Do sensors wear out ?

A few weeks ago, the P&S camera that I use for work (not a Pentax) started showing strange colour banding on the LCD screen, when composing a picture.

The banding moves as you half depress the shutter.

This was not a problem as the images taken did not exhibit any of this colour banding.

However, the images now show this colour banding as a very narrow stripe along one long edge of the image.

Below is an example of what I mean.

[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s30/Hyram_Hare/IMG_3563-3.jpg[/IMG]

Can the sensor wear out or develop strange problems like old colour televisions :

Now this is interesting! My S..Y digital video camera developed a similar view and a couple of switch ons later total blank. Now guess who had serious quality issues with their sensors? I checked out on the web (camera was about to go in the bin) it seemed as if every video camera they made had a possible sensor fault. Anyway despite being 5 years old S..Y replaced the sensor in an out of warranty free of charge repair. So if the sensor is made by S..Y (and they made a lot for many cameras) search the web.

Cedric (not a S..Y fan)

Thanks for the information.

The camera is a Canon Ixus 5mp just approaching 5 years old.

I shall search for information about the sensor.

I have done a search and found this website :-

www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html

My Canon is on the list so it looks like an e-mail to Canon UK coming up

If it's a Canon there is a good chance it has the Sony sensor it it. Whether they are still repairing them free of charge I don't know.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html tells you about it.

Thanks Gwyn.

Checking the Canon site, it would appear that they are still doing repairs.

I hope so since it would be a shame to consign it to the bin

I have a Canon Ixus 430 that had the same problem.
Sent it back to a Canon dealer who fixed and returned it FOC.

I sent my Ixus 500 off to Colchester Camera Repair Service on Monday and it came back on Friday with a new 'optical unit', camera recalibrated etc. etc. all FOC.

Brilliant service

This dodgy sensor problem must have cost Sony a fortune