C-730 "tapping" problem?

[Sanpete]

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link, including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using 4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage, and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images, can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to the camera?")

 

[Don Spencer]

sounds strange to me. I've been using the same rechargeables that I used in my C-700 with no problems of any kind.

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link,
including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the
camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe
Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read
the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great
pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort
with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a
lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns
out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using
4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery
door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are
gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date
and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have
been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I
have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA
cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do
NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is
really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the
battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover
completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an
AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an
absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try
it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap
on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle
tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has
anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the
dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a
FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my
C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer
I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries
including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a
rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA
batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out
of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are
taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off
there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes
all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple
of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes
back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as
if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not
remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the
camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or
functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage,
and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images,
can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to
the camera?")

--
C-700 and C-730 ULTRA ZOOM
FL-40 Flash, bracket and cable
Canon S900 printer
http://www.pbase.com/galleries/donald_spencer
(pbase supporter)

 

[Dean Cleave-Smith]

Yep, I concur. If I give a firm tap on the battery compartment with my knuckle the camera resets. I use two types of Ni-Mh AA, Uniross and Varta. The Uniross are slightly taller than the Vartra but both will exhibit the problem. Whilst this could potentially be an issue it does take a direct knock to induce the problem and simply 'shaking' the camera does not appear to cause it - I admit this is my new 730 so I have not been reackless, but still I have given it damm good shake. Looking at the design of the compartment lid the metal contacts are fastened with screws so they could be replaced with more pronounced/defined contacts to increase the tension on the battery contacts.

btw: I just tried this test on my C3030Z which I have had for 2 years. The design of the lid is the same as the C730 - and yes it exhibits the problem, in fact you dont have to knock the lid as firmly to cause the reset.

imho: whilst it shouldnt occur, I cant say I have ever had a situation where my C3030z reset - I wont be panicing and sending the c730 back.

 

[CyberHugger]

While shopping on St Thomas a couple of weeks ago, my C4000-Z suddenly went wacko. When I turned it on the lens would extend part way then retract the extend again and retract.... I thought it was a gonner. On a hunch, I replaced the rechargable batteries with the fresh spares I had and the camera came back to life. Haven't had the problem again with either set of batteries. My guess is that the one set had discharged to a point where there wasn't enough juice to fully extend the lens. I'll have to check the "knocking" thing when I get home and see if I can reproduce the problem.

As far as "short" batteries go, maybe the CRV-3s are too long and over compress the springs. I haven't used the CRV-3s since the original set ran out of juice.

CH

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link,
including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the
camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe
Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read
the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great
pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort
with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a
lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns
out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using
4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery
door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are
gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date
and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have
been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I
have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA
cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do
NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is
really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the
battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover
completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an
AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an
absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try
it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap
on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle
tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has
anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the
dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a
FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my
C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer
I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries
including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a
rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA
batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out
of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are
taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off
there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes
all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple
of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes
back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as
if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not
remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the
camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or
functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage,
and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images,
can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to
the camera?")

--
Olympus C-4000 (new to digital)
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/cyberhugger/root

 

[Jimm]

As far as "short" batteries go, maybe the CRV-3s are too long and
over compress the springs. I haven't used the CRV-3s since the
original set ran out of juice.

CH

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link,
including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the
camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe
Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read
the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great
pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort
with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a
lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns
out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using
4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery
door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are
gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date
and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have
been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I
have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA
cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do
NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is
really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the
battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover
completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an
AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an
absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try
it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap
on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle
tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has
anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the
dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a
FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my
C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer
I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries
including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a
rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA
batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out
of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are
taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off
there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes
all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple
of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes
back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as
if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not
remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the
camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or
functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage,
and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images,
can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to
the camera?")

--

I have used several types of NIMH batteries in my 730 with now problems, along with the Lithium ones. So, might I suggest we all stop tapping on our cameras to see if something bad will happen!!!

