My FZ20 Froze!

[snapMan]

Went to watch the champions league match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal in Munich last night...took some pictures and just before half time, the camera FROZE!!! I alomost fainted man, cannot take anymore pictures! All the buttons did not work, only the switches worked ( on/off, mode dial, switch for manual focus/auto focus worked but pre-focus switch did not work --> when you press the switch all the way down to pre-focus).

2 of my friends' canon ixus camera (ixus 400 and ixus 40) worked! Temperature there was abt -5 deg. Sigh...shows that cannot bring this cam to really cold climates. I know there's a temperature range for the camera to operate normally, but i don't have the manual here with me to check. Anyone can check for me?

 

[liangtam]

Is the cam working now? You could try taking out the battery to do self-warm first before retry-ing.

 

[snapMan]

Is the cam working now? You could try taking out the battery to do self-warm first before retry-ing.

The cam is working fine now. I suspected it was the temperature, so kept it in my camera pouch after that. Yep, i tried to take out battery and put in again but no use. Cannot self warm, i was too cold to be any effect! :embrass:
It started working again long after the match has finished..when it 'warmed up' enough i guess...sigh...

 

[sil]

tats cool man.. watching 'live' champions league

 

[snapMan]

tats cool man.. watching 'live' champions league

Yea, once in a lifetime thingy. Might as well since i'm here. But too bad, wanna take more pics one...sigh

 

[gyjoe]

Hi ppl,

I have tried my FZ20 at around -5~10 degC. It worked fine, except that the battery drain faster. However, maybe it's because I was outdoor for 30 min only. It worked well for extended period at around 0 deg C. In most situations, I believe the camera will work fine enough.

My old canon A70 worked well for extended period at -10~20 deg C though.

 

[liangtam]

BTW, you should have brought along a camcorder instead, like the Pana 3CCD PV GS200/400 since its a once in lifetime and gets to have motion instead of still picture.

Maybe the cell got frozed?

 

[jbma]

My FZ20 has been to colder place before and it work fine. I don't think the temperature is that extreme so as to freeze the camera.

 

[snapMan]

hmm i really can think of no other reason for the camera 'freezing'. It worked fine for the first 30-40 minutes continuously out in the cold....afterwhich, suddenly cannot work liao. Maybe i should have kept it on through out. Off and on a couple of times, then switched on one time and buttons cannot work. Took out batt and re-insert again still buttons cannot work. Left it in my camera bag to 'warm up' and about 1.5 hours later then ok liao. Tested frequently in that 1.5 hours, but still cannot work. Well, perhaps its only my camera, but would like to inform other users of the potential problem they may face in future in cold climates. 0 deg is ok as i use it in that temp also.

 

[snapMan]

BTW, you should have brought along a camcorder instead, like the Pana 3CCD PV GS200/400 since its a once in lifetime and gets to have motion instead of still picture.

Maybe the cell got frozed?

eh bro, no camcorder lah...haha.... :bsmilie: buy 1 just for this ahh? I'll burn big hole in pocket liaoz.. :cry:

Cell confirm no freeze as the switches (not buttons) worked. Can on/off, toggle between manual/auto focus, change between P,A,S,M etc. but no use cos most importantly, the shutter release button don't work, cannot take pic..hahahah

 

[liangtam]

Then you should warm up the shutter release button with a piece of cloth etc.
But other people will look at you strangely.

 

[snapMan]

Haha, i'll keep that in mind! heehee...well, here are 2 pics before my camera went on strike. Just adjusted saturation and resized for the panaromic, and just resized for the second one. Was a little hazy hence not really sharp, and the second one abit blur cos my hand and whole body shivering liaoz..

1. Olympia stadium

2. Big Guns waiting to fire

 

[snapMan]

Oh yar, the panaromic one is far from perfect cos everyone is moving all the time so quite difficult to stitch together a good one, and don't have photoshop also so don't know how to do some 'cosmetic' touch up.

 

[JimDavis]

Went to watch the champions league match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal in Munich last night...took some pictures and just before half time, the camera FROZE!!! I alomost fainted man, cannot take anymore pictures! All the buttons did not work, only the switches worked ( on/off, mode dial, switch for manual focus/auto focus worked but pre-focus switch did not work --> when you press the switch all the way down to pre-focus).

2 of my friends' canon ixus camera (ixus 400 and ixus 40) worked! Temperature there was abt -5 deg. Sigh...shows that cannot bring this cam to really cold climates. I know there's a temperature range for the camera to operate normally, but i don't have the manual here with me to check. Anyone can check for me?

My is FZ10, went under -6 to -8 degree, not a slight problem at all.

Maybe you would want to send to Panasonic to check it out...

 

[snapMan]

My is FZ10, went under -6 to -8 degree, not a slight problem at all.

Maybe you would want to send to Panasonic to check it out...

Yea..guess i'll do so when i return man...but then now working properly liao leh..check what? :dunno: Wait they scold me say no problem still send for checking..waste their time.. :sweat:

Its still winter here, so maybe i leave it outside my window overnight see if morning time can still work or not...heehee... :bsmilie:

 

[JimDavis]

Yea..guess i'll do so when i return man...but then now working properly liao leh..check what? :dunno: Wait they scold me say no problem still send for checking..waste their time.. :sweat:

Its still winter here, so maybe i leave it outside my window overnight see if morning time can still work or not...heehee... :bsmilie:

I don't think they are so unreasonable lar...you can tell them off that they should try to simulate your problem, else, tell you the spec on the temperature condition that FZ20 can take.

Leave the cam outside your window? you sure? tomorrow when you wake up, you do not need to try it liao...because....it will disappear! :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[wibawa]

Yea..guess i'll do so when i return man...but then now working properly liao leh..check what? :dunno: Wait they scold me say no problem still send for checking..waste their time.. :sweat:

Its still winter here, so maybe i leave it outside my window overnight see if morning time can still work or not...heehee... :bsmilie:

I think just the battery...in very low temp, batteries tends to drop faster than normal condition..
did u try using other battery that time? spare battery also need to keep warm to be usable effectively...

 

[snapMan]

I think just the battery...in very low temp, batteries tends to drop faster than normal condition..
did u try using other battery that time? spare battery also need to keep warm to be usable effectively...

Hmm, i think think think, cannot be battery... cos:
1. The switches can work, but the buttons can't.
2. After 1.5 hours of 'warming' it (camera was still cold, just that not as cold as outside temp), the buttons can work liao. If batt dead, warming it wun increase power right? Else no need charge, just put outside in the sun?

 

[snapMan]

I don't think they are so unreasonable lar...you can tell them off that they should try to simulate your problem, else, tell you the spec on the temperature condition that FZ20 can take.

Leave the cam outside your window? you sure? tomorrow when you wake up, you do not need to try it liao...because....it will disappear! :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

yea, any problem with customer service, tell keith can liao right?

haha true true...gone with the cold... ;p haha

 

[chatswood]

Seem like FZ-20 is quite problematic. Never head anything like this for FZ-10.