Old digital camera electronics drawing current?

after nearly 20 years it might be time to think about getting a new camera ..

Peter,

If it didn't happen before, it /shouldn't/ happen now. Are you sure that there is a physical on/off switch you've missed?

However, if the batteries are 19 years old they may be the problem rather than anything in the camera itself. If the batteries are no longer being manufactured what you buy as "new" may have been made many years ago, and long past their working lifetime (3-5-7 years?).

Yes, there could be an age problem with the capacitors in the camera, but these capacitors can sometimes "reform" if run with a steady voltage for some time. Can you keep the camera on while the batteries are being charged, i.e. is there in-camera charging?

Apart from the optical zoom, your phone camera my well be better.

Sadly, yes

IF the battery is as old as the camera then I am surprised that it still holds any charge at all. Lithium batteries typically last around 10-15 years or so in regular use if you look after them (and <2 years if abused).

Then it is clearly something in the camera. Most likely would be some contamination allowing leakage current to track from one terminal to the other. It could also be that the circuit board is slightly hydroscopic and moisture has made the whole thing leaky.

Ageing circuitboards can develop cusious faults over 20 years due to residual traces of flux and moisture ingress and capacitors failing. (although the latter usually fail by losing capacitance or swelling up and then leaking their vital fluids everywhere). The latter could well explain your observation that there is continuous battery load.

Probably the most common fault in modern electronics is a teensy surface mount ceramic capacitor shorting out. Or showing high leakage. There aren't many electrolytics used these days at all. Unless you have the time, the patience the kit and steady hands its not worth it.

Can probably pick up a replacement camera on ebay for peanuts

Probably unfixable (economically). Have you tried just removing the battery when not in use?

Tim

I have a device here, with 4000 series CMOS in it.

One day, it started playing games.

The circuit, is an "auto-off" circuit.

Well, unfortunately, it uses capacitors to time a ten minute interval (film caps, not electrolytics). And something about those acted up, causing the power switching circuit to malfunction and drain the battery.

I don't know what exactly fixed it. I had removed the battery for a week or so, hoping leakage currents would drain any portions of the circuit not working properly. That didn't help. But maybe some transient of putting the battery in and removing it, reset something.

It's been several years since that happened, and the auto-off has been fine the whole time.

*******

Note that, cameras in the past, contained an RTC (real time clock). Sometimes this is based on a second smaller battery. I've had one old digital camera (Kodak), the *instant* I attempted to use the menu item to adjust the time setting, the screen went black and the camera never started ever again. As they say, shit happens. Some sort of planned obsolescence I would guess. I would not mind working on it, but at the time, I googled my ass off, and absolutely nobody has taken one apart, or noted any foibles. I have no hints where to start. And with some cameras, there are all sorts of things that you cannot be careless with. They're designed as a trap for the unwary. That's why I won't venture in, without at least a little documentation.

Paul

As the owner and user of lots of old cameras - some which are older than I am (which is saying something) - I completely understand the OP's point of view.

Nick

<big snip>>>

Whilst this is true, there's a big difference. Your PHONE will probably take bloody good pictures but YOU are free to take good/bad/awful pictures in your own way when you use a camera.

Nick

FSVO Peanuts. Between about £30-£120 when I looked on eBay just now.

If I really liked an old camera enough, I would probably shell out that amount to get one that worked but the truth is, when I find a vintage camera I like, I usually buy a second one[1] and then a third[2] at the same time if the price is right.

Nick [1]One set in the UK and the other set in Argentina to save me lugging loads of gear both ways across the Atlantic a couple of times a year. [2]Just in case No.1 or No.2 breaks down

Yes. Always, always check the battery contacts. I bought a Pentax DSLR which sold for £9.99 marked "dead." Absolutely fine after cleaning the battery compartment very, very well. I was willing to punt £9.99 because, having accidentally blown up the odd Pentax camera in the past and having discovered that usually only certain parts were destroyed by my doing stupid things, I was pretty sure it could only have been the battery contacts.

Nick

How do you value your time? Can you fix it yourself?

Exactly. I am running some old kit that Just Works and I cannot be arsed to change. If it breaks I would try and find a second hand one to replace it

Bu if my old 6MPx Nikon body fails i wont replace it. There are far far better ones around to fit the same set of lenses at hald the price.

CMOS very susceptible to electrostatic damage ....

geoff

When I designed with 4000 series at work, I had the misfortune to discover that the factory database had 13 or 15 suppliers of the chips. Which meant defensive design was a bitch.

At the bottom of that page, you can see they demonstrate three front ends. There might be some differences in the sensitivity of those. And if there really were 15 suppliers, that's 15 possible front ends that you'd have to research. They might not all have had the same rating.

Paul