Help!

Post by ad » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:29 pm

After 24 successful ebay transactions, my 25th is a stinger!!!!

I won a Nizo 561 Macro on german ebay (i live in england) and last night i picked it up from the DHL depot. Here's a list of what's wrong with the camera>>>

1. the battery case has corrosion on one of the springs that leads to the contact point outside of the case, which is also green with acid.

2. Upon removing the old batteries, one of the metal contacts on the base of the battery case fell out too!

So i managed to do a temporary fix, gave the green contacts a bit of a clean and here's what happened when i pulled the trigger (no film loaded):

1. The camera sounded like an old car spluttering in the morning. eventually it would kick into its normal running speed (or what sounded like it...), but on stopping and re-starting it resumed its spluttering.

2. the power zoom worked, but upon turing it manually, it felt like it was grinding.

Maybe the problems with the battery case are causing the problems with the shutter, maybe you have to use the power zoom, any opinions???

Assuming the camera is a dud, what should i do? The seller offered no warranty and said no returns, but also said the camera was working fine! Has anyone been in a similar situation to this? Failing this, does anyone know of a nizo service engineer based in the UK?

AGGGGHHHH!!!!

Thanks, Adam.

Post by **Rollef** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:46 pm

1)Use a solution of baking soda and water to clean off the battery residue. Works like a charm.

Some nizos are very eazy to open. Just some screws on the side and ou are there. then you'll maybe be able to see if some strange object is causing the sound.

2) Many Nizos have a ring on the lens with a mark for power\manual zoom. It is a ring close to the camera. I don't know yours but maybe it has. Others wil know. You are not supposed to force the zoom it its in the auto possition, so turn it to manual. Maybe that is the problem.

Post by ad » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:34 pm

Thanks for the advice on the battery leakage.

i couldn't find anything on the camera/lense to disable the power zoom...

also, i opened up the left side of the camera pretty easily, but it looked like most of the action was takin place on the right side (with all the buttons on). i didn't like the idea of prising the buttons off without being 100% sure of what i was doing...

Post by **Rollef** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:47 pm

If your nizo is like my nizo 800 you will not have to. They are stuck on the cover and comes off with the cover.

There could however be some slide switch (onoff) or testbutton pin you should should notice abs just make sure they do not fall out.

Post by **hellesdonfilms** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:53 pm

Sendean Cameras in London repair Nizo's.

http://www.sendeancameras.co.uk

Post by **ulrichbusse** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:17 pm

Hi Adam, I don't know what you did pay for that item, but if you bought it from a german seller you can try to cancel the contract.
If the seller said, the camera works fine, he has to ensure that, independently of warranty. If the camera does not work fine, the seller gave a wrong description and this is a reason for you to cancel the contract.
Write him an email about that. If he is unreasonable, you must look for help by ebay.
Last month I had a similarly case with a Nikon R10. I was buyer in germany, the seller came from Austria. The lens had a scratch, although the seller promised a damage-free item. I cancelled the contract and after some discussions by email he took the camera back and I got back my payment.

If you paid much money it is worth to try that.

regards

Post by ad » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:59 pm

thanks for the help - if all else fails i will try and get it repaired, but in the meantime i have tentatively opened discussions to try and get my money back.

and then start again!!!

Post by **Angus** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:31 pm

25 bad ebay transactions...how many good ones?

I've always found German ebayers amongst the very best. Can you post a link to the ebay advert for your camera?

Post by ad » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:21 am

25 good ones now!

i took the camera to a friend of a friend's last night who was able to get it running smoothly in about 15mins - something "had come loose in transit" apparently. if the way the box got slammed down on the desk at the depot is anything to go by, its journey probably wasn't the smoothest. . .

anyway, all's well that ends well. the seller had been extremely quick to respond and would have probably refunded me the difference had the camera not worked. Thanks for all the help anyway and i'll be sure to post up some footage as soon as i've done some shooting.

adam.

Post by **Angus** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:03 pm

I had a nizo S560 from Germany a little while ago...it was packed perfectly but still a mirror in the viewfinder tube came loose in transit. Fixed it in a few minutes.

It just shows that even when a seller goes to great lengths to protect a camera in transit...things can go wrong.