Canon PowerShot A620 Dilemma

[P229SAS]

I purchased my Canon PowerShot A620 through Dell in mid 2006 and it has recently developed an interesting problem. Something inside the camera is blocking the top left portion of the image and when I shine a flashlight in front of the camera, it will adjust itself as the light changes. The only way to get "around" it is to zoom in and obviously that is unacceptable unless the only pictures I take are of distant objects.

I contacted Canon tech support about it and was instructed to remove the batteries for a few hours then reinsert them as well as to reset everything to default. Neither of these options worked.

They have given me two options, I can pay $99 to ship it in to be serviced, or I can pay $125 + $10 shipping for a refurbished A620 with a 6 month warranty. Of course I could also just buy a new camera.

I am definitely an amateur at picture taking and left the A620 on "Auto" about 99% of the time which produced excellent quality photos as long as I did my part.

So the question is, which option would you recommend I take - send in for service, buy a refurb, or just get a new camera? If you would advise me to purchase a new camera and be done with it, my budget would be around $100-150 but would spend a little more if absolutely necessary for an exceptionally good product. If you are wondering why I'd spend less on a new camera than the A620 originally cost, that is because I know that it was "too much camera" for me in that it literally stayed on Auto and I never really used the advanced features or manual ISO settings etc.

What say ye?

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: P229SAS
The only way to get "around" it is to zoom in and obviously that is unacceptable unless the only pictures I take are of distant objects.

The reason that happens is because it crops the picture if it were to use the lens then you would see it all the way through

as to your question I have no idea, sorry

 

[P229SAS]

Here is an example of what the problem looks like:

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV12dLOr

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: P229SAS
Here is an example of what the problem looks like:

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV12dLOr

Oh welcome to the forums

but that kinda looks much like a broken aperture blade.

I have never seen one but what i think it is

 

[alfa147x]

This is easier to look at
http://www.postimage.org/aV12d...8c963355484f42319c.jpg

 

[corkyg]

What happens when you set the mode dial to "P?"

 

[P229SAS]

When I set the dial to "P" more options come up on the left side of the screen but the blockage does not even budge.

 

[The Stigenator]

your symptoms sound to me like a broken aperture blade.. send it in for service with sample pics and a discription on how to get the same issue for them in their service center.