Wind on, no fire issue

L

louisb

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Feb 26, 2007
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I keep on finding my R-D1 does not fire after I wind on. I recall reading elsewhere in RFF about this issue. Can't seem to find the thread (maybe I am not looking hard enough).

Can anyone point me to it or alternatively summarise the problem? It is getting to be a bit of an irritation.

LouisB
 
I don't recall this being an issue but that could be my failing brain. However, I sometimes get the same thing... when the card is full.
 
Are you using the later firmware? The original version wouldn't fire on first press if you'd been chimping.
 
Use firmware 2.0 and make sure the camera doesn't go into sleep too fast (in the menu).

Magazines have "issues". You have a "problem".
 
pfogle said:
Are you using the later firmware? The original version wouldn't fire on first press if you'd been chimping.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Now you come to mention it, it could be occuring after I chimp. I do like to check the histogram. I'll have to do a controlled test when I get home. I use a high-grade Kingston SD card and I've never been danger of filling a card in my life.

On a totally separate point - I can never upgrade my firmware. The user-defined button on the control panel does not respond. As far as I know there is no other way to get the camera to reset and read the new firmware unless this button responds (unless someone knows of another way). I was thinking of trying to return it to Epson for an out of warranty fix but as far as I understand it, this is heroic undertaking.

LouisB
 
On a totally separate point - I can never upgrade my firmware. The user-defined button on the control panel does not respond. As far as I know there is no other way to get the camera to reset and read the new firmware unless this button responds (unless someone knows of another way). I was thinking of trying to return it to Epson for an out of warranty fix but as far as I understand it, this is heroic undertaking.

I think this is "user error". What are you talking about? Re-read the instructions for updating firmware,
 
1) You have to have the decompressed firmware files on a formatted SD card. It can't be zipped or in sit format.

2) The "user-defined" button is not supposed to "respond" to "reset" anything.

3) Put the card with the uncompressed firmware in the camera. Put in a fresh-charged battery. Hold down the menu and the user button AT THE SAME TIME with one hand.

4) With the other hand, while still holding down the two buttons, turn on the camera.

It will read the firmware file and you can start the update process.

If this confuses you or you have never updated the firmware in an electronic device before, take everything to some local 14 year old computer nerd and let him do it for you.
 
Edward Felcher said:
1) You have to have the decompressed firmware files on a formatted SD card. It can't be zipped or in sit format.

2) The "user-defined" button is not supposed to "respond" to "reset" anything.

3) Put the card with the uncompressed firmware in the camera. Put in a fresh-charged battery. Hold down the menu and the user button AT THE SAME TIME with one hand.

4) With the other hand, while still holding down the two buttons, turn on the camera.

It will read the firmware file and you can start the update process.

If this confuses you or you have never updated the firmware in an electronic device before, take everything to some local 14 year old computer nerd and let him do it for you.
Click to expand...

Edward, as a former computer professional of some 30+ years experience (was that before you were born?) I think I'll avoid the 14 year old computer nerd solution.

As stated before, my user defined button does not respond. I thought that statement was clear but clearly it is not.

In other words, when I press the user defined button, it does not do anything. I suspect it is a worn contact issue. I don't really care that I cannot use my user-defined button but it is a sticking point when it comes to firmware updates.

As you rightly state, installing the firmware requires the simultaneous pressing of both the menu and user defined buttons. However, as my user defined button does not work, I could press it from now until hell freezes over and unfortunately my R-D1 would be totally oblivious to this fact that I am asking it to do a cold boot and reinstall of firmware.

It is a rather odd failure, I grant you, and I've puzzled over why this specific button has failed as the other buttons do their job perfectly. I gues I am unlucky, is all.

If anyone can think of another way to get the R-D1 to cold boot then I'd be delighted to know as I would like to install the new firmware.

LouisB
 
If I had a nickle for all the "computer experts" who can't program a VCR or figure out how to install a driver, I could buy an entire set of "Mars Attack" cards.

By the way, I'm eleven years old.

When I was three years old, people had "problems" and bought "issues" of magazines.

