Issues with Sony camera. Is it worth it to get it sent out? Update 6/25

[tazdev3225]

I have a Sony Alpha 550. The camera is just under 3 years old and has about 15,500 shutter actuations.

I have had issues with the camera off and on, usually due to my stupidity. However, I had it in to be cleaned and inspected right before my trip to Disney last week. I was having serious issues with the flash. And yes if you do a search you will find I asked about this very issue right after I bought the camera. The camera shop where I bought it, a dedicated camera only store not a big box store, checked it out. They cleaned it and took the camera back to factory settings and the service guy assured me the camera was fine.

On my trip I was having the same issues again. The flash fires and then the shutter releases so that I actually got somewhat better pictures in the dark with no flash. I was on the fill flash setting as well as auto flash. And yes I was somewhat close to the subject, less than 6 feet away. I also noticed that my pictures come out very sharp or a little fuzzy. I used 2 different lenses and am extremely careful when changing them to minimize the risk of dirt and dust getting into the lens or on the shutter. Neither lens was a kit lens.

My question then is the amount of shutter actuations a lot for this camera and should I just say forget it and get a new body? I have 2 weeks left on the extended warranty so I can get the camera sent to Sony to be overhauled.

I have lenses for the Sony A mount but am beginning to think that I may want to switch systems if this camera is about done. I do take a lot of pictures, I know that, but 3 years seems like a short period of time for a camera to last. Even with the technology today. And I am not a complete novice when it comes to photography. I shot with a Fuji SLR for over 30 years.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SkaGoat]

First off,

15,500 shutter actuations is not alot at all. Sony rates their alpha camera's shutters for 100,000 actuations.

If you have the extended warranty, I'd send it away and get it fixed, even if you plan on replacing it with something new! If it doesn't get fixed, I'd make whoever you have the warranty with at least replace the camera with something of equal value, that's the whole point of spending the money for the warranty.

Which Alpha lenses do you have?

Any reason you're not happy with Sony that would make you want to switch systems?

Which system were you looking at switching to, and why?

I'm not a Sony guy myself, but I do know their products are competitively featured, and priced. And if you already have investment in Alpha mount glass, it can be a pain the switch systems.

 

[havoc315]

3 years and 15,000 actuations is not very old..... But it seems like that camera should be older. The A550 was discontinue in 2010.... so it's probably more like 4 years old.

But quite simply, if it's under warranty still, then it's definitely worth getting fixed!

Not sure what your flash issue could be. Sounds like it is switching to the wireless flash mode.

In terms of the images varying between sharp and fuzzy -- that probably is the user, not the camera.

But absolutely, get it serviced before the warranty runs out. That camera should have plenty of life left in it.

 

[SkaGoat]

3 years and 15,000 actuations is not very old..... But it seems like that camera should be older. The A550 was discontinue in 2010.... so it's probably more like 4 years old.

But quite simply, if it's under warranty still, then it's definitely worth getting fixed!

Not sure what your flash issue could be. Sounds like it is switching to the wireless flash mode.

In terms of the images varying between sharp and fuzzy -- that probably is the user, not the camera.

But absolutely, get it serviced before the warranty runs out. That camera should have plenty of life left in it.

It was announced Aug 27, 2009 (according to dpreview.com). It was discontinued about a year later, it's completely possible he bought a discontinued model, especially from a smaller shop.

I know a guy who still buys, new A57s because he loves them, and hates the camera that replaced it.

 

[tazdev3225]

First off,

15,500 shutter actuations is not alot at all. Sony rates their alpha camera's shutters for 100,000 actuations.

Thanks I thought it should still have a lot of life in it.


Which Alpha lenses do you have?

I have the kit lens obviously and the 75mm to 300mm. I also have a Minolta 50mm that I lucked out on and got it brand new in the box. I also have a Sigma 28mm to 135 mm that I got used from the shop I bought my camera from. The Sigma is the lens I was using on the trip for the most part.

Any reason you're not happy with Sony that would make you want to switch systems?

I love Sony but they are switching more to an E mount camera so my lenses will be useless.

Which system were you looking at switching to, and why?

Thinking of going to Nikon only because of the recommendations of a friend and my brother.

I'm not a Sony guy myself, but I do know their products are competitively featured, and priced. And if you already have investment in Alpha mount glass, it can be a pain the switch systems.

As I said they seem to be moving away from the A mount cameras.

3 years and 15,000 actuations is not very old..... But it seems like that camera should be older. The A550 was discontinue in 2010.... so it's probably more like 4 years old.

I bought the camera 3 years ago. I had an A300 that went out for repairs and needed a new camera planning on the A300 as a back up. I knew that it was the "last year's" model but got a fantastic deal on it price wise.

But quite simply, if it's under warranty still, then it's definitely worth getting fixed!

I do intend to get it sent to Sony. Thanks.

