Camera or lens problem?
Jun 18, 2015 09:54:22 #
If my lens weighs more than my camera and battery grip, I handle the unit by the lens to avoid wear and tear on lens/camera contacts and vice/versa for a light lens then handle by the camera. ensure ur contacts are clean and hopefully that will solve the problem.
planepics wrote:
My Sigma 105 macro lens and my A77 seem to have a "failure to communicate" from time to time. Sometimes everything works great for several pics and sometimes, it seems to lose f/stop information and I can't use the lens (display reads "f-.-"). I end up having to turn the camera on and off again a time or two or remove and replace the lens to get it working again.
Jun 18, 2015 10:18:24 #
I just got an e-mail from Sigma with a link to the service dept. The warranty is FOUR years. I hope it's something that's covered. I have to find my original receipt and warranty card, too.
Jun 18, 2015 13:43:48 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
Helge wrote:
Try cleaning the contacts on the lens and camera. Use a pencil or better ink eraser just make sure no eraser particles stay on camera or lens, use some canned air carefully. Do your other lenses work OK? Computerized electronics so much fun!! If this continues you may need to send the lens and or camera in for servicing. Trying another lens will determine if the problem is in the lens or camera body.
No. No. And hell no!
Your later recommendation is much better... To use alcohol (isopropyl or "rubbing" alcohol is fine... and cheap)... just a few drops to dampen a lint free rag and wipe the electronic contacts with that.
DO NOT use a pencil eraser. Usually the problem is oils on the contacts... either finger oil or lubricating oil from the camera. Some plastics give off an oily residue, too. Pencil erasers are made from vegetable oil and will not remove those oils... they'll just smear it around.
ESPECIALLY DO NOT use an abrasive ink eraser. As someone else mentioned, those very low voltage electronic contacts often are gold plated to prevent oxidization. You do not want to damage that plating with anything abrasive, including ink erasers.
MOST ESPECIALLY DO NOT use canned air. It sometimes "spits" liquid propellants that can put permanent spots on optics or cause other damage. It also can "super cool" things doing damage, depending upon the type of propellant used. And it also can give too strong a blast that can damage things or might drive particles farther into the camera. Use a bulb blower instead.
AND DO NOT use common Q-tips anywhere around or especially inside a camera. As noted by someone else, they shed tiny, tough cotton fibers that can jam up fine mechanisms like the shutter and mirror movements of cameras. You might get by doing it once or twice or ten times... then the 11th time jam something up and end up with a repair costing hundreds of dollars. Only use lint free cloths, synthetics and optical swabs that are made for the purpose... especially inside the camera (including the rear of the lens.
While I agree that cleaning the contacts might help, another thing you should do is operate any switches on the lens - such AF on/off, stabilization, focus limiters. Pay extra attention to switches you rarely or never move. What can happen is they get oxidization inside the switch, interrupting the flow of current, sometimes sporadically or only in certain situations. However, most of the time those switches are "self cleaning", meaning that simply operating the switch will wipe away anything on them and re-establish good contact. So operate the switch a dozen times or so, to see if that helps.
There isn't a lot more you can do yourself. If the above don't help, there may be a firmware issue or a loose connection inside the lens. You should contact Sigma with your problem... It may be a common one they know immediately how to fix. Or you may need to send the lens in for their inspection.
Jun 18, 2015 13:57:01 #
Well, I'll add my two cents by saying get a can of electric cleaner and spray it on a silk cloth........
Jun 18, 2015 16:11:20 #
This is just my opinion. You have had some good advice and some potentially questionably replies. I am new with a DSLR camera but have been shooting an SLR for years. I have on the other hand been rebuilding computers since they came out. When a contact gets dirty it can cause all kinds of problems. Cotton is bad news. One fiber that can be missed by the eyes can short out big time. As mentioned earlier in this topic an pencil eraser is one of the best ways to clean the leads. Just don't get the waste inside your camera. I also agree not to shoot air into the camera body so to not blow trash into the camera. That could be tragic. I hope you get the problem worked out out or sent back to the company. I hope that I haven't stepped onto any toes. This is just my opinion...
-Bushy
-Bushy
Jun 19, 2015 00:00:16 #
dhellner
Loc: milwaukee wi.
My advice would be to listen to alan myers as i have deeply appreciated his photographic wisdom many times for much of his advice
planepics wrote:
My Sigma 105 macro lens and my A77 seem to have a "failure to communicate" from time to time. Sometimes everything works great for several pics and sometimes, it seems to lose f/stop information and I can't use the lens (display reads "f-.-"). I end up having to turn the camera on and off again a time or two or remove and replace the lens to get it working again.
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