Lcd sceen keeps blinking

Try a reset to factory default settings. If that doesn't work you can try to reinstall the camera's firmware as instructed on the Canon website.

The image in the LCD monitor will darkn in strong SUNLIGHT. This is normal, is not constitute a badfunction. This iamge will not recorded when shooting still photos, but it will be recorded when shooting movies.Read your owner manual section troubleshooting
God bless you

Look into the lense while setting the shutter speed at a half second or so (slow enough for you to see the shutter open and close) and click the shutter release... you should see the shutter open and close. If you don't see this, then you may have a 'sticky shutter' resulting from lubricant seeping into the shutter/aperature mechanism and preventing the shutter from functioning as it should.(Common problem reported with the S2 and S3 cameras... and probably the S1 as well)

I have gotten my S3IS to take pictures by turning on the power, then opening the battery compartment door and reclosing it repeatedly until the shutter opens (from the power surge) and an image appears on the LCD.

After confirming the sticky shutter was indeed the problem, I pursued a more permanent fix.

Hi,
It is known problem of ccd imager failure in S3IS Canon camera and ccd imager chip will be replaced to get live view to take fresh picture.
Local camera repair shop will repair camera by replacing ccd imager chip because camera will take apart and soldering work is also involve so its not likely novice fix.
Thanks.

When you press the DISP button the screen will light up. But there is a power save function that will turn the screen off after 1 minute. This value can be changed if you press MENU, select the tools tab and then look under Power Saving. Check what this is currently set to, it may have been changed to be less than a minute. You can make the time period longer.

They have the fix for this at: www.camerasandparts.com You'd have to send it to them for the no image problem but it's not much at all. They are experts on the Powershots, they don't service anything else at all. Your problem is listed on their site for the repair and the service package for the camera at $89. They're the place if you need to have one of these Canons serviced.

Hi - You can download the software from the link underlined in blue below:

canon s3is

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the problem with LCD tvs are that they have back lamps that shine thru the LCD sceen. the job of the screen is to block the light of the different colors to make the picture. the problem is that the very thin screen can not block all the light. if the set has a back lamp setting turn down the back lamps and adjust the brightness control it should help a little. you my notice that the blacks and dark sceens look better when the room is fully lit and look much worse in a darken room.

I tried all the solutions offered on the net and none worked except one. It simply said "hit the camera with the palm of your hand" (when it is on) and the screen will return. I thought, well I have nothing to lose and so I hit it on the side and sure enough the LCD is again working !!! Contacted Canon prior to this and they had no idea but suggested I send it in to be repaired at a cose of $163.50 Australian. Pleasant staff they have, but no help in solving what looks like a common problem of Canon cameras. I will have second thoughts purchasing Canon from here on in.

Have you checked the display mode you're in? If you have the display set to off (to save power) and also the picture review time set to off, then you'll just see a black screen. Try pressing the 'Disp.' button below the screen when the camera is on - it should cycle through different settings with each press: Off, On, On with picture info. Similarly, in the playback mode this will show you more or less info about the picture you are viewing.

Even if the display is switched off, if you have your 'review' option in the menu set to anything other than Off (i.e. 2 seconds), then you should see the picture you've taken appear on the screen straight after taking it.

If it's not that, then I don't know the answer....