canon 5D Seizing

[john_muttitt]

My 5D sometimes seizes when i change the CF card over. It doesn't always happen, but when it does the only way

to get the camera to function again is to remove..........vertical grip, lens, flash. Sometimes i dont have to remove all

three, and it isn't always the same accessory that seems to give the problem. Has any one out there had a similar

problem. i use Sandisc Extreme 3 cards, and all Canon acessories.

[christopher hartt dallas]

Make sure the buffer data is completely written to the card before removing the card. Also, don't completely fill the card, stop a few shots short of the card being full - especially when shooting RAW.

[steve torelli]

Do you power the camera down before removing the CF card ? I don't know if that's your problem, but I've always thought it a good idea to power down before undoing any electronic connection, batteries, flash lens, CF card etc.

[hjoseph7]

That sounds like the same problem I have with my computer. Once in a while it crashes and I have to start removing acessories one by one until it restarts again.

[bobatkins]

You shouldn't need to do either of those things. I often shoot until I get a "card full" signal and I never power down the camera before removing or inserting a CF card. So far no problems. The camera is designed to cope with such situations.

 

However if something is just slightly flakey, then it certainly couldn't hurt to try both suggestions.

[elliot1]

This behavior is obviously not normal. You should consider sending the camera to Canon for service the next time it happens so they can fix it for you unless you don't mind 'rebooting'.

[sarah_fox]

The camera powers down anyway when you open the CF door. I don't think powering down is the issue, provided you wait for writing to be completed before powering down or opening the CF door.

 

I also doubt it's an issue of writing to the limit of the card's memory. At least I doubt that would create a problem with any regulatiry. I ALWAYS fill up my cards, and I've never had an issue. If this problem exists, then it might be a firmware issue. Make sure you have ver. 1.1.1 installed. That's the version I have, and as I said, filling up the card is not an issue.

 

I think the most likely issue would be a marginal CF card. For instance it might draw excessive power because of a semiconductor breakdown, pulling down the rail voltage sufficiently to result in random behavior in the camera's circuitry. Or perhaps there is a cold solder joint or other marginal connection that creates voltage transients that flip bits in the camera's circuitry. Try this: The next time it happens, set aside both CF cards (the one you removed and the one you inserted), and don't use them for a while. Instead, use two other cards. (I'm presuming you have that many cards. If you only have three cards, just set aside the one you inserted when the error occurred.) See if the problem occurs again. If it doesn't, then I'd say the fault was with the card.

[joelh47]

Hmm, this sounds a bit like what has happened to my 5D, but only about 3 or 4 times in the year that I have had it.

However, I haven't related it to a CF card change. It locks up at the point that the mirror flips up (mirror lock-up is

NOT on), and then nothing further happens until I power it down. It will usually lock up again on the first shot after

turning the power back on. Removing and replacing BOTH batteries in the battery grip will usually fix the issue,

though once I had to remove and replace the battery grip. I have never had the problem when not using the battery

grip, so I suspect it has something to do with the grip. You might try using the camera without the grip for a few

days to see if the problem goes away.

 

Joel

[chip_johansen]

My new Canon 5D seizes up like this at least once on about every other shoot. I usually have to remove the battery and replace it. Sometimes that doesn't work and I remove the battery, the cf card and the lens. Sometimes I have to do it twice before it starts functioning again. I will probably send it back, but it is very disheartening.