I have got exactly the same problem with mine in England. They want £120 (240 US Dollars just to look at the camera) The issue is taht my camera is just over 2 years old but I have seldom used it (under 500 pictures). Are these things built to fail after a certain time? Sure does look like it to me.

I thought I was alone whit this problem and right now I`ve discovered we are a lot of owner of this model with the same problem. I’ve bought my Sony DSC F 717 in September of 2003 in Argentina direct from an importer. I used this device a lot; I’m architect and use my camera in my job and in my personal life, and I handle it with silk gloves, as a diamond. A week ago, and without any kind of beat or other wrong use, the camera began to work wrong in picture mode, showing very clear images almost white, whit horizontal rays. I took it to a Sony authorized service and they told me the problem was the CCD and they must change the whole optical block because Sony doesn’t provide spare parts for this model and they asked me for USD 520 when this model in Argentina cost USD 850 (06/02/2006) and in the USA USD 400/450 so it has not sense. I found in Sony official web site the note about the problem with this device, and I`m dealing right now with Sony Argentina but it`s taken a lot of time and I suppose they won’t recognized me nothing at all because I don’t have the bill and this is one of the paper they ask to give them. Any way I have sent a lot of email and made phone calls to Sony claiming for this problem, because, as someone of you said in this page, we have paid a lot of money for this electronic jewel. I have a doubt about what the technical service told me about the CCD because in movie function the camera works ok, and I suppose this model has only one CCD so if the problem is the CCD, the equipment must work wrong in movie function too… I don’t know. I hope we all get a solution to this problem. Regards from Argentina Claudio

It happened to me yesterday (10/nov/2005). I bought that camera on 9/jul/2004 so is about 1 year 4 month. I was searching for repair costs and diagrams since I am an electronic teacher and technitian, to do the job myself when I came across this post. I agree with everything here. Thanks for the info and count with me for pressure.

Hi! i've sent you an email, i have a posible CCD problem. My 717 is "a color" left. either red, green or blue, it keeps "forgetting" one of these, and the pictures looks really bad. i'm making efforts with sony to have the warranty solve this problem. thank you all.

Hi ! From Brazil too !!! The LCD panel and the electronic viewfinder exhibits no image at all after 2 years and 2.200 pics. Sony will charge me in U$ 400.00 to change CCD !!!!! For this price, I can buy a DSC-H1 OK !!!

Hi-Very Good news!!-Sony changed the CCD unit (with lens) me with out any cost. I posted my message Here few weeks back regarding problem my CCD unit of DSC F717 and it would be needed $400 to replace the parts here in Sony service centre, India. Then I wrote with Sony (India)to inform my problem and the similar problem happens world-wide. I requested them to replace the CCD unit with out cost. They helped me.Initially I didn't beleive it-is it possible?. Recetly they replace the CCD with out any cost and I gpt the camera and seems working O.K. THANK YOU SONY FOR HELPING ME. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU. Dr. G. Chakrabarti Dr. B.C. Guha centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology University of Calcuuta India.

I also had my Sony DSC F717 going blank, one fine day 2 months ago. It plays back the pictures in memory stick as before on LCD, but is blank in all other modes. I was told at the Sony shop that it will take Rs 10000/- to replace the CCD. My camera is just 1.5 years old and is well cared for. SInce the price is so high, I have not got it repaired so far.

Well Guys, Sony fixed the camera and is shipping it back to an address in Miami for me. They charged US$176 including return shipping. If you add in the shipping charge to send the camera to them, you can call it about US$190. I preferred to repair it than buy a new one because I would like to believe that the CCD they replaced will be different from the faulty one we all received? Or am I in a fool's paradise? Anyways I too was upset and was looking at other cameras but the thing is i take alot of photos at night inside of cars at car shows so i need the Infra Red Night Shot feature this camera has. I have not seen any of those other brands with this feature which makes me wonder how people manage at night? Also i paid my US$190 but i am not too pleased that i had to and I can safely say, with no doubt in my mind that I will definitely think twice before buying any SONY product again. Also IF i do buy another SONY i definitely will buy the extended warrantee because for about $135 i would get coverage for up to 4 years, even if i broke it and that covers shipping to them, labour cost, parts cost and return shipping so that's an option. In all fairness, the camera did work really good for me, but i think SONy should have issued a recall. Remember friends, next time, buy the extended warrantee.

I have little different problem with my F717. After 2 years of great performance and over 5000 pics taken, camera started taking blurry, like in thick fog covered pictures. No matter what mode, pics are unusable. Unfortunately, my problem is not covered by recall, so Sony rep told me. Somehow they were able to estimate repair cost over the phone ($ 185). I didn't expect my camera to quit working after two years, that is why I chose well known brand and paid lot of money for it. I am not paying for repair. At the moment, working F717 is worth about $300, so it doesnt make sense to invest any more money into it. I am very dissapointed with Sony and I understand that they don't really care about loosing one customer, after all they have so many... I am doing research for new one, so far Olympus E300 looks very good to me. Can get it for about $600 fairly equiped. Good luck to all F717 owners. See you later with different brand :-) Martin

Thank God I have just found this out as I was just two inches away from buying one of these DSC 717 second hand this week after spending countless hours of research.Just shows if you dig long enough and deep enough in the old "Sony Garden" of rotten cameras you bring out the bugs and weeds.Surgest to all those out there with this faulty problem threaten Sony with electronic media exposure in graphic detail, and to all their distrubitiors alike. That will shake a few apples from their trees in their doddie garden one way or another.Keep up the good fight and you will win in the end at Sony's loss of self respect and customer loyalty base.I have been a great believer in all of their products and feel quite shocked at their pitiful responce to date.Cheers Brian.