--
Oly c730 Fl-40 Flash
Raynox 1800 (1.8)
Raynox 5000 (.5)

Nikon 6006

 

[Sanpete]

In addition to Dean, Antonio at the Yahoo! C-730 group (Antonio_2 here, I believe) also confirms this:

"I confirm the problem, even if it has been not so easy for me to reproduce it. I had to knock with one finger many times before seeing exactly what Joe says. I don't know if this would affect normal operations. If I was not told about this problem maybe I'd never discover it (maybe). To be honest I noticed a problem with battery cover, maybe could be connected to this. When I first inserted the crv3 lithium battery from olympus they seemed too big for the compartment and the cover was hard to close. I was really afraid that the cover could break. At the base of the compartment there are springs, I'm afraid that CRV3 batteries compressed springs too much and now AA fit loose.

Anyway I don't hide this is disappointing me. I pretend that Olympus says something official about this problem. They must tell us sincerely if this is dangerous and if there are workaround to limit this problem and eventually recall the most defective cameras at no cost for the user. If anyone need my support I am available. I suggest to ask to Olympus USA or Japan. Here in Europe or even worst in my country, Italy, they don't understand, don't listen, and don't care of user feedbacks."

Not sure, given Dean's comments, that this is a special problem for the C-730. Might be the same for other Camedia cameras. Worth knowing about, in any case.

 

[Antonio_2]

Yes it was me at yahoo c-730 group, i have antonio_fromit nickname there.

In addition to Dean, Antonio at the Yahoo! C-730 group (Antonio_2
here, I believe) also confirms this:

"I confirm the problem, even if it has been not so easy for me to
reproduce it. I had to knock with one finger many times before
seeing exactly what Joe says. I don't know if this would affect
normal operations. If I was not told about this problem maybe I'd
never discover it (maybe). To be honest I noticed a problem with
battery cover, maybe could be connected to this. When I first
inserted the crv3 lithium battery from olympus they seemed too big
for the compartment and the cover was hard to close. I was really
afraid that the cover could break. At the base of the compartment
there are springs, I'm afraid that CRV3 batteries compressed
springs too much and now AA fit loose.

Anyway I don't hide this is disappointing me. I pretend that
Olympus says something official about this problem. They must tell
us sincerely if this is dangerous and if there are workaround to
limit this problem and eventually recall the most defective cameras
at no cost for the user. If anyone need my support I am available.
I suggest to ask to Olympus USA or Japan. Here in Europe or even
worst in my country, Italy, they don't understand, don't listen,
and don't care of user feedbacks."

Not sure, given Dean's comments, that this is a special problem for
the C-730. Might be the same for other Camedia cameras. Worth
knowing about, in any case.

 

[Steve Colquhoun]

In addition to Dean, Antonio at the Yahoo! C-730 group (Antonio_2
here, I believe) also confirms this:

When I first
inserted the crv3 lithium battery from olympus they seemed too big
for the compartment and the cover was hard to close. I was really
afraid that the cover could break. At the base of the compartment
there are springs, I'm afraid that CRV3 batteries compressed
springs too much and now AA fit loose.

I have experienced the same problem with the batteries, but on my c4040. I had to push the CRV3s into the compartment harder than I though I should. I have since only used AA NiMHs and have not had a problem. I put the CRV3s into the camera while I recharge the NiMHs and I still am suprised how hard they need to go in. I suspect that the problem some are having with the camera shutting down is that the springs have been compressed over time and when the camera is knocked, it is just enough to loosen it's connection with the contacts on the inside of the cover.

The answer to all this may simply be the same answer to the patient who goes to the doctor complaining "It hurts when I do this..."
"Well, don't DO that!"

Steve C.
--

Proudly shooting with an Olympus c4040

 

[Bradly]

Has everyone that this has happened to used the CR-V3's that come with the camera? I didn't even open mine and have only been using the NiMh's. Wondering if by putting the CR-V3's in the camera it's "stretching" the battery area (being that they're said to be longer) and causing the problems with the NiMh's.

I'll try mine when I get home and see if it gives the same results.

 

[Thomas L]

Yes, my C730 also turns itself off and on by knocking on the battery compartment. But I've to knock rather hard and normally I would never do that. I use Panasonic 2000 mAh AA batteries.

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link,
including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the
camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe
Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read
the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great
pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort
with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a
lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns
out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using
4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery
door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are
gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date
and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have
been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I
have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA
cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do
NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is
really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the
battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover
completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an
AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an
absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try
it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap
on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle
tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has
anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the
dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a
FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my
C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer
I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries
including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a
rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA
batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out
of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are
taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off
there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes
all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple
of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes
back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as
if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not
remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the
camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or
functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage,
and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images,
can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to
the camera?")

