbon cable connectors I was frightened off and I gave up after only a minor strip down. Everything is so tightly packed and ribbon cables are so easily damaged by fumbling re-connection as I have found out in my other hobby. It is more than a bit scary in there.

-- hide signature --

Ken C

OP Jeff Biscuits Senior Member • Posts: 1,157
Re: XZ-1 shuts down on startup, except…

Thanks. Yes, it’s a shame cameras always seem to be dismantled from the rear forwards, especially given that the sort of issues that demand dismantling almost always occur at the front 🙂

I’m with you on the ribbon cables. Horrible things, nightmare to plug back in without breaking them.

 Jeff Biscuits's gear list:Jeff Biscuits's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital II Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X20 Fujifilm XF10 Ricoh GXR S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC +13 more
Ken Croft Senior Member • Posts: 1,803
Re: XZ-1 shuts down on startup, except…

Jeff Biscuits wrote:

Thanks. Yes, it’s a shame cameras always seem to be dismantled from the rear forwards, especially given that the sort of issues that demand dismantling almost always occur at the front 🙂

I’m with you on the ribbon cables. Horrible things, nightmare to plug back in without breaking them.

Yes indeed. Here is the damage I did when fumbling to assemble a very large ribbon cable in my radio control transmitter. And I am generally far from cack-handed!

-- hide signature --

Ken C

Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum MMy threads