Fuji FinePix S6500fd Technical Help Forum

For any questions, comments or information you would like to contribute, please send to help@super-power.co.uk

-----------------------------------------------------------

I've owned my fuji s6500fd from new, and have had it for approximately 2 years, after I came back from holiday my s6500 would not switch on. I did use it constantly whilst away, but the moment I landed back in the UK and linked it up to my PC - it was a no go. I've had a look on a few forums, but can't seem to find anything of any use, im quite handy and have fixed numerous electrical items before. Look forward to your response. David Jones, London (16/01/09).

......Reply: Tuesday 27th January, 2009.....................................................................

Hi David,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. From my experience 7 out of 10 times it has been some sort of battery issue, on the other occasions it has been something to do with the the main board which means it can be fatal.

The battery issue's that could arise with the S6500fd is that if you are using an ordinary AA battery it will not always power up, or will switch on for couple of minutes before switching itself off. I would always recommend using NiMH's rechargeable as these have been designed for the digital camera user in mind.

Battery leakage is always a potential problem, this can act as an insulator on the contacts, which means no power is getting through, even dirt and dust have previously caused the same problem. Compressed air or cleaning fluid on a swab can usually rectify this problem.

If you are confident it isn't a battery issue, then be prepared for the worst. If it has been stored near heat or a window then it is possible it has been exposed to heat variation. By being warm then cold repeatedly it could be subject to condensation damage, this is quite rare as the majority of cameras are very air tight... but not always.

If your warranty has expired and you are not willing to pay the extortionate prices charged by repair specialists/manufacturers then I would open it up to investigate. Only do this if you are confident enough with your ability. You can usually spot if there is something abnormal, obvious signs of defective parts can be white residue on internal components/PCB boards - this can be caused by water damage/ingress. You can also notice burnt out or shorted components, this may help determine what you need to get to fix it.

I would warn you though that if soldering is involved it almost always never works, it can cause further problems if you make the smallest mistake. I'm aware that manufacturer's prefer the plug and play circuitry - less hassle involved. Which makes it slightly better for the average DIY camera repairers.

Hope this helps.

Super Power Photography