--
Thomas
http://www.pbase.com/thla/

 

[Wally OZ]

Has everyone that this has happened to used the CR-V3's that come
with the camera? I didn't even open mine and have only been using
the NiMh's. Wondering if by putting the CR-V3's in the camera it's
"stretching" the battery area (being that they're said to be
longer) and causing the problems with the NiMh's.

I'll try mine when I get home and see if it gives the same results.

I am Joe in Australia, I originally found this problem, I discovered it by simply placing the BRAND NEW C-730 on a tripod VERY GENTLY, [I wanted to try it out for night photography] I raised the centre post of the tripod and the C-730 switched itself OFF, the camera made some clicking noises, the red LED flashed a few times then the camera switched back on again, during this time the lens did not retract.

Then I tried to find out what caused it, I tried shaking the camera, that did nothing, eventually I found that taping on the battery door produced the problem every time, I had the C-730 for a week, during this time, I lost the date and time settings while the camera was not being used, it was just sitting in a nice padded camera case not being used, the batteries installed 4 AA cells NOT FLAT.

I then tried that pathetic CAMEDIA software as I had many files with the same name, I needed to rename them, I found that I need to upgrade to the PRO version to do multiple file renaming, stumped again, I visited the Olympus site to get the upgrade, they want all sorts of private information just to buy an upgrade to the pro version of their pathetic camedia software, sorry Olympus I don't dance to your tune, not for this hopeless bit of software.

I had not used the lithium batteries supplied, I never opened the packet or installed the lithium battery in the camera.

So I would rule out the notion that having used the lithium battery the springs have been pushed past the position that would hold an AA cell tight, further I had the camera replaced, got a brand new one out of the box, put 4 AA cells in it in front of the dealer switched it on, taped on the battery door and it blanked out etc, the dealer then tried his demo c-730 same result, we tried all sorts of AA cells all did exactly the same thing.

I did confirm that the problem is cause by the contacts in the battery Door, I did this by soldering a wire across the 2 AA cell pairs to replicate the function of the 2 metal plates on the battery door, having done that the problem goes away, but I am not going to carry a soldering iron with me so I can unsolder and resolder the wires when I wish to re-charge the AA cells.

I am also concerned as this in effect simulates total power disconnection while the camera is switched on, something Olympus states in the user's manual will cause damage.

Also what happens if this occurs while an image is being stored, does it only corrupt that image or all the images on the media card? does it make it impossible to retrieve some precious one off shot?

I purchased a brand new camera from Olympus, I don't need the worry what if and will my pictures be ok etc, this is NOT good enough Olympus.

I don't think I am a genius, Olympus must be aware of this problem and as someone else said "they must come clean and address the issue".

I own 4 regular Olympus cameras, this has left me very disappointed with Olympus, I have returned the C-730 camera and received a full refund, so I no longer own an Olympus digital camera and I doubt I ever will, but I purchased a Smart media card that I cannot use at the moment and I wasted a week on this absolutely ridiculous but potentially dangerous BAD OLYMPUS DESIGN.

Now I hear that other model Olympus cameras also use the same door and all react the same way.

I do not suggest we go around taping Olympus cameras to see if something bad happens, it is now confirmed that this is a problem, it is up to Olympus to fix it.

But owners of Olympus cameras using the same battery door design need to be AWARE, this is not some huge jolt that is required, it is a gentle tap, I am very careful with cameras, as I said earlier I first encountered this by simply raising the centre post of the tripod with camera attached, not an unusual event in using a camera is it?

 

[Thraak]

I purchased a 4000z on the day that it was released. I purchased it in Orlando. It was manufactured in Japan. I have always used Ray-o-Vac NIMH rechargables. I have never used the CRV-3 lithium battery. After reading about this "tapping" problem, I was a bit apprehensive about trying to create this problem, but, I had to try it. Well I tried and tried and almost broke a finger nail, but couldn't get it to quit. I love this camera!!

If you own a C-730, please look at the thread at this link,
including the second post from Joe:

http://www.stevesforums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=18901

Anyone noticed such a problem? Tried tapping on the bottom of the
camera?

