Sony finds CCD problem with some of its digital cameras

IDG News Service - Problems with the image pickup in eight models of Sony Corp. digital still cameras could prevent them from taking clear pictures or any photos at all, the company said today.

Sony has found that the charge-coupled device (CCD) in eight of its cameras sold worldwide between September 2003 and January 2005 could become faulty. The models are the DSC-F88, DSC-M1, DSC-T1, DSC-T11, DSC-T3, DSC-T33, DSC-U40 and the DSC-U50.

Problems have generally been reported by users in countries where the weather is hot, said Tomio Takizawa, a spokesman for the company. Sony will repair the camera at no charge if it shows the problem, he said.

Friday's announcement broadens a problem first reported by Sony in October 2005. At that time, the company listed 20 models of digital still cameras with the same potential fault.

Sony is one of the world's largest producers of CCD image sensors, which are the chips that sit behind the lens of the camera and convert light into electronic pulses. Because its sensors are used by other companies, the October 2005 problems reach beyond Sony and may involve more than 100 models of digital still camera.

At that time, several other digital camera makers, including Canon Inc., Konica Minolta Holdings Inc., Nikon Corp., and Fuji Photo Film Co., announced plans to replace faulty CCDs for problems similar to those described by Sony.

The incident is the latest in a string of quality control problems to hit the Tokyo-based consumer electronics giant. Earlier this year, problematic metallic particles inside Sony-made batteries caused several fires and led to laptop computer makers recalling or offering to replace around 9.6 million laptop batteries. Sony expects the battery problems to cost it about $440 million.

In the wake of the battery problems, Sony assigned Makoto Kogure, who was the head of its TV division, to oversee product quality and safety. It was the first time that such a high-level member of its staff had taken that position at Sony.