ERROR 99 During Wedding! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

08/05/2007 02:48:34 AM · #1

Talk about crapping your pants! Shot all the groom's formals, was working on bride in dressing room (mirror, veil, garter shots) when suddenly when I press the shutter, nothing happens! I excuse myself from the room and begin to panic...my back up is film...I can deal with this, but really don't want to have to pay to have negatives scanned. So I turn off the camera and flash, turn them on to have "Error 99" a.k.a. "EFF YOU!" show up. I remove the battery, put it back in, reboot...everything is fine! Made it all the way through the reception with no more problems whatsoever. I think I might be wearing out the shutter...up to 14K clicks. Anyway all's well that ends well...just thought I would share my near heart attack. And mention that a new 5D is looking tastier by the minute (especially due to me having two more weddings this fall)!

-drew

roba

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

08/05/2007 02:58:48 AM · #2

OMG... I can imagine the immediate "pit-of-your-stomach" sick feeling!

Glad everything turned out okay! Consider yourself lucky - lesson learned, and go hit eBAY for a backup body !!! :O)

srdanz

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

08/05/2007 03:01:43 AM · #3

Do you use bg-e2 grip? It happened a couple of times to me that the screw that ties it to the body got loose. Err99 came up immediately. Re-tightening the grip fixed it. Just something to carry in your bag of tricks, it may help some day...

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

08/05/2007 03:09:23 AM · #4

No grip yet...it is on my wish-list. I was SO happy when my camera turned back on and worked for the rest of the day! I am thinking it might have been lens/camera contact related, as I was switching out lenses at the time...I just hope it isn't the shutter. That would be a little devestating.

And as far a that "pit of the stomach" feeling...I am sure I turned a few shades whiter, as I excused myself from the room to fix the problem or punt the camera.

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

08/05/2007 04:24:42 AM · #5

Originally posted by srdanz:

I had similiar happen with my BG. My shutter would start...but not finish...no matter what the shutter speed. And then the shutter wouldn't work at all. Very random, I might add. Turning the camera off and then on again would sometimes fix it...but I found that redoing the screw on the BG would fix the problem. As long as the screw was not too tight...it would be fine.

xantangummi

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

08/05/2007 04:35:04 AM · #6

I had that problem last winter when I was shooting some stuff in shanghai. It happend a couple of times a day and since the on/off switch is a software swithch I had to remove the batteries each time it happend.

Anyway as soon as I got back to Sweden I drove down to the canon service center, explained my problem, told them to rush the repair since I needed it for a job two days later. They changed and adjusted the main pcb(whatever that is), they also changed the ground glass screen(focusing screen) and cleaned the camera and sensor. I had the camera back after 18 hours and it didnt cost me a thing. Since then the camera has been working fine.

marbo

Nikon D5000

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

08/05/2007 05:11:56 AM · #7

As above

When i had a canon 350d i started getting error 99 the camera would lock up and not fire. Started with only the occasional error then after about 6 months locked up altogether. Sent it to canon and they said it would need a new main circuit board (pcb)for £156.
In the end canon fixed it for free even though it was out of warrenty as i argued the problem started before the warrenty expired :)

Message edited by author 2007-08-05 05:17:59.

Prof_Fate

08/05/2007 10:37:22 AM · #8

Buy a backup digital body, er, a new main body and use your 350 as backup. A used 20D can be had for $500. A new 30D is only $1000. And a 30D will go ALL DAY on one battery - i've gotten 1400 shots several times, and 8 hours all the time. No grip needed (no expense there, no weight to carry, one less thing to break)

14k shots...i do that in 2 months. I just buy a new body every year, and move the older ones down the line as backup, studio gear, etc.

I can't imaging trying to use film for backup...I shoot 900 shots at a wedding...and that's knowing the shot was what I wanted. With film I'd have to bracket more. And ISO...and color balance...I change those so damned often!
Do you carry enough film? The right kind (speed, color balance? )Keep it fresh, and refrigerated? If not then it's not really backup is it.

If you're charging enough for weddings then you'll have no problem paying off the debt needed to get the right gear, backup gear, etc. Better gear now means better work to show next year so you can get paid more.

I had a few second thoughts the day I ordered my 70-200 2.8 IS - the single most expensive piece of gear I own. I now get shots that were impossible before, sharper shots too. More confidence means higher prices!

I now carry a spare 'main' lens - had one quit focusing in teh middle of a ceremony once. I got it cleared up afterwards, but you got to have backup, and it has to be withing arms' reach! Imaging if this happened in teh middle of the ceremony and you had to go to the car, get the film body, load the film, hope the batt hadn't corroded or gone flat, and then get your mind set changed, get back into the church and position and not miss something important.

Weddings are stressful enough already!

Message edited by author 2007-08-05 10:38:58.

digitalpins

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

08/05/2007 10:50:02 AM · #9

I had the same exact problem happen to me, at a shoot for a client of mine.... and yes it was with my 350. Like you it locked up and nothing would work, scared the hell out of me at first I turned it and on an nothing just dead, the f'n thing did not even give the "Error 99" code just would not work. So I took everything out and off of the camera then put all it back and camera was just fine. But I had my other camera with me also..... so I was ok for the shoot. But it just sucks (horrible feeling) when you are shooting a client and your camera decides to die or actup, I love my camera but I wanted kick the S&%@ out of it that day.