(I'm not sure if you have to register to use Steve's forums. Maybe
Joe won't mind if I copy the text from a couple of his posts here:

"Decided to move up from a Kodak DC290, so I did the research read
the revies here etc, and purchased the C-730, nice camera great
pictures lots of features, BUT they spoilt all that design effort
with a sub standard battery compartment, the C-730 can use a
lithium CR-V3 battery or 4 AA cells, well not really as it turns
out. The battery cover does NOT properly hold the 4 AA cells. Using
4 AA cells if one gently taps underneath the camera on the battery
door, the camera shuts down, re-starts and all your setting s are
gone, it even does this while it's in the case and loses the date
and time, come to download your pictures and the date and time have
been reset and your files are the same number as the last lot. I
have tried 3 different brand new C-730 they all go crazy if 4 AA
cells are installed and you give it even the gentlest shock, I do
NOT recomend this camera, great camera stuffed by a design that is
really meant for CR-V3 battery not AA cells, the springs under the
battery are a very soft leaf, not a spring and the battery cover
completes the circuit for the AA cells add to that the fact that an
AA cell is much shorter than the CR-V3 battery and you have an
absolute stuff up of the first order, don't take my word for it try
it yourself, just install 4 AA cells in any C-730 turn it on, tap
on the battery cover with the knuckle of your finger, a very gentle
tap and you will see the UNBELIABLE system Olympus designed. Has
anyone else found a solution to this problem? I have contacted the
dealer and I am waiting for a response from Olympus. I don't have a
FAULTY C-730 since they are all the same and they all do it if my
C-730 is faulty, they are all faulty."

"Thank you for all the suggestions, I have been back to the dealer
I purchased the C-730 from, and we tried all sorts of batteries
including the ones the dealer uses, it is NOT to do with a
rechargeable that is shorter than normal, all standard size AA
batteries do the same thing, all brand new [never used before out
of the box NEW!] C-730 cameras we tried if held ready to shoot are
taped gently on the bottom of the battery door turn themsleves off
there is a clicking sound inside the camera and the red led flashes
all screens go balnk, the lens does not retract and after a couple
of seconds the camera [they all do exactly the same thing] comes
back on again, what concerns me is that this is the same effect as
if the power is suddenly removed, the Olympus manual says " Do not
remove or load batteries and/or disconnect the AC adapter while the
camera is turned on. Doing so could damage the camera's settings or
functions" so when this happens is the camera exposed to damage,
and what happens if this occurs while the camera is storing images,
can all the images be corrupted, is any permanent damage caused to
the camera?")

 

[Steve Colquhoun]

I purchased a 4000z on the day that it was released. I purchased it
in Orlando. It was manufactured in Japan. I have always used
Ray-o-Vac NIMH rechargables. I have never used the CRV-3 lithium
battery. After reading about this "tapping" problem, I was a bit
apprehensive about trying to create this problem, but, I had to try
it. Well I tried and tried and almost broke a finger nail, but
couldn't get it to quit. I love this camera!!

I also just tried it with my c4040. I didn't tap with my finger but gave it basically a very gentle bump with a few fingers on the underside of the camera. Sure enough, the LCD went out and so did the upper display. However, it did not power off. It just made the sound that the aperture opening and closing (as it does when I power it on) and the LCD and upper display came back on. All the settings were as I had just left them.

Now I am not suggesting that we all put out cameras through any shock tests, but this very gentle bump that I described is certainly something that could EASILY happen with normal use. It is hard for me to describe how gentle...but, wow, it sure wasn't much at all.
It seems a little too sensitive....
Steve C.
--

Proudly shooting with an Olympus c4040

 

[brianj]

It was identified by owners of C700 that some NiMh batteries have the plastic sleeve wrapping partly over the bottom or negative end. I don't think this is the problem in the cases described here, but if you have any of this design, you must trim the plastic back with a sharp knife.

Brian

 

[Dennis Nielsen]

Hi everyone,

This is my very first post here - please congratulate me!

Also, I am a brand-new owner of an Olympus C-730. I hadn't registered the tapping problem before reading about it here, but sure enough, it's there. What's more, I've never used the CR-V3 batteries that came with the camera, so it can't be that they've compressed the contacts in the battery compartment too far.

However, I may have a solution for the problem: I removed the batteries, took a small screwdriver and gently (GENTLY, mind you!) lifted the contacts at the bottom of the battery compartment a little bit (that is, not the contacts on the battery door). That did it for me! Simple and effective... It'll most likely work for the rest of you, too. Just remember, those contacts are pretty delicate, so use a small screwdriver and do be very gentle. We're talking like half a milimeter of adjustment to the contacts...

