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Sony Alpha A100 menus not working

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erasmo

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Nov 23, 2008, 1:10:44 PM11/23/08
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Hi dear posters:

I am having serious problems with my Sony Alpha A100 camera.

It has stopped responding to manual inputs. When I turn it on and
press any button in the camera, it does not respond to the pressed
button.

The only menu that is shown in the display is the main menu, the one
with the main lectures and settings.

But if I try to change it with any button, like Menu, the Function
dial, or the Play button, the main menu, shown in the display.

Additionally, the camera does not focus when the shutter button is
released :-(

So, is there some physical camera button combination to reset the
camera to its original state ?

Some button combination that resets the A-100 to its initial state, so
that the Menu, Function and Play menus could appear again ?

And more generally: where could the fault be located ? What is
faulting in my camera ?

Kind regards

Erasmo

Dave Cohen

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Nov 23, 2008, 9:16:24 PM11/23/08
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If no one has a better idea, remove battery for an extended period. If
that doesn't help I would call or email their support people.
Dave Cohen

Pete D

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Nov 24, 2008, 3:22:03 AM11/24/08
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>
> If no one has a better idea, remove battery for an extended period. If
> that doesn't help I would call or email their support people.
> Dave Cohen

There may also be another battery that holds settings when the main battery
is removed, would be worth removing that one as well.

Pete


tn...@mucks.net

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Nov 24, 2008, 4:16:51 AM11/24/08
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Go to :

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-home.pl?mdl=DSLRA100&LOC=3

Click on the link to chat with Sony support

ASAAR

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Nov 24, 2008, 7:14:14 AM11/24/08
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On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:22:03 +1100, Pete D wrote:

>> If no one has a better idea, remove battery for an extended period. If
>> that doesn't help I would call or email their support people.
>

> There may also be another battery that holds settings when the main battery
> is removed, would be worth removing that one as well.

Easier said than done. Knowing that some of Sony's earlier P&S
cameras take a month for the internal battery to deplete when the
main battery is removed, I checked the A300's manual to see if it
also requires a month. Nope. The manual says (ambiguously, see
below) that the A300's internal battery will take 8 months to
deplete (page 163). One odd difference, if the manual can be
believed, is that whereas the P&S cameras charge their internal
batteries when a charged battery is placed in the camera, the manual
states that for the A300's internal battery to be charged, it's not
sufficient for the NP-FM500H to be in the camera - the A300 must
also be turned on. Quoting from p. 163 and 164 :

> This rechargeable battery is continually charged as long as you
> are using the camera. However, if you use the camera for only
> short periods, it discharges gradually, and if you do not use the
> camera at all for about 8 months it becomes completely discharged.
> In this case, be sure to charge this rechargeable battery before
> using the camera. However, even if this rechargeable battery is not
> charged, you can still use the camera as long as you do not record
> the date and time.

So after 8 months of non-use, is it the internal battery or both
the internal battery and the NP-FM500H that become discharged? Also,
per the last sentence of the quote, does it mean that the camera can
be used even if the NP-FM500H is discharged if the A300 is powered
by the optional "AC Adapter/Charger (not supplied)", presumably
creating images that lack the correct date/time in the EXIF data?

Dave Cohen

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Nov 24, 2008, 11:30:19 AM11/24/08
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I didn't not think of that when I made my post. The problem is whereas
my old A40 used a readily replaceable watch battery (which I had to
replace when I handed it down to my wife), my A95 uses a rechargeable
and appears to be well hidden so I just skipped that issue. I think the
op will need to contact support.
Dave Cohen

tn...@mucks.net

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Nov 24, 2008, 3:00:16 PM11/24/08
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I was curious myself so I gave them a call.
You need to try the POWER RESET PROCEDURE.

Just remove the battery and wait at least one minute.
Don't know if it will fix your problem, but that is how to
reset the camera manually.

Fred McKenzie

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Nov 24, 2008, 9:33:24 PM11/24/08
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In article <3q1mi4tniihu95uum...@4ax.com>, tn...@mucks.net
wrote:

Based on experience with other cameras, keep at least the last photo on
the camera's memory card when you reset it. Otherwise it may forget the
last number and start again at One.

Fred

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