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TOKYO -- Problems with the image pick-up in eight models of Sony digital still camera could mean the inability to take clear pictures or any photos at all, the company has acknowledged.

Sony has found the charge coupled device (CCD) in eight models 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.

Free Repairs Offered

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

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

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 2005 problems reached beyond Sony and potentially touched more than 100 models of digital still camera.

At that time several other digital camera makers including Canon, Konica Minolta, Nikon, and Fuji Photo (Fujifilm) announced plans to replace faulty CCDs for problems similar to those described by Sony.

Quality Control Challenges

It's the latest in a string of quality control problems to hit the Japanese 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 will cost it around $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 staff had taken that position at Sony.