Dead T90: Anything I Can Do Before It Goes to Service?

[james_ollinger]

I ended up with a very clean Canon T90--but it's dead. No sign of life whatsoever. I tried two sets of fresh batteries

and nothing.

 

I've got a raft of Canon cameras but never had a T90 before. Is there anything I should try to do before I send it to

service? Is there some combination of buttons to push to do a reset, perhaps?

 

TIA,

-James

[bsharpe411]

Totally dead is probably easier to fix than problems that are erratic or involve shutter malfunctions. Although my T-90 has always worked fine, I had an A-1 that was totally dead, even with a fresh battery. I didn't even get a response from the battery check button. The problem was a broken wire from one of the battery terminals, just behind the front face. The problem,along with a complete CLA cost less than $100.

[james_ollinger]

I hope it's something simple like that. I've got an EOS-1n that's the same way. I'd like to get them working, but the sad fact is I'll never use them enough to make a big repair bill worthwhile. I just don't shoot film the way I used to.

[ben_hutcherson]

Try scrubbing the battery contacts with a pencil eraser. Sometimes, that's enough to bring a completely dead camera back to life.

[james_ollinger]

I'd cleaned the contacts on the batteries when I first got it, and the contacts deep inside the camera were good. But it hadn't occurred to me until you said this that I should look at the contacts on the battery holder itself. The thin plates that sit between the two batteries on each side were lightly corroded. A little sandpaper buffed them up, and suddenly my camera came to life.

 

I feel a little dumb, more vastly relieved.

 

I wonder if the EOS-1n has the same problem...

[User_4136860]

I'm pleased you got it going James, but sandpaper also takes the plating off the contacts if overdone, the best thing I have found to clean camera battery contacts is the contact cleaning pens, that have fibre glass bristles they sell in photographic shops.

[gordon_yee]

In the following thread, I suggested using Caig DeoxIt, a product designed specifically to clean electrical contacts:

 

http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00R8pe

 

One poster thought that DeoxIt was overkill. While I originally purchased Caig DeoxIt and ProGold to clean the many cables and contacts on my stereo equipment, I now use it on all electrical contacts, including flashlights and power cords. These cleaners are non-abrasive, preserving any metal plating, and do not leave particulate matter.

[walter_degroot]

when a flashlight gets dim, i buff everything I can reach with scotch brite

either pink( reddish) or green. it does the trick.

it may work for camera contacts.

I had a serious problem with the rechargable aa pack on a vinitar 283

some stick pens have a grayish white abrasive eraser.

[w_t1]

The information in this almost three year old thread worked for me, the pillow banging. You may not have the same problem, but it's worth a shot. My t-90 is fine to this day, I fire every couple of weeks. got some ektar 100 arriving tomorrow...Regards, Tom

 

http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00ESRV

[james_ollinger]

Thanks for all the advice. The battery contacts in the battery holder were to blame. I'll check out some of the things for cleaning in the future.

 

Something similar seems to have been the culprit with the EOS-1n. I'd bought it as DOA and nothing would bring it back, but I finally buffed (lightly) the contacts inside the camera and it powered back up. So go figure.

 

Happiness is working cameras.