20 Most Recent Konica Minolta DiMAGE A1 Digital Camera - Page 2 Questions & Answers

I had similar problem with my Minolta camera. There is no way to fight with them. DO NOT DEAL WITH SONY ANYMORE, my best answer. It looks like Sony has special position on support own products. We have to start consumer's protection company against of SONY. Personally, I used to sped more then $10,000 to by Sony's staff, if it works - it works, otherwise you are in trouble if you do not have extended warranty. NEVER BUY SONY!

Hi!
If it shows the menu, it could be CCD problem. This is a well known problem with the A1. You should contact your local Konica-Minolta (Sony) service center and see if they can change the CCD for free as they were factory fault, if I remember it right.

Tom

If you're lucky, the CF card is faulty. It's going to be a very old card now if it's the original one supplied/bought with your A1. You've never upgraded to a larger card in all this time so it suggests you've never needed to. 128 and 256mb cards are virtually worthless now, so I'd be amazed if you couldn't get one for free via Yahoo FreeCycle. You can also try reformatting your card in a card reader/writer, but A1's and A2's often won't recognise a card formatted in this way and it can render them permanently unreadable by all A1/A2/A200 cameras.

If you're unlucky, then you've bent or broken one or more of the pins inside the card slot which connect to your card when you insert it. To check, get a bright torch and look down inside the card slot. Any bent pins will be self evident as there should be a neat double row of pins and missing pins will show up as gaps.

If you have bent pins then you've nothing to lose by trying to carefully straighten them, if you can't or if the pins are broken, then your camera is effectively irrepairable. Scrap A1's and A2's can both provide the part, but retreiving them from the donor camera is really difficult and so far I've never managed to refit one successfully and I've done a few now. A pro repair is simply not cost effective, especially when a perfectly good used A1 goes for around £40-£50 and the better A2's go for around £80-£100. If you're in North America you can expect prices to be even lower.

you will have to replace the CCD chip alone. it is worth fixing. you can go ahead. but do it with some authorized service center.

Hi

Whats the capacity of your memory card? check for compatibility of card, since memory cards that have 4gb to 8gb are not compatible with some cameras. check as well from your cameras manufacturer if they have a firmware that will support such cards for your device/camera.

Hope this helps

you reformated the card in the cam or in card reader? do a format in computer and then do the low level format in cam. that wil help.

hi anjali,
i think the problem must be with the replacement of the CCD chip. they must have must some damage to the cam with out their knowledge. but the thing is you cant even claim that with Sony. you must have took it right next day.
that too if you are in india you cant expect the service people to get these things fixed so soon. you must have been attentive.

I got the same problem back in December of 2006 (9 months ago). Since then, the camara has been on the shelf inside its case. Of course, I've been thinking about when to send it for repair or just buy a new camera. Just today, I got in the mail a letter from Monolta informing me of a class action lawsuit involving the DiMage A1 cameras. The problem is related to faulty CCD sensor creating the problem of a distorted image on the LCD and viewfinder. They will repair it or reimburse any repairs you may have already done or a reimbursement if you bought a new camara as a replacement. Replacements have a limit of up to $206. Go to http://ca.konicaminolta.com/ccdsettlemen... for more info on the lawsuit. There is also a link to a site to start the repair part. There is a deadline to apply for the repair which is three years from the time of purchase or March 31, 2008. RicoE

Sony (who bought KM) will fix this for free. http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?template_id=1&news_id=131

If this also shows up on the pictures it could be a defective Sony CCD issue. If so, Sony will fix your Minolta camera for free (with free shipping) regardless of warranty. You need to do this before March 31, 2008 so get going! See this link:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/sony-konica-minolta-cameras.html

The Dimage models that Sony is accepting for the recall repair are:
Dimage 7HI, 7I, A1, Xi, F300, XT, X20, S414.

I bought a card reader and use it instead of directly connecting to computer with camera. Saves battery life and cost under $30 canadian. Simple file transfer this way. At least your camera is still working! Mine is dead and Sony says no parts available.

This sounds like a defective Sony CCD issue. If so, Sony will fix your Minolta camera for free (with free shipping) regardless of warranty. You need to do this before March 31, 2008 so get going! See this link:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?template_id=1&news_id=131#
The Dimage models that Sony is accepting for the recall repair are:
Dimage 7HI, 7I, A1, Xi, F300, XT, X20, S414.

Sounds like a CCD fault. Many A1 users, including myself, have had this. Allegedly, Sony, who made and fitted the CCD sensors, had a manufacturing "issue" at the time. Many A1s were recalled and others, including mine, have been successfully repaired free of charge by Sony on request. I suggest that you contact your vendor or a local repair shop to discover whether this service is (still?) available in your location. It's well worth the effort as this is a fine camera. Good luck.

hi, as per my experience symptoms you described is related to ccd. I think ccd replacement is must.It is really hard and costly to fix this problem but if you have bill and warranty dont worry. Just go to KonicaMinolta shop. good luck...

Hope you still have the camera. If so, Sony will fix your Minolta camera for free (with free shipping) regardless of warranty. You need to do this before March 31, 2008 so get going! See this link:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?template_id=1&news_id=131#
The Dimage models that Sony is accepting for the recall repair are:
Dimage 7HI, 7I, A1, Xi, F300, XT, X20, S414.

Replace the CCD. According to consumer reports, some manufacturers are extending their cameras' warranties because of the frequency of this failure. Check out this information describing consumer reports' information on the failure of the CCD. http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1128958202.html Good luck, Myles

When the color profile is embedded in a JPEG image, the file extension becomes "*.JPE" (when setting at "Embedded Adobe RGB" with DiMAGE A1). Please check beforehand as the application software and printer which do not support JPE file cannot recognize JPE file.

Please follow the procedure below: 1. While the message is displayed, press the center of the controller. 2. The LCD monitor and data panel will turn off . 3. Turn the Main Switch to OFF and remove the CompactFlash card from the camera. 4. If "No Card " message appears at next time the camera is activated in the recording mode, the camera and CompactFlash card are OK. 5. In case that "Card Error. OK" appears again, the CompactFlash card may be faulty. Use other card.

When printing the recorded images directly from the card slot of the printer, the printer which does not support TIFF and RAW cannot print those image files. Print the images with an application software which supports those file formats.