Not sure what your flash issue could be. Sounds like it is switching to the wireless flash mode.

I have had issues since I bought the camera but off and on. I actually test fired it on my trip and the flash goes off and then a second later the shutter releases. It seems to be out of sync.

In terms of the images varying between sharp and fuzzy -- that probably is the user, not the camera.

Normally I would say that it is me but this was a new issue. I usually get very nice pictures with this camera and it happened day and night. I take a lot of action shots of my grandson playing baseball and rarely have a bad shot. Not to say it doesn't happen.

But absolutely, get it serviced before the warranty runs out. That camera should have plenty of life left in it.

Thanks I know some systems tend to have shorter life spans and as much as I researched it I couldn't find an answer.

It was announced Aug 27, 2009 (according to dpreview.com). It was discontinued about a year later, it's completely possible he bought a discontinued model, especially from a smaller shop.

It was a new discontinued model from a small shop. But they gave me a fantastic deal on it.

Thanks I appreciate the help.

 

[havoc315]

It was announced Aug 27, 2009 (according to dpreview.com). It was discontinued about a year later, it's completely possible he bought a discontinued model, especially from a smaller shop.

I know a guy who still buys, new A57s because he loves them, and hates the camera that replaced it.

That's what I assume happened -- but it had been sitting on the shelf for quite a while.

The A580 has kept its used price up pretty well, because it was the last optical dSLR Sony made. The A57 is superior to it's so called replacement, the A58.
(Sony really realigned their lineup at the time.... They discontinued the A57 and the A37 -- They introduced the A58 which was really an entry level upgrade of the A37. They didn't bother with a direct upgrade of the A57. So the line-up went from A37-A57-A65-A77-A99 ---> A58-A65-A77-A99. Now, it appears they are discontinuing the A65, so they are narrowing the lineup further, to A58-A77ii-A99. )

 

[havoc315]

As I said they seem to be moving away from the A mount cameras.
.

Hard to say...... Unquestionably, they are emphasizing their E-mount more.
But they did just introduce a pretty innovative A77ii. So while they definitely aren't emphasizing the A-mount right now, it's premature to say they are abandoning it.

Comes down to the degree of your investment in lenses --- if you have a couple cheap lenses worth a couple hundred dollars, then switching systems is no big deal. If you have a few thousand dollars in lenses, then it's hard to take changing systems too lightly.

 

[SkaGoat]

If I'm the OP, I check out the A77 ii, if it's not for me, I check out a Nikon in the price range I'm interested in.

Have you considered the a6000, basically the Nex 6's replacement. You can get a A mount to E mount adapter.

Maybe see if you can borrow a buddies Nikon body for a week or two, but I know the Nikon grip is a lot different than Sony's. Just make sure it's comfortable for you to use.

Does this small shop take trade ins? Maybe you can trade in all your Sony gear, and the repaired A550 towards the cost of a Nikon. You would get more selling it privately, but it'd be a lot less work. I think the Alpha mount will be around for a long time to come.

 

[havoc315]

If I'm the OP, I check out the A77 ii, if it's not for me, I check out a Nikon in the price range I'm interested in.

Have you considered the a6000, basically the Nex 6's replacement. You can get a A mount to E mount adapter.

Sony definitely tries to sell customers on the adapter. They try to promote the A-mount and E-mount as 1 big happy family, joined together by an adapter. (which of course only works in one direction).

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as it sounds.

The A-mount relies upon in-body stabilization. Therefore, A-mount lenses are not stabilized. The NEX/E-mount/A6000 does not have stabilization in the body....... So if someone is used to having those lenses stabilized on the A-mount body, they could be in for a rude awakening when all their slower shutter speed shots start to get blurry.

On top of that, the adapter that allows AF isn't cheap. Might be a nominal expense if you are using it to enable a $2,000 lens. But seems silly to buy a $350 adapter, in order to use a couple of cheap lenses.

Furthermore, the adapter introduces a translucent mirror into the E-mount equation (if using the adapter that enables AF). The mirror brings pros and cons when used on A-mount (enables full time live view, faster burst rates, EVF), it really only brings cons when used on E-mount. (Light loss, and you lose the excellent in-camera AF system of the E-mount, using the adapter system instead).

Thus, the adapter does have it's place for an E-mount user to supplement native lenses, it really is not a seamless switch from A-mount.

E-mount really remains primarily for photographers who want a smaller body, the advantages of mirrorless, and who don't often need fast aperture lenses and long telephoto lenses. The A-mount remains superior for those who prefer dSLR ergonomics and AF, with some of the advantages of mirrorless, and for those who want to make more regular use of fast glass and longer telephoto.

