Screen reads ERR CF, I think I can see a broken card reader pin broke off. Camera purchased 9/2007. Worth fixing or option of up grade.

Your CF pins in the camera are most likely bent/broken. This is a very common problem. Most repair shops will charge $150-$200 to repair this.

Hope this helps.

Wes

Card readers are cheap.
For example:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2708
$5 delivered to your door.

Check the pins in the memory card slot. It sounds like a pin is bent causing a short.

Using a flashlight, check thru the CF memory card reader if there are some pins that are bent, missing (broken) or damaged.

If this is the case, it is necessary to have serviced the camera to replace such pins, and inspectd for the broken pin pieces that may be stuck inside the camera, and cause later a short circuit.

If all the pins are in good conditions, may be the internal memory reader circuitry is failing, which requires also a professional camera repair service.


If it's under warranty, I do recommend you to send it back to make valid the warranty.

If not, then you have the options of pay for its repair, or do it yourself if you are willing to open it and perform the steps to repair it.

If so, You will need tools to do it, which includes the usage of a soldering iron, microscope (since requires micro soldering), and buy the CF memory card reader connector..

Best regards,

Nope, this is not card anymore.

As you know CF is card failure, sometimes this cause to start error 99 , that is lens error , even if there is no problem with the lens.

This happens because the built in software in the camera can get messed up after an error CF.

You fix the problem calling Canon, they will guide through upgrading the firmware in your camera.

First ensure that you are using the camera menu and command to format the new card, and that new cards are properly inserted into the machine.

Call Canon support to get a firmware upgrade.

Not all CF cards are created equally, so yes, it could be your batch of cards. To determine if the error is CF related, and not anything else, try the following steps which are used to diagnose err 99's

To isolate the cause of the issue, do the following: -

1. Turn off the camera.
2. Remove the lens, battery, and CF card.
3. Allow the camera to sit without power for approximately 20 minutes.
4. Insert only a fully charged battery, and turn on the camera.
5. Depress the shutter button as you would to take a picture.


Does the “ERR 99′ message appear? If so, the camera may be faulty and requires a service. If it does not, then: -

1. Turn off the camera.
2. Insert the CF card.
3. Turn on the camera.
4. Format the CF card in the camera.
5. Depress the shutter button as you would to take a picture.


Does the “ERR 99′ message appear? If so, then the CF card is faulty. Try a different card. If the message does not appear: -

1. Turn off the camera.
2. Clean the gold contacts on the lens by GENTLY rubbing them with a pencil eraser or soft cloth. Keeping the camera face pointing down, also clean the gold contacts on the camera, being careful that you do not let any debris fall into the camera body.
3. Reattach your lens.
4. Turn on the camera.
5. Depress the shutter button as you would to take a picture.
If the “ERR 99′ message only appears when one particular lens is attached, then that lens should be examined by a service technician.
If you see the “ERR 99′ with a different Canon lens attached, then the camera is faulty and should be serviced.

Most likey your problem is the cf card reader when ever the camera was made they could have not heated up the board all the way causing a cold solderjoint after time this joint becomes week and gets disconnected on the back side no visual damage is seen causing you the error you are getting. best thing to do is take it to a repair shop and have them fix it or the manufacture should repair it for free because there is no fisical damage.

Sounds like you have bent pins on your CF reader. Open the door, take out the card and look inside. Is there damage to the pins?

You maybe able to fix it with pincers and a needle just align the pin or pins that are out of place, i did this and it worked for me and now my camera is working fine. and for free.

Good luck

Mattias

No, sorry. Card R/W needs to be repaired.

Of course you have tried to format the CF card ? That can solve the problem.

If you get err 99 when trying to format the memory card, the problem is probably in CF (Compact Flash) connector. One common reason is bent pin. You can see it when looking into card slot.

Another possibility could be the CF connector terminations inside the camera. I repaired one EOS 350D where solder joint in one of the pins (23rd) was broken. And that looked like manufacturing failure in the printed circuit board (see the picture). The solder pad for that pin was far too small. There can be also other such cases in the market. The disassembly of the camera is rather difficult but if you have some experience on that kind of work, it is worth trying when you have no other option. Some guidance for disassembly can be found for example here: http://astro.ai-software.com/articles/mod_350D/mod_350D.html