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First, the bad news: Five popular makers of digital cameras and camcorders have acknowledged a defect that could cause hundreds of thousands of units manufactured from 2002 through 2004 to stop working correctly.
Now, the good news: All of the companies have agreed to fix the problem for free -- even if your camera or camcorder is out of warranty.
The defect can occur in more than 150 different models sold by Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Konica Minolta that use image sensors, called CCDs, made by Sony's semiconductor group.
The glitch involves the "glue" that holds the image sensor in place, says Rachel Branch, a Sony spokeswoman. Heat and humidity can cause the glue to deteriorate, disconnecting the sensor's wiring. This results in the camera capturing distorted images or no images at all.
Sony estimates that the problem has occurred or will occur in only one-half of 1 percent of cameras sold with the company's sensor in the United States because "it's not as hot or humid here as it is in, say, Singapore," Branch says.
But with digital camera sales alone pegged by research firm IDC at 150 million worldwide from 2002 through 2004, thousands of U.S. camera and camcorder owners might have to have their units repaired. Canon and Sony have ranked as either No. 1 or No. 2 in digital camera sales annually since 2002, according to IDC.
Sony declined to give specific numbers about how many sensors it manufactured with the potential defect or how many of its cameras and camcorders might be affected. The other manufacturers that use Sony image sensors also say the defect may occur in a small fraction of their cameras.
"You should only be concerned if your camera isn't taking pictures the way it should be," says Chris Chute, senior analyst for IDC's Digital Imaging Program. "This is by no means inclusive of all the cameras that any of these vendors have sold over the past couple of years."
Because the glue that holds the CCD and wiring in place deteriorates over time, Sony will fix cameras for free for two years from Oct. 3, when the company announced its repair program, Sony's Branch says. The other camera manufacturers haven't specified timeframes for their repair programs, but indicate on their Web sites that they will repair all defects caused by faulty CCD wiring on affected models.
While the repair programs are good news for camera owners who are experiencing issues or might in the future, at least one Sony customer says the global electronics giant should have alerted camera owners sooner.
What to do if you suspect a problem
All of the digital camera manufacturers affected by the possible CCD problem have issued service advisories on their Web sites that list which models are at risk and explain how to identify, if your camera has a problem .. and, what you can do to get it repaired.
In most cases, you should contact a company's technical or customer support to confirm that the camera is eligible for repair and needs to be fixed. If this is the case, you'll be instructed where to send it for service. The manufacturers generally pick up the return postage.
Here's a list of Web sites where manufacturers have posted service advisories:
Sony: http://www.css.ap.sony.com/consumer/template/ANDetails.aspx?... Sony also has set up several phone numbers for assistance. Professional customers in the eastern United States can call 201-833-5300. Professional customers in the western part of the country can call 866-766-9272. Consumers in any part of the United States can call 866-703-7669.
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