Nice scare on shutter problem

[httpwww.someantyx.coma]

So I had an interesting scare today, its been about a week since I touched my

camera and I grabbed my 1D/2 to shoot a very interesting sunset, composed the

shot, squeezed the trigger, click, nothing. I double-checked my ISO, Shutter

speed, and aperture and the shutter was still open. No picture was taken and

there wasn't the familiar click of the shutter. I just read some posts on 20D

shutter problems, I know my 1D/2 actuation count is high too, like 130k high.

Panic set in! I powered off the camera and the mirror returned, everything

reset. Changed lenses, removed the battery, same result each time. Talk about

a real scare!

 

Turns out, the last time I used my Canon (I shoot MF film too) was at night for

a full moon shot and I'd enabled mirror lock up. Well I forgot it was still

'enabled' and it was doing what it was supposed to, just going to mirror lock

up. I never tried to press the shutter button a 2nd time, just assumed I had a

faulty camera.

 

Missed the sunset but I'm happy because my 1D/2 ISN'T broken! YEAAAAAAA!

Perhaps y'all will get a chuckle out of this and who knows I'm sure others have

had this happen too!

 

Chris

[mohammed_abidally]

He he! I had te same few days back with 30D when I tested a long lens with a 1.4x converter and then forgot to deactivate the MLU and turned up at my nephews birthday party and family photographer.

[pjmeade]

I've had some scares like that when the camera was still set to manual. But an actual shutter failure seems to be a lot more distinct as I've just discovered to my cost.

 

Nice story though. :-)

[bob_osullivan]

I do that all the time. But 130 is up there so keep an eye on it. Soon you may need to do the repair.

[steve_eichorn]

Ha Ha! What has happened to me is the 10 sec timer got set. I pressed the shutter, nothing happened and while looking over the camera to see what's wrong, it goes off and I get a nice blurry shot of my face!

[geoffm]

Happens to me with monotonous regularity!

 

Memo to Canon: MLU to automatically default to disabled when camera switched off!

[bjscharp]

@Geoff: As long as they don't do it on the automatic power-down.

 

I wouldn't like it if I had my camera on a tripod, all ready to go, waited a little too long with pressing the trigger, and had to go back to the menu's to set MLU again. (which will probably mean re-framing the shot)

 

I usually reset all camera settings to my own `default' before I put it back in the bag. Av @ f2.8, AWB, one-shot, ISO 200, single frame drive, MLU off, etc. It takes some disipline, but you usually have more time when putting the camera away than when getting it out of the bag...

[geoffm]

@BJ: I agree, it would have to be at end-of-day shutdown.

 

I wish I could be as self-disciplined as you. :-)

[httpwww.someantyx.coma]

I wish my dSLR had a MLU switch like my Mamiya 645AFD does rather than 10 million custom settings to cycle through. But if each custom setting had its own button it'd A) Be more like Nikon, and B) have no space for a lens! HA

 

Interesting to see I"m not the only one... I did it again this week too, being on the very edge (safe edge?) of Tornado Alley, there are some interesting cloud shots and sunset shots to be had.

 

I like that shutdown idea, I may steal it! Thanks!

C