Here are some further data. The camera crashed within minutes.I switched on the camera, opened the LCD screen and successfully took a photo (using mode C3). I closed the LCD screen then a minute later attempted a photograph - without using either the viewfinder or the LCD screen - (using mode C1) but the camera was dead by then.
fitzrovian, Apr 8, 2018
post #42 page3
There is a "similar" problem after page 3 the original poster still have not solve his problem.
Although one person had upgraded to 2.1 version firmware still nothing conclusive and the OP can't get his camera stable enough to even try a download of V 2.1 firmware ( my opinion). I'm afraid this does not bode well for thread starter here as well. Although one person said that it may be defective on - camera memory (ram/rom) and OP still insist it's frmware so
not his problem on his side (just a camera user).
When I say this does not bode well it means it can be a hardware issue (mother board) strange as it may seem. I base my opinion on an experience I have with a non functioning EM5 mk1. It too powers on but after 10 seconds it shuts down with blank viewfinder and LCD screen. Of course I search online for clues. The general "consensus" is to try a secret hardware reset. This is
the secret buttons you need to press during power on to get to the screen with the spanner icon ( standard settings menu) as seen in the link above.Of course there are numerous posts that describe this "reset".
A chronological time frame to put my experience in perspective...for readers.
I bought a defective EM5mk1 from here, owner warned me camera is not working but since I'm an electronic hobbyist I thought it would be a simple problem to fix. It would turn out to be a "priceless learning opportunity". I did try and managed to get to the spanner icon and do a hardware reset BUT it did not solve the probem. My luck was that initially camera was stable (power wise)
to upgrade firmware but it still did not solve the problem. Prior to this I manage to take one photo by EM5 mk1..haha. After subsequent power turn off and on I had a bad feeling! The problem is EM5 did not power on stable enough to operate normally.When an electronic system shuts down repeatly it can mean only one thing...failure of the circuits ( apart from on camera memory fault which is rare even if it is LCD screen would be alive and an error message issued ) or more specifically a part of the circuit which is due to a failure of one component, it can be anything. The blank screen means power is not
available to power one of the most power consuming or usage component of the system which is the LCD or EVF.
At first I thought it would likely be the capacitors that have developed /become high ESR (equivalent series resistance ). Please search what it means as it can make a electronic system to fail or not work. After testing and guessing which capacitors are "esr" and replacing with new ones to my disappointment EM5 did not work either. This lead me to come to the "likely" ssue of the power regulator circuit. It would be easy if this power regulator was a generic one with 1 or 2 outputs that can be bought off the
shelf but this is a specialised regulator that is specific only to camera usage and not many semiconductor IC manufacturer makes this type of regulator because of market share opportunities and hello it's a japanese camera and so logically this regulator is japanese made and with 7 outputs! A search of the web shows no semiconductor component seller have this regulator not even the chinese...this tiny chip is the hardest working chip other than the image processing chip!
A side line.. owner went to olympus service center to get EM5 repaired and was told no spare parts ( mother board ) as it no longer support EM5mk1 implying buy new em5mk2 model lah...hence camera came to me.
Conclusion: It's likely no one can repair this unless the power regulator IC is available to try. Other possibility of failure is the chips that use BGA (BALL Grid Array) type connection as these ball solder is underneath the IC so you can't see visually if it's good or bad even with xray machine!These ICs would be memory and image processor and some other ICs.
I submit a photo to prove I did not make up this story up to show a sense of scale of this tiny power regulator IC that powers the whole camera. BTW if one of the 7 outs is bad, regulator it will auto shutdown if a certain current or temperature is reached.The (regulator) tiny black square arrowed left of the thin copper foil attached to screw. The memory and image processor is underneath the copper foil it acts as heatsink as well as noise interference barrier. There is no youtube video relating to such problem so this is a first online photo in CS.
Photo is after back cover removed. I don't encourage people to disassemble camera unless you have experience, proper screw drivers (JIS standard/Japan industrial standard) AND disassembly METHODOLOGY as it's easy to forget what screw goes where (various lenghts).
