S2 - Turn on - nothing happens except red blinking light

[johnloumiles]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hey

So I just charged my S2 after a couple months of not using it and nothing happens. No LCD display on top, blank rear screen and no exposure data in view finder. The only thing that does happen is the red light on the bottom left (flashes when camera is processing) blinks a few times when turned on or when I push the shutter button. Which means I know the camera has power. Anyone else run into this problem? I fear it means the S2's CPU is broken or something similar. Really weird. Was working perfectly fine last time I used it. I formatted the card and I'll even briefly get a " no SD card" popup on the menu if I turn on the camera without it inserted. 

[glenerrolrd]

Your options are limited .  If you have a different battery try it .  Same with SD card .   I had something similar with my S 007 and we had to send it to Germany .  They repaired it at no cost .  

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[johnloumiles]

Thanks. I figured as much. I don't have another battery unfortunately . I'm pretty sure. the camera will turn on without SD card installed, you'll just keep getting the "no SD card" pop up screen so I have my doubts it has to do with that. I'm thinking  letting the battery die out completely while in the camera probably is what triggered it.

[LeicaR10]

Johnloumiles,   I had this same event when I owned a S2.  At first it appeared to be an under performing battery.  I changed it out and it worked OK.  I also reset the camera.  About two months later, same event happened.  I decided the S2 needed a visit to Wetzlar...it came back, returned to specs, no charge.  Worked perfectly until the S006 came along and my assistant bought it.  So you might try to get another battery first or if possible head to the Leica store and try a battery at the store.  If it fails, a trip to Wetzlar might be in order as Glenerrolrd said in his post #2.  r/ Mark

[frame-it]

or is the internal battery dead ?

[adan]

14 hours ago, johnloumiles said:

I'm pretty sure. the camera will turn on without SD card installed, you'll just keep getting the "no SD card" pop up screen so I have my doubts it has to do with that.

There is a difference between no SD card - and a defective or incompatable SD card that locks up the camera during the startup self-test (infinite loop).

[glenerrolrd]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

2 hours ago, frame-it said:

or is the internal battery dead ?

Does the S system use an internal battery ?  

When the red light is blinking the firmware is trying to excuse code and for some reason it can t .   An Sd card formatted in say a Nikon ..then used in a Leica can do this .  Try SDformatter on the card first .  

 

[frame-it]

1 hour ago, glenerrolrd said:

Does the S system use an internal battery ?  

When the red light is blinking the firmware is trying to excuse code and for some reason it can t .   An Sd card formatted in say a Nikon ..then used in a Leica can do this .  Try SDformatter on the card first .  

 

i thought all digital cameras have an internal battery for the main board..

[ZHNL]

Low battery will cause Red light blink as well. Try a new battery first. 

[johnloumiles]

IT'S FIXED! From all your responses I gathered that it probably was the battery and not the camera. After doing research online I saw that once a lithium ion battery is drained completely that it won't always charge back up again without some finagling. I waited til the charger said it was fully charged like it had before (when nothing happened when turning on camera)  unplugged it and basically just plugged it back in again and it started flashing that it was charging. This time it actually filled the battery and the camera powered up!

 

Thanks everyone:)

[shanefking]

On 1/19/2021 at 1:58 PM, johnloumiles said:

IT'S FIXED! From all your responses I gathered that it probably was the battery and not the camera. After doing research online I saw that once a lithium ion battery is drained completely that it won't always charge back up again without some finagling. I waited til the charger said it was fully charged like it had before (when nothing happened when turning on camera)  unplugged it and basically just plugged it back in again and it started flashing that it was charging. This time it actually filled the battery and the camera powered up!

 

Thanks everyone:)

I just had the same experience yesterday:

after not using my S2 for over a month, I took it out for a photo walk.  The battery meter read mostly full, but after about 30 minutes the camera glitched out while taking a photo.  I thought the memory card had become corrupted, but then the entire camera became unresponsive except for the blinking red light.

Upon finding this thread, I charged the battery for several hours until it was “full”, and unplugged it for a while. I then re-plugged it in, whereupon it started charging again (not full!).

This morning I took the camera out with the same memory card and it has been working fine.  
 

Just wanted to add my experience, because it died in a weird way, and there isn’t much information online about S2 problems or solutions.  Maybe this will help someone else down the line.

 Thanks again, everyone.

 

 

[AHPZuazua]

Very good news. Thx for sharing