Got my BG-E3 battery grip today, but...

[jlsohio]

I got my brand new Canon battery grip today from Amazon.com. I installed my two batteries & began taking some pictures. After about 10 shots, my camera suddenly stopped working. What I mean is it wouldn't focus or allow me to changed the aperature. It suddenly locked up? The menu system worked just fine, but it was otherwise locked up.

I removed the battery grip and flipped flopped the batteries. It now works fine again. I 'm not sure what just happened. My camera has never had this issue before.

Anybody know what could've caused this?

Thanks.

Jeff

[SYS]

The reason why I still haven't bought the Canon battery grip is due to its well known problems communicating with the body itself. My guess is that flip flopping the battery wasn't the solution but simply from readjusting the grip in the process of flip flopping....

This particular battery grip for the Rebel XT seems to be less problematic than the one for 20D, but I don't trust Canon grips -- yet.

[iddie]

iv had no problems with my bge2 with my 30d. Check if you have the grip securely mounted onto the camera. The contacts might not be touching if the grip is a bit loose. But no problems so far with my battery grip (crosses fingers). Hope you figure out what's wrong with your grip

[kato1]

No problems with my grip on the 10D.
Can only suggest you check it's screwed in sufficiently, but I expect you've already checked that.

[peber]

The manual for the BG-E2 grip says something about not attaching or removing the grip with the batteries installed but to add them afterwards. Installing it with the batteries in it can cause troubles with lockups and such (don't have the manual here, that is how I remember the text).

Could that be what caused it?

/P

[jlsohio]

You're right about not installing the batteries until after the grip is installed, and that's the way I did it.

[Selah]

ive actually got mine yesterday :P but im having no problems ... hopefully ><

[devil350]

I never have problems with my BG-E3.
Did you put in on or off? Have you tried to remove it and put it again? May be a contact problem?

Ciao,
Laurent.

[Tee Why]

First thing that comes to mind may be poor contact between the grip and the camera.

[fi20100]

I have only had that problem once in 11 months with the BG-E3 grip. But then again I never remove the grip ;)

[goforphoto]

Did you get the dreaded ERR99?
I had this same thing happen to me, even turn the camera off and on didn't change a thing only way to reset it was to take the grip loose and put it back wored fine after that. I do think it is a contact problem. I shoot a 20d and know this body is notorious for locking up.

[Big WIll]

I have had the ERR99 error about 3-4 times now, had the camera&grip since June 2005.

But removing the batteries or the grip normally gets rid of the faults!

Remembers a camera is like a computer, sometimes its just randomly does things! :) Or is that just me....

[superdiver]

As I understand it , its a contact problem. I usually just remove the grip or batteries and re-insert...sometime the problem is more cosistant then other...and sometimes I will shoot all weekend and never have the problem...

[TeamSpeed]

I think I know what your err99 code is. I noticed on my XT, if I would fiddle with the on/off switch under the mode dial, it would have a little play in it, and I could see the display flash, and then it was unresponsive. Turning it off, would leave the LCD display on, etc, until I would undo the battery tray on the grip and put it back in. I took a small screwdriver, and put it under the on/off switch and mode dial and pushed up a bit, which took the up/down play out of the switch, and my problem went away.

Just try it. Jostle the on/off while on, and see if you see your LCD panel flash just a bit (the panel showing aperature/shutter/exposure). Then see if your XT is now locked up such that turning it off, really doesn't shut it off, and turning it back on throws the err99 code. Mine would actually eventually clear out, but then my batteries would be dead two days later because it doesn't really turn off. I think the lock ups/err99 is due to a faulty connection in the on/off switch and mode dial.

[jlsohio]

Did you get the dreaded ERR99?
I had this same thing happen to me, even turn the camera off and on didn't change a thing only way to reset it was to take the grip loose and put it back wored fine after that. I do think it is a contact problem. I shoot a 20d and know this body is notorious for locking up.

I don't get this error, the camera just locks up. It happened again today. Question:
Does it matter which on/off button you turn on first?

[fi20100]

Well, the on/off button on the grip can stay on all the time. It doesn't really turn on the camera, but locks or unlocks the buttons on the grip :)

[svpworld]

Interesting as I got exactly the same problem with my brand new EOS400D, battery grip and 2 batteries installed when shooting on a cold day. I hadn't charged the batteries for a week so I expected they were close to needing a charge before I went out shooting. Anyway temperatures were around 8 deg C and I shot about 50 pics with no probs.. then I noticed the battery indicator finally dropped to 50%.. I shot a few more pics then the camera would freeze up mid shutter. I removed the battery pack as I couldnt turn off the camera. Worked second time ok but after 2 more shots the same happened.
I thought the camera was faulty but recharged the batteries and it worked fine. Now I use one battery at a time in the grip, with the other in my pocket fully charged for when the power begins to drop. Seemingly in cold weather when the batteries are running near empty, if you have 2 packs in the grip the voltage is high enough off load not for the camera to show you a low batt... but then the shutter solenoid draws more current than the batteries can supply and hence the freeze.... Grip seems fine so maybe you just need to use it with one battery at a time and keep them charged!

Simon