HELP needed: problem with my minolta dimage Z5

[Raukodur]

For some really odd reason, my camera (konica minolta dimage Z5) has started taking odd photos. What I mean by this is that instead of being smooth, the photo has lines on it, i don't mean lines of a different colour, but lines within the actual photo, a sort of striped effect.

I have no idea why this has started happening, the camera was working fine a few days ago. The stripes are there no matter how I change the settings, whether I zoom in or out, etc.

I have sent an email to konica minolta, I will see if they can be of any help.

Does anyone have any idea why this could have started happening? Is this a software / firmware problem, or a physical defect that has developed, e.g. due to the zoom lens getting knocked in some way? What can cause such stripes to appear?

Any help would be appreciated, I really love this camera, and it cost more than I would want to spend to replace it at the moment. Plus the thoguth of it going bad for no reason and losing all the money I spent on it is not very attractive.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Light and reflections can cause streaks of light, but I am guessing you knew that.  If you can post a picture to illustrate exactly what the problem is that might help a bit.

Def

[Raukodur]

Its wierd, take a look at these two photos, they are shot in exactly the same place, one has the line,s the other (rather thankfully) doesnt.

My camera seems to have a problem with too much light coming in. Which is wierd, never had this problem before. But whats even stranger was that I was taking photos in the relative dark yesterday, and I was getting lines then as well, so I think my cameras light exposure / focussing is messed up. I wonder how it can be sorted out.

Here are the two photos to show what I mean.

[Raukodur]

.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Did you change any settings on your camera between those two pictures?  If not, my best guess would be a faulty imaging sensor as those are definitely resolution lines.

Def

[Raukodur]

Well, thank God, my camera seems to have somehow sorted itself out!

I've tried taking many photos using the optical zoom to different degrees (up to full 12), using the flash and not, taking photos of dim / dark things and of very bright / outdoor pics, using normal shooting mode, macro mode, super macro mode; and the photos are back to being beautiful without any sort of stripes or lines.

I really hope the camera stays like this and doesn't revert to taking those weird photos. It would be very interesting to know what could cause it to suddenly do that, and then just as suddenly work properly again.

Can any of the camera buffs here put forward any hypothesis?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Glad to hear that it's sorted itself out, but if I were you I'd still contact the company about it if the camera is still under warranty.  Otherwise, if your luck is anything like mine, it will start acting that way the day after it expires!

Cameras are very susceptible to temperature and humidity changes, which might account for the lines.  I am not very knowledgeable about cameras, but I have heard that temp and humidity can affect cameras in strange ways like this.  From what I have read, when heading to a different temp/humidex you should leave the camera to sit for ten to fifteen minutes in the new area to adjust before taking any pictures.

Beyond that, if there is a problem with the camera itself, I'd definitely register the issue with the company, and see what they have to say about it.

Def