Expert: John Oliverio - 6/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

Canon ES8100 has a viewfinder, and the other traditional viewer, where I have to place my eye close to it, and look inside the camera in order to see what I'm recording.

When I use the traditional viewer and look inside the camera, it's dark, and when I look at the area where the scenes being recorded are displayed, I see what seems to be like either (magnified) fibers or scratches on the surface where the image being recorded is shown. They don't move if I shake the camera, and I don't remember if they are there from the factory.

I wonder if there is a way for fibers to get into the camera or for something inside to get scratched, and whether I can remove them myself, or it requires a technician.

Btw, this camera has little use, and seems to be in mint condition, and stored protected from dust.

Thank you in advance,

Richard

ANSWER: Hi Richard,

 Well, something could have come loose in the camera.  Or the sensor or LCD could be bad.  Whatever the problem is, it will have to be seen by a repair facility.  

John

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi John,

Let me clarify, the camera works fine, the LCD wiewfinder is ok, I see this if I look thru the conventional viewer, the one you have to place close to the eye and look "inside" the camera.

What can cause this?

Thanks in advance,

Richard  

Answer
Well, there could be any number of things wrong with it.  The LCD could be bad, as I said.  There is a tiny LCD in there showing you the picture.  One of the finder lenses could be dirty or bad.  I've seen some finders that had black felt light baffles that could come loose.  If you can take it apart you may be able to tell.  But I don't suggest you do unless you are confident you can get it back together.  Sometimes you have to have special tools to work on these things.  

John