Error message to clean the conections.

<p>Just from yesterday I've start getting a message on my 50D that my 24-105 lens and camera's conection must be clean. I've done it on the camera and lens, test other lenses on the camera and found that the problem is with my lens. Cleaned the connections again but still the same error message. When turning on the camera the lens try to get focus by itself -with out me puching the shutter button- and cannot focus as well. Then the error message. Any advice please let me know. Oh yes, I'm in South Africa and the nearest Canon service centre is about an hours drive from my town. With thanks.</p>

<p>I don't have the 50D but to the best of my knowledge Canon doesn't have a error code for cleaning the contacts. In all likelyhood you are getting a Error XXX code for a problem with the lens or electrical contacts. The camera has no way of knowing if it is the contacts or the lens. Sometime the lens error can be caused by dirty contacts. However in many cases it is caused by a problem inside the lens. </p>

<p>Send the lens in for repair.</p>

<p>Hi Steve, the 50D gives the message to say there is a problem with the contacts between the lens and the camera. It actually says to clean the contacts. I'm cannot remember with error number it was, but it does give a clear message.</p>

<p>I looked it up on line, it's error code 01. The summary is:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Communications between the camera and lens is faulty. Clean the lens contacts.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Then a more detailed description follows:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Clean the electrical contacts on the camera and lens. Use a Canon lens, or <strong>have the camera or lens checked or repaired</strong>.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I highlighted the text in bold. Basically what Canon is saying is:</p>

<ol>

<li>Clean the contacts in case they are dirty.</li>

<li>Try a different lens. </li>

<li>Send in the camera and / or lens for repair.</li>

</ol>

<p>when the problem occurs the camera has no way of knowing what the problem is. Is there a broken wire in the camera or in the lens? Are the lens contacts dirty? Has the lens suffered an electrical failure? The only thing it knows is that it cannot talk to the lens. You have done item 1. If you have another lens, try item 2. But in all likelyhood you will have to do item 3, </p>

<p>

<p>I think it is better to send the lens for repair, as this looks like a broken contact inside the lens. Few months back my 24-105 gave the same error and the diaphragm started behaving erratically on all the cameras I tried. It was working fine wide open but threw this error whenever it was stepped down.<br>

Since my lens was working fine at f4 it looked like a broken contact (the aperture control contact in my case). I sent it for canon service who fixed it for about 9000 INR(approximately 200$). The service engineer told me that a flexible ribbon connector inside the lens snapped off but they had to replace the whole diaphragm assembly as it came as a unit. <br>

I did some web search and found one more guy who faced this same problem. It is definitely worrying to see more people facing this reliability issue with a supposedly top of the line lens.<br>

Jogesh</p>

 

</p>

 

<p>Thanks for the information and also thank you Steve. It seems my 24-105 have to go in. I just wonder how many people had the same problem.</p>