Now that the Philistine English-mangling hordes have descended on the internets, and I turned eleven, suddenly "problems" became "issues". I think I'll have a heart attack before I turn twelve.

PS: When I press my "user" button, a secret compartment opens up on my R-D1, and a cleverly hidden minature Japanese Nanotech Minstrel Band appears and plays a tuneful bowlderized Oriental version of "I Wish I Were in Dixie".

I'm shocked that yours does not do the same.





PS: Others have cured dirty little oxidized buttons on devices that don't "cold bootstrap" by putting a single drop of methanol into the button and working it up and down a few times before trying it again.
 
Last edited:
This is a fairly common problem which seems to be with the shutter or shutter electronics. My has done it intermittently since I got it in November - then last week it simple would not fire at all. When i turn it off and back on it will click and I can wind it again, but it still will not fire. I upgraded the firmware right after I got it. This was not a full SD Card problem.

There is a thread here about a guy who can fix it for a few hundred $. Mine was still under warranty so it is with Epson now.

Good luck...
 
Edward Felcher said:
When I was three years old, people had "problems" and bought "issues" of magazines.
Click to expand...

I dunno, mate, it seems to me the only person with "issues" here is you.

Thanks for the methanol tip

LouisB
 
louisb said:
Edward, as a former computer professional of some 30+ years experience (was that before you were born?) I think I'll avoid the 14 year old computer nerd solution.

As stated before, my user defined button does not respond. I thought that statement was clear but clearly it is not.

In other words, when I press the user defined button, it does not do anything. I suspect it is a worn contact issue. I don't really care that I cannot use my user-defined button but it is a sticking point when it comes to firmware updates.

As you rightly state, installing the firmware requires the simultaneous pressing of both the menu and user defined buttons. However, as my user defined button does not work, I could press it from now until hell freezes over and unfortunately my R-D1 would be totally oblivious to this fact that I am asking it to do a cold boot and reinstall of firmware.

It is a rather odd failure, I grant you, and I've puzzled over why this specific button has failed as the other buttons do their job perfectly. I gues I am unlucky, is all.

If anyone can think of another way to get the R-D1 to cold boot then I'd be delighted to know as I would like to install the new firmware.

LouisB
Click to expand...


Check in the menu....you have to assign the button to do a task...I have mine to delete....if I'm not viewing any images..the button does nothing....don
 
Sometimes when you're advancing for the next shot your finger might have touched the WB/Q button with part of your thumb, it won't fire. Any time mine wouldn't fire it was that I had accidentally moved that button/lever thingy.

Ed.
 
M4streetshooter said:
Check in the menu....you have to assign the button to do a task...I have mine to delete....if I'm not viewing any images..the button does nothing....don
Click to expand...

Don

That's what I originally thought. I tried all sorts of tests to see if it was dedicated to chimping but sadly the button is as dead as a dodo. As I stated above, not much of a problem except I can't get the camera to reset. I guess I'm not even too bothered about the new firmware except for the comment above that it may resolve the won't-fire issue.

Thanks

Louis
 
One of my RD1 had a shutter that failed. I don't really remember the details now, but this is what I wrote in a thread at the time:

"In my case it seems that the front curtain won't stay down. I'll cock the shutter, and the front curtain goes down, but then as the lever is returning it pops back up. And then if I power-cycle the camera, it lets me cock the shutter again (with no shutter press in between). Very odd..."

That's from http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32209

So if that sounds like what yours is doing (can wind, can't fire) then here's the followup thread with details about the repair:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33325

(Basically, if it's out of warranty send it to Steve's Camera. Actually, I have one that's still under warranty, and I'd still send it to Steve instead of Epson).

j
 
JonasYip said:
Basically, if it's out of warranty send it to Steve's Camera. Actually, I have one that's still under warranty, and I'd still send it to Steve instead of Epson).
Click to expand...

Jonas

I'd love to send it Steve's but as I live in the UK I'd probably end up paying a load of customs duty when the camera is returned. Thanks for the thought.

LouisB
 
Robert White list firmware upgrades as a service you can purchase on their website. Perhaps give them a call?
 
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