HPX500 won't power on

Tom Shortridge

Well-known member
Did a search, didn't find anything on here about this, sorry if it's been covered before.

Just got off the phone with my boss, apparently his HPX500 won't power on. He had taken the viewfinder off to try and see if his Sony viewfinder would work on it. Apparently it didn't, and when he put the original viewfinder back on, the camera won't power on. The onboard light he has still works, so it's not a problem with the battery.

Has anyone else had a problem with this? Could he have jostled something loose when he undid the viewfinder that would prevent the camera from powering on?

Thanks in advance for the help.
 
I would not expect the sony VF to work on the 500. Trying to plug the sony connector into the VF port could have shorted something out. Perhaps hitting the reset button on the bottom of the camera will bring it back to life.
 
my HPX just turns off during shooting, they are investigation rght now what that could be.
In the first place my vf turned off during filming but later it was the entire camera that shuts of.
There are only 2 viewfinders working on the 500, the one that came with the camera ande the 2" vf. no other brand does work on 500.
 
Hey there.

Any news on your problem???

Coz my HPX 500 also won't power on anymore. Headlight works. Breaker's been pushed...

Haven't had time to send it to Panny - hope that's a warrenty thing. The cam's only 14 months old...

Andi
 
It is if you registered your camera for the 5 year warranty.

Best,

Jan

Hey Jan,

thx for your reply. Is this a known problem? Heavy repair??? May it happen again? Coz the camera had to work as a news live cam and it failed so the event couldn't be broadcasted and I don't want that to happen again...

Andi
 
Hey Jan,

thx for your reply. Is this a known problem? Heavy repair??? May it happen again? Coz the camera had to work as a news live cam and it failed so the event couldn't be broadcasted and I don't want that to happen again...

Andi

I don't think it is a common issue. I would not take the camera back out without a service tech figuring out why it didn't come on.

What kind of batteries do you use?

Best,

Jan
 
I'm using SWIT v-mount batteries and the camera won't power on anymore -nothing- no sign of life... But the on-camera light powered through d-tap works...

andi
 
Do you have an AC Power supply? I am not familiar with the battery you are using. How did you have the battery menu set up to relate to these batteries. Have you tried with the AC power to have it come on? Have you taken it into Panasonic for service? What do they say the issue is.

We did hav a customer that was using something different for batteries and while we had zero problems keeping his camera alive for days the minute he got it back it would work for a short time on his batteries and shut down. So that means that either the batteries are suspect or the settings in the battery menu are not correct.

So what does Panaosnic Service have to say about your camera?

Best,

Jan
 
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Do you have an AC Power supply? I am not familiar with the battery you are using. How did you have the battery menu set up to relate to these batteries. Have you tried with the AC power to have it come on? Have you taken it into Panasonic for service? What do they say the issue is.

We did hav a customer that was using something different for batteries and while we had zero problems keeping his camera alive for days the minute he got it back it would work for a short time on his batteries and shut down. So that means that either the batteries are suspect or the settings in the battery menu are not correct.

So what does Panaosnic Service have to say about your camera?

Best,

Jan

That customer was me haha. It seems to be a battery problem yes, v-mount. Today I''ll pick up the camera. I'll keep you posted.
Jan I'm very glad with the support thanks for that. Nice guys over there.
 
Do you have an AC Power supply? I am not familiar with the battery you are using. How did you have the battery menu set up to relate to these batteries. Have you tried with the AC power to have it come on? Have you taken it into Panasonic for service? What do they say the issue is.

So what does Panaosnic Service have to say about your camera?

Yes, I have a power supply, but the camera didn't turn on.
I declared the batteries as Sony's BP series, which are similar to the ones I use...

I just sent it to Panny, lets see what'll happen...

Andi
 
Just got my camera back from Panny. First of all, good work, sent it tuesday got it back today!

They changed a "power sub PCB".... Whatever this is. Now it works fine again. I hope that doesn't happen again and I don't know how to avoid that?!?!

Andi
 
Under California law, and most states, they are required to return your broken parts, if you ask. I hope you can get the part back, so we all could find out what was broken on the PC board.

JohnnyD
 
Under California law, and most states, they are required to return your broken parts, if you ask. I hope you can get the part back, so we all could find out what was broken on the PC board.

JohnnyD

Well I don't know about German law, but I may ask them to get the part.
But quite frankly if I hold the board in my hands I won't know what's wrong with it unless it has melted or something like that.... :)

Andi
 
If you do get the board back, mail it to me, and I'll tell you what's wrong with it. I have been repairing my own equipment for 25 years. Sony and Panasonic have had bad capacitors over many years. I have replaced about 30 so far.

JohnnyD
 
Bad start for me as well. I just got a new HPX last Friday, shot with it over the weekend, and all was good. It sat for two days, I put a fully charged battery on just an hour ago, and the camera won't power up. I hooked up a power supply, and still nothing, so I'm pretty sure it's not the fuse in the Anton Bauer mount. Looks like I'll be sending back to LA.
 
Heya,

Just wanted to thank Abel Cine in LA for over-nighting me a replacement cam without even LOOKING at the failed camera. They saved my butt for a short feature shoot this past weekend.
 
Add me to the list of this one. Shot a story, no problem. Then went to feed the footage out and nothing from the camera. No one here uses P2 so I have to feed it out of the camera to XDcam. It's covered under the 5 year waranty but right now I'm not sure how to get the footage out for the networks. I have always done the file transfers I needed just out of the camera at home and without power I can't even do that.

Mike
 
Apart from a bad board, for some it could be something else. The first thing Id check is that your battery mount plate carries a fuse or not and if so check that it hasnt blown.
 
For those of you that have had power problems, put your ear to the back of the camera, and listen for an odd pitch when powered on. This indicates a bad capacitor on the power board. And, when you send in for service. PLEASE tell them you want the old un-working parts. You
have the legal right to do so. Then, send them to me, so I can find the problem on the board.
 
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