Rebel XTi - fragile screen?

[videodave]

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My new Rebel XTi/400D developed a bleeding LCD screen about 8 days into a

two-week trip to southern Ethiopia. There didn't seem to me to be any

precipitating event, but Canon assures me there must have been pressure on the

screen at some point. I took some photos, put the camera in its case, and when I

took it out again a few minutes later the screen was gone. The damage is not

covered under warranty. Canon is charging me $262 to fix it.

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The external, protective screen cover is intact and unmarred. I kept the camera

in a LowePro TLZ 65 AW closed-cell foam case at all times when not actually

photographing.

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I was traveling through rough areas in speedboats and Land Cruisers, and at

times had to crawl through low doorways etc. It is entirely conceivable that at

some point the camera body received, not a blow, but some pressure through the

bag. Evidently the plastic body flexed enough to destroy the LCD without

receiving or displaying any other sign of trauma.

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I am guessing that this could be a drawback of the new larger LCD - because it

has more surface area, it may be more susceptible to damage. With no secondary

screen, and minimal information in the viewfinder, I wasn't able to change

settings on the camera adequately. I could use the EOS utility on my laptop, but

even that isn't complete, and there was no way to change things in the field.

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Fortunately I also had along my EOS 350D body and was able to continue

photographing with that. I certainly missed the better autofocus of the 400D.

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It may be coincidence, but the only other Digital Rebel (a 300D) I encountered

in Africa was also broken - it gave an "Err 99" on its screen and wouldn't do

anything.

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The lesson for me is, metal bodies only for rough conditions. Are digital

cameras more fragile in general than the film cameras of old? In most cases I

guess that's a fair trade-off for higher functionality, but it's something to be

aware of.<div></div>

[mars c]

I'm sorry to see your xti damaged, but thank you for sharing your experience, I will consider buying a metal body next time.

 

The broken LCD inside , IMO, is caused by pressure from outside, the plastic body bends more easily than the metal ones.

[geoffs1]

Yuk. Bummer. Gald you had another body.

 

I'm thinking of buying an XTi as a second/backup body. I'm pretty rough on stuff so....

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff S.

[mars c]

I think, Canon is charging too much for the repair.

[PuppyDigs]

If you bought it with a credit card you may have coverage for accidental damage or theft. My

VISA and AE do. $262 seems like a lot to paid for a repair of a $800 camera. However

overhead is extremely high in the USA so it's par for the course (if you've ever run a small

business you know what I mean). Now if Canon sent it back to China for repairs it would

probably be $50 with shipping!

[NK Guy]

Buying a metal body wouldn't really help you. LCDs on cameras, music players, etc, tend to

break from pressure because they have plastic covers over them. With pressure these flex

inwards and push down on the thin glass cover of the LCD itself. The LCD cracks, then the

outer plastic part springs back into position, leaving no evidence.

 

The crack may not have occurred when you think you noticed it. What can also happen is

that the glass cracks at some point, but the liquid inside doesn't leak until a bit later.

 

Metal bodied cameras have the same issue of plastic covers over the LCD. As for digitals

more fragile than film, I don't really think so. There are fewer moving parts with digital

cameras, for one thing. Fewer mechanisms to break.

[mars c]

If you look at the image and study the break pattern, The pressure came from the right most part, probable the plastic back together with the plastic screen cover, flexed with pressure. If it were a metal body, It would be harder to flex.

 

Unless, the blow was directly at the center part of the screen, the metal body wont help. But the sceen cover will break first.

[gordon_kraeger1]

Sorry to hear your misfortune. You might consider one of the pop-up screen covers such as "Hoodman" or "Delkin". I bought the Delkin one in order to keep my nose print from constantly being on the screen, but it might be a help in your case, since the unit includes a glass plate over the screen. The hood makes it easier to see the screen in the daylight, too. Hope you get it fixed.

[videodave]

Thanks for all the thoughtful answers. I'll consider the Delkin, though I am afraid it would slow me down. I think NK Guy is right that the actual damage probably happened some time before the screen failed, and Mars C is correct in noting that the breakage radiates from the right edge. I know LCDs are always going to be fragile if pushed in the center, but I do think a metal body may have flexed less at the edge and protected it better. Also, I believe the plastic clear screen is actually not in contact with the LCD itself.

 

For those who are saying the repair is expensive, the Canon service center tells me they are charging this as a "normal repair" when it would ordinarily be a "major repair" and cost me much more.

 

Thanks again.