Oh, and for all you lawsuit-crazy Americans out there: I exclude myself of any and all liability in connection with the above advice!

Good luck, all.
--
Dennis Nielsen
Owner of an Olympus C-730 since November 2002

 

[Sanpete]

Interesting results from different people. Here's a note from sc:

"I have just returned from my local camera shop. This is a CAMERA shop, not Sams, or an Office shop of some kind. I presented the potential problem to two of the staff there. They load batteries and a card into a new camera, took pictures and soundly thumped the heck out of the camera. It did not give one problem. No on/offs, no power downs, no lost pictures.

I did note that one of the reviews came from a gentleman from Australia, and another (from another forum) I believe from his language style was from Britain. The man at my camera shop said that there are often European productions of cameras of the same make and number that we receive here and that they are sometimes slightly different cameras.

Another possibility is the difference in European vs. American batteries. That was my suggestion not the camera man's.

So there is my little bit of research and knowledge from a camera expert. I hope it puts your mind to rest. It has helped me make my decision. I will now begin shopping for the best price."

 

[Bradly]

Mine is a US model.

I first started trying it and was tapping toward the back of the door, with nothing happening. I thought that it wasn't gonna happen at first too. Then I started moving towards the front and "boom" .... happened. Once powered back up, tapped it again and it happened again. Does it every time.

Has to be tapped towards the front of the battery cover for it to happen.

Interesting results from different people. Here's a note from sc:

"I have just returned from my local camera shop. This is a CAMERA
shop, not Sams, or an Office shop of some kind. I presented the
potential problem to two of the staff there. They load batteries
and a card into a new camera, took pictures and soundly thumped the
heck out of the camera. It did not give one problem. No on/offs,
no power downs, no lost pictures.

I did note that one of the reviews came from a gentleman from
Australia, and another (from another forum) I believe from his
language style was from Britain. The man at my camera shop said
that there are often European productions of cameras of the same
make and number that we receive here and that they are sometimes
slightly different cameras.

Another possibility is the difference in European vs. American
batteries. That was my suggestion not the camera man's.

So there is my little bit of research and knowledge from a camera
expert. I hope it puts your mind to rest. It has helped me make
my decision. I will now begin shopping for the best price."

 

[CyberHugger]

My US C-4000Z has the same problem.

What I noticed is that if I open the door and look at the batteries, one of them sits noticably lower than the other three. It's the one nearest the hinge at the left. (Nearest the center of the camera.)

CH

Interesting results from different people. Here's a note from sc:

"I have just returned from my local camera shop. This is a CAMERA
shop, not Sams, or an Office shop of some kind. I presented the
potential problem to two of the staff there. They load batteries
and a card into a new camera, took pictures and soundly thumped the
heck out of the camera. It did not give one problem. No on/offs,
no power downs, no lost pictures.

I did note that one of the reviews came from a gentleman from
Australia, and another (from another forum) I believe from his
language style was from Britain. The man at my camera shop said
that there are often European productions of cameras of the same
make and number that we receive here and that they are sometimes
slightly different cameras.

Another possibility is the difference in European vs. American
batteries. That was my suggestion not the camera man's.

So there is my little bit of research and knowledge from a camera
expert. I hope it puts your mind to rest. It has helped me make
my decision. I will now begin shopping for the best price."

--
Olympus C-4000 (new to digital)
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/cyberhugger/root

 

[chuck p]

I have the c4000 to and using alk batterys and no problems here.
chuck p

My US C-4000Z has the same problem.

What I noticed is that if I open the door and look at the
batteries, one of them sits noticably lower than the other three.
It's the one nearest the hinge at the left. (Nearest the center of
the camera.)

Olympus C-4000 (new to digital)
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/cyberhugger/root

 

[CyberHugger]

Thanks, I'll try some alk batteries and see if that fixes the problem but I'm not switching to throwaway batteries to fix this.

CH

My US C-4000Z has the same problem.

What I noticed is that if I open the door and look at the
batteries, one of them sits noticably lower than the other three.
It's the one nearest the hinge at the left. (Nearest the center of
the camera.)

Olympus C-4000 (new to digital)
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/cyberhugger/root

--
Olympus C-4000 (new to digital)
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/cyberhugger/root