40D Lockup

[Mattman944]

<p>Using my 40D yesterday, it locked-up and I couldn't take a picture for about 5 minutes. Both outside LCDs were mostly working. The viewfinder info did not light-up when I pressed the shutter. All the other buttons I tried were responsive except for ISO, it wouldn't allow be to change the ISO. I powered on and off several times, no help. I was using a 580EXII flash on a bracket with a Canon remote cord. I also powered the flash on/off a few times, no help either. It was in "M" mode, I moved the mode dial to some other settings, no help. At this point I am panicking and pressing buttons wildly. It finally recovered and I took another 100 images without incident. </p>

<p>Any ideas? I am shooting at a conference again tomorrow. I am not a professional, but for two days I am the "official" photographer as part of my non-photographic job. It won't be the end of the world if it happens again (I will have my ancient backup body with me), but I will be extremely embarrassed if it happens at a critical time.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Not sure, I had some strange things happen to me with the 40D which were solved by removing the battery and replacing it again. How fast were you firing the flash ? Did you wait for it to recycle ? If the flash gets overheated the safety measure kicks in and locks the flash for several minutes, but I never had that happen to me so I'm not sure if that was your problem. </p>

[steve_dunn2]

<p>My 20D used to lock up occasionally, and there have been plenty of other reports of similar things with other bodies over the years. The usual assortment of possible causes and/or corrective actions includes (in no specific order, and not necessarily a complete list):</p>

 

<ul>

<li>Outdated firmware: consider an upgrade if there's a newer version available

<li>Dirty contacts: clean the contacts on the lens mount (on both the camera and the lens), and on the battery and in the battery compartment. If you use a liquid (e.g. rubbing alcohol) for cleaning, make sure not to drip it anywhere; if you use something like a pencil eraser, make sure bits don't drop off into anything.

<li>Corruption on your flash card: standard advice, including in many cameras' manuals, is to format the card in the camera, not in a computer.

<li>Unsupported hardware: not all third-party lenses are compatible with all cameras, even though they may use the same mount. Some older Sigma lenses, for instance, are famous for not working with newer bodies. If you've just added a third-party lens to your kit, does the problem only occur when you're using that lens? If so, this could be the issue; contact the lens manufacturer.

<li>If it's just a software bug, not a hardware problem, lockups can usually be fixed by removing <em>both</em> batteries (the main one and the lithium button cell that keeps the clock running when the main one isn't installed; usually this is mounted in the side of the main battery compartment, but check the manual to be sure) for at least a few seconds and then reinstalling them.

</ul>

[PuppyDigs]

Total PRAM reset usually fixes it if no hardware is hosed: remove main and backup (button cell) batteries and let sit a

spell: cross fingers, face east, mumble, do a little dance and reinstall. Works great for curing my cell and cameras,

especially after using a Sigma. Otherwise, off to Canon service you go.

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>Using my 40D yesterday, it locked-up and I couldn't take a picture for about 5 minutes. . . I <strong>powered on and off </strong>several times . . . I also <strong>powered the flash on/off</strong> a few times Any ideas? . . . I will have my ancient backup body with me. . . but<strong> I will be extremely embarrassed if it happens at a critical time</strong>.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>There is no point in panicking and there is less point in being embarrassed, I suggest you now develop a protocol - Mine is:<br>

<br />1. If enough time - turn off turn on; <strong>remove</strong> lens replace lens; <strong>remove</strong> batteries replace batteries (I use a grip = two batteries); <strong>remove</strong> flash replace flash. Try this three times - if no good: dump camera.<br />2. If not enough time - use second camera; at first available opportunity run procedure above.<br />3. If camera one is dumped - get camera three loaded ASAP. Remove card from camera one and keep safe and FORGET about camera one, until job is done.<br>

Practice the protocol a few times regularly - saying it out loud as you do it. Once practiced out loud if you need to do it in three years time you will be surprised how easy it is to follow the rules you made without panic.<br>

I understand you do not have camera three and camera four etc, so your on site recovery protocol would be to return to camera one, when suitable to try and get it going again.<br>

The point about removing lenses and batteries etc – is that the act of removal has a cleaning effect on the contacts. </p>

<p>WW</p>

 

[picturesque]

<p>Happens to my 40D sometimes. Seems to be after it has gone to sleep and I try to wake it up. Solved every time by removing main battery and reinserting.</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>Thanks everyone.</p>

<p>I forgot to mention that I did remove the main battery, no help. And removed the lens and re-installed, no help either. My equipment is lightly used and extremely clean. Card was reformatted in the camera earlier that day.</p>

<p>Since it completely recovered on its own, maybe it was the flash overheating. I will do a test and see if I get the same symptoms.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Flash overheating won't cause the camera to flake out as you described. When you removed the main battery, did you turn the camera off first?</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>No probably not overheating. I shot a hundred shots as quick as the flash recycled with fresh batteries and couldn't get it to overheat. This is much less stress than I put it under yesterday.</p>

[frank_dzambic]

<p>There was a well known and common issue with 40D's where the shutter button would act up and had to be replaced by Canon. Usually what would happen would be that the shutter button would work when pressed halfway, but wouldn't fire the shutter when depressed fully. When it happened to me it was extremely intermittent at first, then it became predictable, and then it pretty well just stopped working and had to be replaced. I wonder if your problem isn't simply a variation on a theme?</p>