steve_c.5 Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Well, guys, this is something none of us want to see. I was on a shoot this afternoon, and had a little mishap. I had just bought this lightly used A700 with battery grip from a Dyxum member for $1100, so I can shoot weddings with two A700's, and get rid of the A100/Dicain. We had just moved to another location, and as I was getting the camera out of my case, I fumbled it in my hands, almost dropping it. As I caught it, my thumb impacted the LCD on the left side, and it went all wonky. I've attached pics. The plastic screen did not fracture, but the LCD element inside apparently took a whack. It does flex when you press it with your finger, so I guess Sony really should have put a thicker lens on these. Anyway, just be careful handling the camera. I've got to send it off to Sony service, and God knows how long I'll have to wait for it to be shipped back, or what this'll cost me (Sony's flat fee for A700 repair is $458 US). I'll keep you all posted.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelChang Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Sorry to learn of your mishap, Steve, and thanks for the reminder to be careful - it only takes a moment's inattention. Is there not a LCD protector available for the A700? I have one on the Nikon D70; it obscures the view, but better that than risking damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 It doesn't look like your camera takes a plastic protector, but it definitely would have helped. Another option is to buy some of those electrostatic flexible protectors, sort of like the ones that cover cell phone LCDs. It might give a little more protection. Frankly, if there is no protective plastic cover with this camera, it's a design flaw by Sony. They take great pictures though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricardovaste Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 ... when I first looked at the photo's, then I read on... So unfortunate for this to happen to you! I never would have imagined that you could damage the LCD like this from simply applying pressure with your thumb. Now, my nose is pretty big, I'm going to have to re-think my shooting position now ;-). Sorry that you've had this trouble Steve. I guess the silver lining is that is was a replacement/secondary A700, so you won't be stuck with the A100 as the only camera (though perfectly capable, I'm sure you prefer the speed/interface of the A700 for weddings). Indeed, please keep us updated & I wish you all the best with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_c.5 Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 Yeah, I don't think a flexible plastic protector would have helped here. Maybe a 1/8" sheet of lexan or plexiglas might have protected it, because it would be stiff enough to prevent the impact of my knuckle from pressing into the screen. I might look into fabricating one and securing it with a thin surrounding strip of double-sided tape. I depend on these cameras for my livelihood, and can't afford for one to be off at Sony repair for gosh-knows how long. The D70 came with a snap-on plastic screen, but then the D70 had a much smaller LCD. I really think if Sony had made the plastic screen thicker internally, it would have prevented this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_c.5 Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 Richard, thanks for the sympathy, old man! Actually, in this case, I may have been better off if I went ahead and dropped it, as it may have landed on a sturdy corner instead of impacting with the knuckle of my thumb. Who knows. I've got a church wedding next weekend, and I was really looking forward to using both the A700's with the natural lighting of the church. It's easier to shoot these ceremonies when you have a long fast lens on one body and shorter wider lenses on your other body. The A100 is okay, but the high ISO performance isn't up to the task in some of these dim churches. Too grainy. Good thing I hadn't sold it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_c.5 Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 Other forums have informed me of hard screen protectors available for the A700, one from Sony that snaps on, made of plastic, and others that are hard polycarbonate or actual .5mm thick glass that have a thin adhesive strip to hold them on. All are fairly cheap, so I'm going to look into them. With a 3" LCD, it's a large target for an impact, and with the heavy A700/grip and a lens, there's a lot of weight behind it if it falls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_c.5 Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 I've ordered the GGS glass screen protector from an Ebay merchant. Other forums mentioned that it was a perfect fit for the A700 and worked well. Now, I just gotta wait til it comes from Hong Kong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rameshr Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 <p>Steve,</p> <p>Same thing happend to me today. I don't know how. My LCD screen looks just like yours. I want to send it out to Sony. What did it cost you to get it fix it?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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