Sharp VL-Z7U video camera

[meatdrink9]

The short: an awesome small camera for filming skiing (when it works).

The long: I bought this camera just over a year ago. Probably haven't even filmed a full tape worth of video yet and the thing won't function. It has a DEW sensor that constantly goes off and then shuts the camera down. You can't film, you can't upload to the computer, nothing. I thought maybe some water had gotten in at somepoint while filming some skiing. I followed everything the manual said (opened it up, removed battery, let it sit for a WEEK to "dry"). Try to turn it on...DEW...it shuts down again. So now I call Sharp and they give me a little bit of a runaround, but offer some valuable advice. There's a secondary smaller lithium battery that can be removed and help reset the cam. I do this...and IT WORKS....for a few days. So I call them today and they say I'm SOL and to call one there 3 service centers. I call the one in CA and talk to a lady there. I ask her what it would cost to fix the problem..."probably $200-$250, and would take 10 days". I don't have 10 days and that's more than half of what the camera cost. She hears my story and says "they should extend your warranty" and "you might want to try typing the camera model # and the word DEW into google and see what you find". It sounded like a good idea that might offer some solutions. So I do just that...the very first link is to a digital camera forum with over 26 pages of people bitching about the same problem. When reading the posts and frustrations of readers it's like I'm reading my exact experience. Some electronics savvy type has posted a way to solder two leads together and get past this stupid DEW sensor from hell. Every person that has followed his directions has had there camera work perfectly. 100% success rate. I call this into Sharp. Letting them know just how many people are having this problem. Several people who posted expressed similar customer service frustrations. Once I start talking to them and giving them detailed instructions about their faulty design and how many other people are having this problem. I say they should issue a recall...all of a sudden they're willing to pay to have my camera fixed. Too bad I don't have the time before heading to AK. So I'm going to try the solder technique before heading to AK and then send it in when I get back. I just thought it was lame that a company had something so flawed, that they knew was flawed, and never brought it up in numerous calls from myself. Once I showed I knew about their defect then they were willing to help me out.

[phUnk]

My DV cam is probably a little bigger, but you're welcome to use it for AK.

Let me know.

[meatdrink9]

My DV cam is probably a little bigger, but you're welcome to use it for AK.

Let me know.

Thanks man. Very cool...but I think we might be in the clear.

GT brought his (much like yours) out with him. That was going to be the cam crinkle uses (helmet cam as well).

I printed out the instructions from the internet forum for soldering the leads and bypassing the DEW sensor. GT and I hit radioshack tonight. I spent $26 in new electronic geek tools. We just finished the soldering a half hour ago and the camera is now functioning again. I've tested it a couple of ways and it's passed all of them. I'll test it in a few more warm to cold scenarios, but I think the problem is now solved. God bless the internet.

[gonzo]

I'll test it in a few more warm to cold scenarios...

Please elaborate...

freezer, oven, ACTION!