EOS 3 "BC" Repair in the UK - any ideas?

[swamysk]

I bought a used EOS-3 from B&H a year ago and have since put some 20

rolls through it. I took it on my travels in Jan 05 and it worked

perfectly well. After that I wanted to use it in Mar 05 when it

started giving me the dreaded "bc" error flashing on the LCD. The

camera seems ok when I half-depress the shutter button as it focusses

the lens and displays the exposure information on the LCD, but when I

depress the shutter button fully to take the picture, nothing happens

and "bc" starts flashing on the LCD. If I press the shutter button

half-way again, its gone and the exposure info is back on. Very weird.

 

Read a number of posts in this forum and cleaned the contacts with a

clean (link free) cloth; changed batteries as well but no luck getting

it to take a picture.

 

Do you think the shutter-assembly has died? No visible grease marks

or anything similar on the shutter - inside and out - looks as good as

new.

 

How much would it cost to get this fixed in the UK? Also if you know

of reliable repair outfits please make a recommendation -

alternatively if you have had a bad experience with any shops let me

know as well.

 

Thanks for helping.

[mick johnson]

I had the same problem with one of my Eos 3's but only when using a Sigma lens and only then @ about f10 or smaller. Turned out to be the lens aperture blades sticking or so Sigma said.

 

It work perfect with Canon lenses.

 

If you send an Eos3 to be repaired it's a fixed price of ?184, or was last year, for a service and most repairs are done within this price.

[swamysk]

Maybe this helps, but I only use Canon EF lenses with the camera. I have used the lenses on other EOS systems and no problems whatsoever.

 

Thanks.

[jerry_terry3]

A few years ago I had a Canon EOS 10s with the same symptoms and it turned out to be caused by using a non-Canon brand lens (I believe it was a Tokina). The problem went away as soon as I started using exclusively Canon lenses.

[dc, portsmouth, uk]

Yep, but as Krishna said - "I only use Canon EF lenses", so none of the 'Sigma/Tokina' re-chip comments are relevant (unfortunately)

 

Krishna, the 'bc' error (as I'm sure you know) is a "catch-all" error for ANYTHING that has gone wrong with the camera - normally electrical... v.similar to 'error 99' et al... I have an EOS 1, which *always* (after it's been switched off for a while), displays that error, when I 'take' my first picture, thankfully it then returns to normal - consequently, when shooting, I never turn the camera off, and leave the lens set to 'AF' to avoid accidental shooting whilst it's round my neck (none of this is much use to you though! :-( ... but in general (certainly with the better Canon EOS's, any problem will show itself as "bc"..

 

Will be VERY HARD to diagnose yourself.. As you said, fine in Jan, but not in March..

 

An EOS 3, although it has lost a lot of it's resale price due to digital, still fetches around 300-350 pounds for a nice one...

 

So it's definately got to go to the repairers...

 

First stop would be 'Fixation'.. they are official Canon repairers, and one of the 'big three' Canon 'fixers' in the UK. If they can't fix it (as with the other two) they will send it on to Canon.. they are at Suite 508, 71 Bondway, London, SW8 1SQ. Tel: 020 7582 3294, you can email them first at: sales@FixationUK.com - they have a website at: http://www.fixationuk.com/repairs.htm

 

Second - 'Lehmanns'.. 247-249 London Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 5AA.

Tel: 01782 413611. email: service@lehmannsdirect.co.uk website at: http://www.lehmannsdirect.co.uk/

 

 

Third choice (and IMHO no-one else is worth bothering with after these three, which I've listed in my order of preference - gleaned with my dealings and that of colleagues!) - 'Colchester Camera Repairs' ...2 Barrack Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2LJ. Tel: 01206 790009. Email: acolcam@aol.com website: http://www.camera-repair.co.uk/

 

Have a ring of those three, and see what they're 'looking at' quotes are etc... The EOS 3 is a fine piece of work and (IMO) very much worth getting fixed... (unless yours is beat to death!)

 

(P.S. IIRC, approx. starting prices for a look at and *if possible* a quick-repair is about 80 pounds-ish...)

 

Hope this helps...

[gareth_harper]

I've had a similar problem with my EOS33 twice now. The shutter was replaced just over 6 months ago at the Canon repair contractor in Glasgow, cost just over 100 quid. Last weekend it happened again, so it's back up in Glasgow and I'm waiting for a phone call about it.

[rob_murray]

We have one that is doing that with or without a Canon lens attached.

I read here recently that others have sent them to canon and the fix was to repair a short somewhere near the battery chamber. I have emailed Canon for help but have gotten no response..

[mark u]

Check out the following possibilities:

 

http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=BCerror

[rob_murray]

Update: The Canon EOS3 camera of my girlfriend was also getting a BC error. It had taken a fall sometime ago and she did not want to send it in for repair fearing the cost of repairs. Finally got her to send it in and it turned out to be a problem with the mirror box area. Something must have gotten out of whack when it fell. It fell face first with its Sigma lens attached and damaged the lens too. Canon fixed the EOS3 in about 3 weeks total time for their minimum chage of $130. Sigma repaired and rechipped her 75 to 300 lens for $60. Both were well past warranty. Both are working like new again.

[dc, portsmouth, uk]

I think that's well worth it Rob? $190 for the pair, definitely worth doing then...

 

It's a shame (or though I suppose good as a buyer!) that the film cameras have devalued so much, whereby now it may be cheaper to by another then get them repaired.... The EOS 3 'should' be worth that for a while though...!