I have a Canon A75, which is 6 years old. The on/off button is getting harder to operate. I am required to push very hard to turn the camera on. A slight push is all that is needed to turn the camera off. What can be done?

May I add a warning here - using an old film flash unit with digital cameras is not recommended, as the trigger voltage is way too high (over 350 volts as mentioned), whereas the digital usually requires 6-10 volts. Using the old flash could totally fry your camera.

Hello!!

Firstly switch off the camera
press and hold the ok button and turn the camera on and off for few times
whilst keeping this button depressed. if it dint work let me know


Regards
Smilemaker.

I had a Canon Elan IIe and I don't recall having to have electronics to open the camera back.
Make sure you have a battery in it, turn it on look at the LCD panel and see if it has film in it.
If so you should be able to push the "mid roll" film rewind button located on the back left side it shows a film canister icon. Once the film has rewound into the canister release the back with the mechanical latch found on the left side (while facing the back of the camera) just push it down and the back will pop open. Those cameras are pretty darn good and the only thing I've seen friy the electronics is using an "old" type flash on the hot shoe and that takes the flash circuit board and melts the thing. I'd expect the camera battery is dead and you can't rewind the film back into the canister.

I have a 3 year old Canon PowerShot SX100 IS. While testing an external battery power supply I built, the external power connector pulled out while the lens barrel was extending just after I turned on the camera. Power to the camera was lost before the lens barrel fully extended and wouldn't reset when I repowered the camera. The dreaded error message "Lens error, restart camera" appeared and the camera shut down. I restarted the camera over and over and over again but the lens wouldn't reset. I was extremely lucky to find the information here and read various fixes. I didn't want to take the camera apart so I tried various fixes others have successfully used. I first tried smacking the bottom of the camera hard with the palm of my hand just after pushing the on/off button but that didn't work. The one which worked was smacking the camera on the side immediately after I pushed the on/off button. I smacked it quite hard twice with the palm of my hand then, suddenly, the lens barrel began to move and the lens reset itself back to its starting position. Thanks to everyone who has posted here!

the lens contacts are dirty - get a pencil with an eraser on the end, just a regular old pencil with a red rubber eraser. Detach the lens from the camera, hold it so that the lens’ gold contacts are pointing down and lightly erase their exposed surface, cleaning them of any hand oil that might have gotten on them. Do the same thing with the gold contacts inside the camera body. This is a bit harder but it’s doable: just hold camera so lens opening points down so no gunk falls in. Erase lightly. I've used a lens cloth and dabbed at the contacts rather than blow them so as not to blow the erasings inside the camera.
Works well for me....let me know how you fair!

First try hitting the DISP button (sorry if this offends, but many people have made this mistake). If this doesn't help, next try resetting the camera. Turn on the camera, and hold the menu button for at least five seconds. Believe reset is also in the menus.

If the above doesn't help, then unfortunately this sounds like your CCD image sensor may have failed. This would then require professional repair. Contact Canon at 1-800-OK-CANON.

dust, use some compressed air to shift it. You will get some in a pc accessories store

If you have used the camera a lot in that time frame then I would try a new battery first.

push the flash into its resting place with a little pressure, turn unit over, take an image requiring flash while pushing on the flash and then quickly release the flash.
something is likely broken and may clear out when camera in alternate position.
otherwise, off to service. don't force it.
good luck
mark

If you push the power button and do not see any signs of life at all, it is most likely a blown fuse. In this model disassembly is required to replace the fuse, and it is soldered onto the main power board. If there are signs of life, but the camera does not function there are other explanations. Jammed lenses are the most common cause of power-on failure. Check with your manufacturer for recalls and warranty service information. Failing that you can find a repair provider online. David Millier Advance Camera Repair