 

[zackiedawg]

On my trip I was having the same issues again. The flash fires and then the shutter releases so that I actually got somewhat better pictures in the dark with no flash. I was on the fill flash setting as well as auto flash. And yes I was somewhat close to the subject, less than 6 feet away. I also noticed that my pictures come out very sharp or a little fuzzy. I used 2 different lenses and am extremely careful when changing them to minimize the risk of dirt and dust getting into the lens or on the shutter. Neither lens was a kit lens.

I think a little more info might help us figure out where the nature of the problem is stemming from. What mode where you shooting in - Auto, P, A, S, M, etc? You mention being in fill-flash, but what was the shutter speed being delivered by the camera for those shots? It might help determine if the flash is not communicating with the camera and adjusting for the shutter speed, or if you're experiencing a rear-curtain fill effect on a long shutter exposure. In some cases, it could be bad settings, bad connections, or possibly even doing what it's supposed to!

My question then is the amount of shutter actuations a lot for this camera and should I just say forget it and get a new body? I have 2 weeks left on the extended warranty so I can get the camera sent to Sony to be overhauled.

Most definitely not! That's very low actuations for this camera. I have a 550, which is now spending more time on a shelf as a backup camera, since I have had the newer A580 for a few years - my A550 was put away as a backup 2 years ago with over 90,000 shutter actuations, and still works fine!

As for A-mount - it certainly doesn't look to be going away anytime soon. Last year they released several new lenses, including the release of a $12,000 500mm prime, and just a few weeks ago released the new A77II...so both lenses and bodies appear to still be coming out for Amount, both in APS-C and full-frame sizes. If you do need to replace the camera, or get a new one, you should check out the A77II to see if it might meet your needs, check out the A65 or A58 or other recent models, and if those are not to your liking, try handling a few Canon and NIkon and Pentax bodies to see if those might work better for you. They're all good cameras nowadays.

 

[tazdev3225]

These pictures were the reason I had it looked at in the first place.


this was with flash: f/8, 1/60. 200 ISO



This has the same exif just no flash.

This was in Disney after it was fixed.



This was taken in auto at: f/8, 1/125, 200 ISO



This was no flash an I think in P mode at: f/5.6, 1/10 and 1600 no flash.


f/8, 1/60, 200 ISO

This isn't as drastic a difference but still a difference and the one where I really noticed a flash and then a lag before the shutter opened.



Again no flash at: f/4, 1/10, 1600 ISO

If I use the flash I shoot in Auto. Otherwise it really depends on my mood but I will shoot Auto, P mode or go to manual.

Hopefully the pics will show what I am talking about. Or you can all tell me I'm crazy and everything is OK. Again any insight is greatly appreciated.

And Zackiedawg I knew you used Sony so was really hoping you would answer. I appreciate it.

 

[havoc315]

These pictures were the reason I had it looked at in the first place.


this was with flash: f/8, 1/60. 200 ISO



This has the same exif just no flash.

This was in Disney after it was fixed.



This was taken in auto at: f/8, 1/125, 200 ISO



This was no flash an I think in P mode at: f/5.6, 1/10 and 1600 no flash.


f/8, 1/60, 200 ISO

This isn't as drastic a difference but still a difference and the one where I really noticed a flash and then a lag before the shutter opened.



Again no flash at: f/4, 1/10, 1600 ISO

If I use the flash I shoot in Auto. Otherwise it really depends on my mood but I will shoot Auto, P mode or go to manual.

Hopefully the pics will show what I am talking about. Or you can all tell me I'm crazy and everything is OK. Again any insight is greatly appreciated.

And Zackiedawg I knew you used Sony so was really hoping you would answer. I appreciate it.

Okay.... It's pretty clear that the shutter and flash aren't occurring at the same time.
The reason your non-flash pics are a bit blurry is because of the very slow shutter speeds creating some camera shake.

So it's flash first, and then the shutter opening after a pause? I really don't know what would be causing that to happen. Definitely sounds like something is broken, definitely send it in for repairs.

Do you own an external flash? Have you tried the camera with an external flash?

 

[tazdev3225]

Okay.... It's pretty clear that the shutter and flash aren't occurring at the same time.
The reason your non-flash pics are a bit blurry is because of the very slow shutter speeds creating some camera shake.

So it's flash first, and then the shutter opening after a pause? I really don't know what would be causing that to happen. Definitely sounds like something is broken, definitely send it in for repairs.

Do you own an external flash? Have you tried the camera with an external flash?

Thank you I am glad I am not crazy. The in house guy definitely treated me that way even after showing him the dance pictures. And I try and stay very steady but not always easy hand-held. I know some of the issue is that. You would think I would use a tripod more often, I only have 3 of them.

And yes it's flash then shutter opening. Definitely out of sync.

I do have an external flash guess I should get it out but the camera is going back first. I have 2 weeks left on he extended warranty. Glad I put that money out this time.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Does the flash issue happen with all of your lenses or only the Sigma? For quite some time Sigma backward engineered for the Sony and there have been issues although I was thinking that it really started rearing it's head beginning with the A55 but I have a feeling I heard of issues popping up now and then prior to that.

