20 Most Recent Vivitar ViviCam 5385 Digital Camera - Page 9 Questions & Answers

For the initial problem, it sounds like the connection between the image sensor and the rest of the electronics came loose. Not much you can do unless you are comfortable taking the camera apart, and looking for the tiny little ribbon connector that has probably come loose. To get to the image sensor to look for bad connections generally means taking the camera completely apart, not just removing the case. Sorry.

If the camera is 15 months old check and see how you paid for it. Some credit cards offer automatic warranty extension for things bought with the credit card. If the original warranty was a year you might still be covered by an extended warranty if your credit card company does this.

For the people looking for a manual in this thread I found a manual for the 5385 at retrevo.com

There is a small watch battery inside the camera that cauld reset the camera's bios but you will need to desolder it and i dont think you want to go that far.

If it is a Windows computer ,just plug it in
Windows can it all without software.

Well, we are having problems with the screen turned black when we try to take a picture, just like others on this website. The LCD works for the menu, but not for picture taking. It quit in the middle of the trip to Monterey. As for your problem, can you remove the chip and put the chip into the computer. That's what I just did and I copied all the pictures we took (until the black screen problem struck yesterday) and moved them to my computer that way because we can't find the cord we bought to transfer. Try that! It worked for us! Good luck to you...

If the camera is less than one year - return it for replacement.
If older - throw it away.

Could be a loose connector.
These situated at boas of screen so try squeezing the camera body in this area to try for a reconnection.

Totally dark or shadow images?
Either way its a no repair option
replace the camera

Go purchase a card rreader they are cheap and it saves on camera batteries.

You do not need software to up load images to any Windows NTFS computer.
Windows can do it all by itself.
You can dowqn load suitable reading/printing software for free

www.picasa.com and www.irfanview.com
are but two

This is a sensor error- May be a know component fault- whereby the camera will be replaced.
Otherwise replace the camera- No repair as such likely

Mine was doing this and now it won't even turn on. It turns on, says lens error, then turns off.

The lens mechanism is damaged.Replace lens assy.

You can download the manual from the link below: http://www.vivitar.com/manuals/english/ViviCam5385/CameraManual.pdf Please update the question & let us know if the information given was useful to you - Good Luck!

Unless you are a watch maker and access to spares you probably wont fix it.
So in my view only gentle manipulation is all the average guy can do before consinging it to the bin
As you correctly surmise these things are not usally repairable and can cost a lot for the shop to look to tell you no Can do.

what operating system are you using because any thing after and including Windows ME should not need the CD
Your computer should see it as a removable drive or disc you can find it in "my computer " it's drive number will depend on how many other drives you have fitted but will usually be drive E or F
when you find it RIGHT click on it and from the drop down menu select EXPLORE this should open the camera memory storage and show you what if anything is in there

Having found your camera and it's pictures again RIGHT click on the folder you want and on the drop down menu select COPY then open your MY PICTURES from the start up list when this opens Right click on the open page and on this drop down menu select PASTE and all things being equal your camera contents should end up in your My Pictures folder for you to manipulate as you wish

Twiggy

Go to Vivitar web side and download to your computer the relevant drivers for your camera and OS. It should solve your problem. Good luck!

Does it experience accidental dropped, or may be it may need a battery recharged..

If you have a Windows computer the reason you cannot find a driver is because it does not need one. If you have put software from the supplied disk in - remove it. Reboot the computer Plug the camera in switched to the upload position Windows will then put op the camera/scanner Wizard and you can take it from there

Hi, hi52 - You can download a copy of your Manual from "vivitar.com/en-us/Support.aspx" Just specify your Vivicam 5385 as the Model (drop down and find it). It is 66 pages in A5 format. Before I knew it I was downloading in error and now have it on my Computer!

If you have a recent computer - such as ME/2000/XP Then it is good news. You wont need the disk i infact I tell folk the best place for the disk is in the box - just dont take it out. And if it has been intalled - uninstall it Windows can do very well without. Just plug in the camera, set it up to upload The Camera/Scanner Wizard will come up and ask you all sorts of meaningful questions.