Dead shutter after 5-10 quick exposures

willemvelthoven · 06-21-2005

Does any of you experience this problem:

my RD1 (over 10,000 exposures) recently developed a VERY annoying problem. After 5-10 quick exposures, the shutter goes dead. everything else functions normally but the shutter will not trip anymore.

the only thing that helps is switching the cam off and wait for at least 5 minutes. if i keep the camera powered on, it doesn't recover. The problem started to occur 4 weeks ago for the first time (after more exposures then) and it gets worse.

It happens more quickly when i shoot a series quickly and the image buffer runs full. so i think it has to do with some memory problem.

also it happens more quickly with raw than with jpg compression on so file size does matter.

i tested with several otherwise ok meory cards that i formatted (full) in the camera. i also checked several batteries (fully charged of course) cards and batteries do not seem to affect the problem.

interestingly, the dead shutter problem also occurs when i shoot without a card in the camera. only then i can make more exposures before the problem occurs (12 shots in raw)

The problem happens in manual and in auto exposure mode.

I'm afraid to send my camera to epson netherlands because i don't know what their expertise is and how long they will need to fix it. My exellent dealer FotoNivo in amsterdam had not heard of the problem (they have less than 10 RD1 users whitch is probably still a lot for amsterdam)

any advice?

any similar problems?

thank you for your reply, willem velthoven

Brian Sweeney · 06-21-2005

You have eliminated the battery as the source of the problem, which would have been my guess assuming that the camera was not at fault. My digital cameras, which are several years old, will do things like this as the battery can't keep up with the current drain of a rapid-sequence shoot. Turning the camera off and letting the battery recover fixes the issue. Probably the battery heats up and then cools off. Raw images require more data, and heavier drain.

Your camera is exhibiting this type of behaviour on several different batteries that are much newer than mine. I would have the camera serviced. If the dealer (or you) can test it using an AC adapter instead of the batteries, that would eliminate any chance that it was just all of the batteries aging and having the same issue.

willemvelthoven · 06-23-2005

Epson promises 1 year replacement service warranty on their website for all users that register their camera with them...

My dealer did not know about this but also Epson Europe/Amsterdam did not know about it when i called them yesterday. They were to call me back about this (promise!). I did not hear from them again.

Does any of you have experience withe this Epson Europe replacement plan?

thanks, willem

Jim Watts · 06-24-2005

Willem,
See the thread on "Replacement from Epson" , where there is some discussion on Epson Europe returns.