So the next time it locked up on me was on on a day of shooting at the DC GTG a few months ago my brother-in-law went with me and he was using my 350 and it kept doing the same damn thing and once again removing the battery it was just fine. But my 350 is over 50,000 clicks by now I think or very close to it.

Whats wierd is at my recent family reunion I used both of my camera's and my 350 was behaving just fine like it was new.

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

08/05/2007 11:46:00 AM · #10

Originally posted by drewbixcube:

OMG Drew thats not good! Next time you shoot a wedding and want a second let me know. I can also just lend you the 10D as a backup if you need it. All you have to do is give me a call, I dont mind being an assistant after all I think I do owe you one!

MattO

magenmarie

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

08/05/2007 12:02:50 PM · #11

I got butterflies in my stomach just reading the story. That's scary and I'm glad it worked out!

Ubersteiny

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Sigma 35mm f1.4 dg hsm for Canon

08/05/2007 12:06:46 PM · #12

Originally posted by drewbixcube:

Error 99 isn't shutter related so you are fine. its 1 or more of 3 things, body+lens conacts, Battery, and memory card

08/05/2007 12:57:44 PM · #13

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Buy a backup digital body, er, a new main body and use your 350 as backup.
*snip*
14k shots...i do that in 2 months.

Yeah a new main is in the works...this just solidified my need for digital backup. I knew it would be difficult to "reprogram" my brain to shoot film, but at least it would be something. I am fairly confident that I could slow myself down and force myself to get each shot right the first time, like I try hard to do when I shoot film. And I carried the film body (loaded with fresh film and batteries) around my neck the rest of the day...all I would have needed to do was throw my lens on it (who leaves back-up equipment in the car? isn't the point to have it ready to back you up in a moments notice?).

I thought I read somewhere the expected lifespan of a Rebel shutter was 10,000 shots. Am I not remembering that correctly? Oh and if some of my first two posts didn't quite make sense...sorry, after the gear was put away last night, we helped shut the place down (we are very good friends with the bride's family and were invited to the wedding). And in case of criticism...I didn't take a drink until the mother of the bride said, "You've done more than enough today...the only pictures you are going to get now is of the guests drunkenly dancing...and that is what the table cameras are for." Then she handed me a beer! I was all business prior to that.

08/05/2007 12:59:46 PM · #14

Originally posted by MattO:

Matt,

Thanks for the offer! This wedding was back in my home town, so I didn't think about dragging you up there. I will definately let you know when I've got stuff rolling in STL, though.
-drew

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

08/05/2007 01:03:23 PM · #15

Originally posted by noisemaker:

Error 99 isn't shutter related so you are fine. its 1 or more of 3 things, body+lens conacts, Battery, and memory card

This is good! As I had fresh cards and batteries available! I am thinking it was lens/body contacts, now that I slow down and rethink it. Like I said, I thought I had read somewhere that 10,000 was max life for shutters and that thought was the only thing to enter my head when nothing would work. I am going to do more research on Error 99 and clean my contacts!

Thanks everybody for the info and support!
-drew

timfythetoo

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

08/05/2007 01:34:36 PM · #16

I have been having the err99 come up every 4th shot or so on my 30D. I called Canon and they walked me through some simple diagnostic tests to kind of pinpoint where the issue was. Unfortunately the issues is something that I cant fix. So off the 30D went on Friday for a trip to Canon. Hopefully it makes it home before we go on vacation.

MattO

Nikon D4

08/05/2007 01:45:34 PM · #17

Originally posted by drewbixcube:

Originally posted by MattO:
OMG Drew thats not good! Next time you shoot a wedding and want a second let me know. I can also just lend you the 10D as a backup if you need it. All you have to do is give me a call, I dont mind being an assistant after all I think I do owe you one!

MattO

Matt,

Thanks for the offer! This wedding was back in my home town, so I didn't think about dragging you up there. I will definately let you know when I've got stuff rolling in STL, though.
-drew

I'm always up for a bit of a trip! Actually the offer stands anytime you need it and I'm available I'll be there, I've got tons of equipment(read gearhog) and its yours to borrow just ask. I've recently picked up backup flash and external battery pack as well. And I just purchased some strobes(not fancy AB's like your though). I'd like to help you out when you need it, I know I owe you, you helped out so much when I needed it. I think you have my cell number just give me a call.

MattO

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/05/2007 01:52:10 PM · #18

Originally posted by drewbixcube:

I thought I read somewhere the expected lifespan of a Rebel shutter was 10,000 shots. Am I not remembering that correctly?

Thought it was 50,000.

dmadden

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM A

08/05/2007 02:08:55 PM · #19

Hmmm! Hope thats just a Canon problem :)

SamDoe1

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

08/05/2007 02:19:02 PM · #20

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Originally posted by drewbixcube:
I thought I read somewhere the expected lifespan of a Rebel shutter was 10,000 shots. Am I not remembering that correctly?

Thought it was 50,000.

I think the shutter life is 25000 shots. This is just an estimate though since the shutter can last much longer or much less than that.

Ubersteiny

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Sigma 35mm f1.4 dg hsm for Canon

08/05/2007 03:12:34 PM · #21

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Originally posted by drewbixcube:
I thought I read somewhere the expected lifespan of a Rebel shutter was 10,000 shots. Am I not remembering that correctly?

Thought it was 50,000.

it all depends on which camera it is. i believe the rebels are like 25-30, and the 20d/30d is like 50ish

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/05/2007 03:51:55 PM · #22

Alright I looked it up. 50k for 350d, 100k for 30d.