Camera experts, help request...

[doubleohfive]

So I've got an older, digital point & shoot -- Sony Cyber-shot P73. Got it in 2004. Seems to function just fine, with one exception -- the camera refuses to detect any memory stick.

I've googled, I've researched ... and before biting the bullet to take the thing in to Samy's, I wanted to query here and see if anyone had any suggestions about what I could possibly do to fix the camera?

I've got three separate memory sticks (including the one the camera came with back in '04 -- a whopping 256MB on that baby!) and while I am grateful the camera is essentially working, it also isn't because what's the point of taking pictures if the camera doesn't save them?

Additionally, I've got about a hundred pictures on one of the memory sticks that I'd like to salvage, and I can't do that without a camera that will read the memory stick! (Though, I suppose if I *had* to, I could go get a card/stick reader ... but really, I'd rather not have to go that extra step unless it's absolutely necessary.

As ever, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Small White Car]

Get a multi-card reader to salvage your old pics.

Then throw it all away and buy a new camera based on the camera you want, not the chips you own.

Buying 2 GB or 4 GB chips is so economical now there's no reason to base an entire camera around a 256 MB card that, by the way, probably has a far slower read/write time than modern cards.

Don't let it control you. Just throw it all away.

 

[doubleohfive]

Ideally, that's precisely what I would do. However I do not have a whole lot of disposable income at the moment, hence my willingness to find a work-around for this particular problem. Unless the camera is absolutely (or at least cost-prohibitively) irreparable, I'd like to explore those options first.

 

[The Fatman]

I can think of two possibilities:

1) try updating/flashing the firmware in the camera
2) try physically cleaning the card slot in the camera. 97% ispropyl alcohol and a q-tip.

If neither of those work, then I agree with SWC... invest in a cheap multipcard reader from new-egg and then invest in a new point and shoot. With what repair shops charge for labor it's not worth it unless you're dealing with a big pro-level DSLR or Rangefinder.

Hell, the Canon A480 is an incredible little 10MP point and shoot, and it's MSRP is only $99USD.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Do those cards fit in one of those card reader slots in a laptop?

 

[Mr Awe]

Generally speaking, these cameras are more expensive to fix than to replace with a new one. Also, I've owned a bunch of point and shoot cameras over the years. We get good use out of ours and notice that generally something on them breaks within 2 or 3 years. Even if you were to fix this specific problem, something else would probably break fairly soon. The companies basically want you to buy new ones every several years.

So, no recommendation other than it might well be irreperable. Or at least cost more to fix than buy a new one. A super cheap new one would be superior to a 6 year old one anyway and *probably* would cost less.

Mr Awe

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

USB card readers, even multi format readers, cost next to nothing. They also upload data much faster and more reliably than the antiquated camera with its software.

P&S cameras, on the other hand, definitely abide by the principles of planned obselescence and are not worth the expense to repair, assuming the manufacturer even offers support to your older model.

You can likely a better camera and a card reader for less money than the repair of the old camera. Surrender your old camera to the next electronics recycling drive in your community.

 

[Arrqh]

USB card readers, even multi format readers, cost next to nothing. They also upload data much faster and more reliably than the antiquated camera with its software.

Indeed, a quick look on NewEgg shows quite a few under $10 including shipping. If the camera is actually broken, which it appears to be, getting it working again in a state to salvage any pictures is gonna cost a lot more then $10.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Is it safe to assume the camera has no internal memory of it's own?

 

[RJDiogenes]

They usually have room for about a half dozen pics without a chip.

 

[Finn]

I have two digital cameras. Neither can hold a picture without a memory card.