Expert: John Oliverio - 5/4/2006

Question
Hello

I own an Olympus digital camera - very similar to, if not exactly like the one at http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/29_C-350_ZOOM.htm

Recently it stopped taking photos.  Specifically, it went through the motions, doing everything right, making the right noises, even flashing.  However, the viewscreen did not work - either in "view what you're taking" mode or "here's what you just took" mode (excuse the technical terms!) - and all it showed was a black screen.

I asked a friend who told me that it sounded like the CCD was broken.  He explained that this is the bit that turns light into numbers (and thus into the digital image)... although this is all a bit beyond me!  If the CCD was broken, he said, the camera itself was beyond repair.

I have two questions, basically, please:

1) is my friend right?

2) if he is, any guidance on what I should buy as a replacement would be appreciated (it's out of warranty).  I'm slowly and enthusiastically getting into digital photography, mostly from travels.  I'm not a huge techie sort so would appreciate something that was as easy to understand as the Olympus - but maybe other makes beat Olumpus over all?  My last one cost £179 (UK pounds) and I'd hope not to have to spend over 200 pounds this time around.

Any help or guidance would be very gratefully appreciated!

Have a lovely day
Simon

Answer
Simon,

Your friend may be right in his conclusion, but wrong with his facts.  A CCD does not  turn light into numbers....  the AD converter does that.  A CCD is actually an ANALOG device.  CCD's actually predate digital cameras by many years.  Also, it could just as easily be the LCD screen that is bad.  The way to tell is by checking as to wether or not you can get the menus to come up.  Having said all of that, it doesn't really matter because he is right about it not being worth the cost of a repair.  

Olympus makes good cameras.  You may also want to check out Nikon and Canon.  Canon in particular because if you are really getting into the nuts and bolts of photography, their "A" series cameras actually offer manual exposure control.  They are doing three "A" series this year, starting around $200 USD.

John