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Photography Question 

Vicki L. Filippin 		 

20D help, PLEASE! IMMEDIATE NEED!


Two nights ago, which shooting at the beach, my battery began to wear out. I
wasn't able to auto-focus or change white balance, etc. so I figured there
wasn't enough charge to engage all the functions of the camera. I took out my
back-up battery and had the same problem. It would let me manual focus, but
still wasn't able to get to some of the functions and was not able to pull up my
menu, etc. Came home, charged up both of my batteries and now it's even worse.
I still can't auto focus, I can get in ONE shot out with a manual focus, and
then it kinda locks up on me. I turn the camera off, can get another manual
focused image, then it stops. In order for me to even get to my menu to clear
my memory card, I had to tap or smack the camera on the bottom of it, on the
battery side with the palm of my hand (or gently on the table) and it will give
me my menu options...but again, only to perform one function and then it's back
to nothing again. I've taken the battery out, replaced it, repeated the
procees, have removed the lens to make sure it was connected properly and again,
it's doing the same thing. I'm using a Cannon 28-135 lens that is almost brand new and haven't had issues with it before.
Any ideas out there? I'M DESPERATE! I still have 3 weeks left of vacation and
feel like I've just lost my best friend. There are NO camera repair shops
within 300 miles of where I am!


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March 30, 2009

 

Peter W. Marks 		 
 
 
Hi Vicki. I too have a 20D but have not experienced a similar problem to yours but my thinking is that as you have recharged the battery and tried a replacement one the problem could be that it is not a battery problem as such but a contact fault. I have just experimented with my own camera with the menu selected and showing on the screen I detached the lens. This had no effect on the menu; it was still displayed, so I think we can eliminate the lens contacts as a source of the problem. This leaves the battery compartment cover and the memory card slot cover. If for some reason either of them is not making proper contact the menu and auto focus etc will not function. I guess I might try to discover which of the two is giving the problem by pressing down on the battery cover with my thumb after half pressing the shutter button. Do this and try to take a few shots. If this is succesful then it likely is the battery cover contacts that are at fault. If on the other hand it will still not focus after the first shot then turn your attention to the memory card slot cover and again close the cover and using your thumb press it on the rear corner. Why I think the problem might be with with either of the doors and more likely the battery cover is that you tell use that if you give it a smack the functions return for one shot and this does suggest a bad contact. You could also give it your smack and then try to take some shots with the camera facing down towards the floor or upside down. If this works then it would confirm that somehow it is the battery not making good contact when the camera is held in the regular manner.
None of this is going to correct the problem of course Vicki but armed with the results of trying this it gives you something meaningful to tell Canon's customer service if you phone them at 1-800-OK-CANON.
I understand your frustration but if you have to send it to Canon and explain the urgency they should be able to get it fixed and back in time for your vacation. Send it express and insured of course.
Good luck, Pete


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March 30, 2009

 

Vicki L. Filippin 		  Thank you so much for taking the time to respond for me, Pete. It's too late in the evening for me to take your suggestions, but I most certainly will do so in the morning. I had already assumed that it had to be a connection of sorts (probably the battery) and tried to put a small piece of foam between the battery and the battery cover, hoping it might make the connection tighter. Unfortunately, I still only had the "one-shot" situation after that as well. It never occurred to me that the memory card cover could be an issue also. I'm looking forward to seeing if any of your suggestions pan out for me. As a side note, and maybe I didn't word it correctly, but I'm currently ON vacation and still have 3 weeks left of it....meaning that should this issue not be able to be fixed on my own, that the rest of my trip will go unphotographed and this was the main priority of me even being gone..to take images to build my portfolio and hopefully sell. Clearly, I can contact Cannon afterwards and have it fixed if necessary, but it's the here and now that has me feeling like I've lost my best friend when I needed her the most! I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks, again!


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March 30, 2009

 
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