Just to add on the death of the A mount. I believe that "rumor" has been going around since I first bought my A700 in 2008. 6 years and 20+ cameras later it's still going and Sony continues to develop and add some very interesting features to that mount. Until Sony itself makes an announcement I would not worry as long as there is a camera that meets your needs with it's features.

 

[tazdev3225]

Does the flash issue happen with all of your lenses or only the Sigma? For quite some time Sigma backward engineered for the Sony and there have been issues although I was thinking that it really started rearing it's head beginning with the A55 but I have a feeling I heard of issues popping up now and then prior to that.

I only recently got the Sigma and have had this issue off an on since I got the camera but that's a good thing to know. Thanks

 

[photo_chick]

There is a lot of room for user error here and since it's already been checked out it really does not look or sound like a body issue. Auto leaves a lot of room for the camera to choose when it will fire the flash. Shoot some in manual mode with the flash and see if you still have the issue.

That second picture is clearly a missed focus... it's on the signs behind them. Not a flash issue at all. The others all look like they could just as easily be issues with settings and not the flash. There's still not enough data here to tell either way.

Also if you have a burst of flash before the shutter releases it may be the flash assisting the auto focus. That doesn't mean it will fire the flash for the shot. On most cameras you can turn that off.

 

[tazdev3225]

There is a lot of room for user error here and since it's already been checked out it really does not look or sound like a body issue. Auto leaves a lot of room for the camera to choose when it will fire the flash. Shoot some in manual mode with the flash and see if you still have the issue.

Really would accept that if I had the issue on any of my other cameras. Just have a problem with this camera. And some of the out of focus stuff comes from being jostled at a crowded venue and my being angry so not paying attention.

That second picture is clearly a missed focus... it's on the signs behind them. Not a flash issue at all. The others all look like they could just as easily be issues with settings and not the flash. There's still not enough data here to tell either way.

The second picture was taken without a flash and I was bumped as I fired the shot off.

Also if you have a burst of flash before the shutter releases it may be the flash assisting the auto focus. That doesn't mean it will fire the flash for the shot. On most cameras you can turn that off.

Again I have other cameras and never have an issue with them when it comes to flash - just this camera.

 

[havoc315]

There is a lot of room for user error here and since it's already been checked out it really does not look or sound like a body issue. Auto leaves a lot of room for the camera to choose when it will fire the flash. Shoot some in manual mode with the flash and see if you still have the issue.

That second picture is clearly a missed focus... it's on the signs behind them. Not a flash issue at all. The others all look like they could just as easily be issues with settings and not the flash. There's still not enough data here to tell either way.

Also if you have a burst of flash before the shutter releases it may be the flash assisting the auto focus. That doesn't mean it will fire the flash for the shot. On most cameras you can turn that off.

I don't think the complaint is the soft exposed shots. The complaint is the severely underexposed shots -- definitely looks like a camera issue. The camera is using low ISO and a normal shutter speed, with severe under exposure when the flash is "on." When the flash is "off," you are getting high ISO, slow shutter speed, and proper exposure.

Clearly, the Meter is anticipating a flash that it isn't actually getting.

 

[photo_chick]

I don't think the complaint is the soft exposed shots. The complaint is the severely underexposed shots -- definitely looks like a camera issue. The camera is using low ISO and a normal shutter speed, with severe under exposure when the flash is "on." When the flash is "off," you are getting high ISO, slow shutter speed, and proper exposure.

Clearly, the Meter is anticipating a flash that it isn't actually getting.

It is impossible to make that judgement with the information given. Perhaps the flash was suppressed by a setting? Maybe there is something else going on with a different setting.

Post the full EXIF info. Copy ALL the data and post it, not just the limited information that's been given. Then people could start to hypothesize as to the problem. But right now, with what's posted, it's still fairly blind guesses.

I'm just speaking from my experience. I had what I thought was some wonky behavior in a body once. I thought it couldn't possibly be me. I had used DLSR's and SLR's for a number of years and never had this problem. I took it to get it checked out and they found nothing. Two weeks later I learned that I was in fact the cause of the problem. Well really it was a setting that I didn't realize was causing the issue. But the point is that it can happen to anyone and if the camera has already been checked for this issue, as the OP said, then there's evidence that might not be the camera.

 

[tazdev3225]

Just an update. I took the camera in today and even though the issue occurred once or twice the tech said the camera was fine and the flash won't fire in the dark. It isn't supposed to do that. Couldn't give me an answer when I asked him why the camera even had a flash then.

I insisted it be sent to Sony to be looked at. If it comes back and they say no problems I am giving it to my granddaughter as an introductory camera. She has a great eye and loves to take pictures.