Canon Ixus 175 and Big Camera

[lifemagic]

I just want to 'put this out there'.

I managed to get mould in my ixus 160 so decided to replace it. It's been replaced by the ixus 175. Every single place in BK sells this for 3495.00, except Siam Paragon, which was 300 baht cheaper. I asked to look at one. The first one had something wrong with the metering. I switched it to centre-weighted, turned of tracking and face tracking, but it was still using evaluative metering, measuring and placing little boxes all around the screen.

I looked at another one, and it was OK, centre weighted just left a green box in the centre of the screen, and focused only from the centre. However, the lens was stuck somehow. When it focused close, then I tried to focus far, it would be all blurred. Turning it off and on, it would then focus far, but then trying it close, it would blurr, turning it on and off solved the problem, i.e. the rear lens is sticking somehow.

Also, none of these were in sealed boxes, though the guy told me canon never seals boxes.

I went to Powerbuy in the big central world. They had boxes sealed in plastic with a canon non-removable seal over the box opening, under the sealed plastic.

I lastly went to Big Camera in the big central world. They had boxes that were open, like in Paragon, but there was no damage to the box indicating a removed sticker and they guy told me canon never seal boxes.

I looked at one camera, this is all the 175. The metering was OK but the focus sticking was the same. The guy looked and admitted it was faulty. He showed me the next and it was OK. I was really happy with the 160, so I bought it. I went and had a coffee and tested it. It was OK for about ten minutes, then the same problem happened, the focus jammed and all was blurred. Turning it on and off solved it, but I can only focus once then. The shop was closed. At home I kept looking at it. In addition to the main symptom, zooming while using video resulted in the picture being completely blurred, and the zooming action itself had a grating sound, i.e. the rear lens is defninitely sticking.

So I went back to big camera, explained the issue. They looked at it and agreed it was faulty, and let me look at another. It worked as far as I could tell. I had to fill in a form, but they let me exchange it. That was a couple of days ago. So far, so good.

I am, in this post, just saying two things. Be careful with this model. And Kudos to Big Camera for honouring their 7 day exchange promise. There was no argument, they didn't call me farang or be rude, the whole thing was done with a smile. Will use again.

[rhythmworx]

If you live in an aircon environment and step out into heat and humidity with your camera, it will condensate and will provide a good environment for mould to form.

My advice would be to stick it in an airtight bag with air in and let the camera acclimatize before taking it out of the bag and using it.

Just some advice should you live in a nice cool airconned residence.

[lifemagic]

Though I unfortunately live in a fan-cooled fleapit.

Do you have any spare rooms?