1DMII/Sandisk Extreme Issue

[Rob Larsen]

The other day in the midst of an assignment, my 1DMII seized up while writing to the CF card. The write light remained on and a "busy" message displayed when attempting to shoot. When turned off, the LCD displayed a "13" in the pictures remaining field and the camera continued it's attempt to write. I switched bodies and came back to this one in the same state about 2 hours later. Removing the battery cleared the error and only the pictures in the buffer were lost.

I am hoping this was a one-time error related to a CF card hiccup and not the camera. I was recording to a SanDisk Extreme 1GB which was formatted prior to the session (I always reformat after each outing). I've shot about 300 images since then without any issues, although my unrealistic level of confidence in my equipment is tarnished. Therefore I now always carry a backup body for all important assignments (a good idea that I had luckily been following that day!)

Has anyone else experienced a similar situation?

[defordphoto]

Probably just a gremlin and nothing to worry about. These things happen with the complicity of the products we use these days. I also have an Extreme 1gig card and have not had any issues.

On my last shoot my camera just froze for no reason. It was not writing to the card. I just turned it off and back on and all was fine. I have not had any other problems. Some people are reporting various ERR99, but (again) I don't think it's anything to fret over.

On the same shoot my wife's 10D locked up solid with an ERR99. Twisted off lens and reinstalled the 100-400 and all was fine after that.

[Rob Larsen]

I've got my fingers crossed and am telling myself this was just a passing gremlin. My main fretting occurred when the camera did not respond to being turned off, having it's lens removed, and all it's buttons pushed. At that point I began sweating that 1.) my camera was sick, and/or 2.) the images from this assignment were at risk. I was too paranoid to pull the battery mid-assignment without giving the camera time to recover (although I knew after 5 minutes this was very unlikely). Therefore I opted for a 400 yard run to the car to grab my wife's "new" 10D.

As for the ERR99s, I have got those a few times on the 10D, but remounting the lens has always cleared that for me too.

Thanks for the encouraging words!

[defordphoto]

I could imagine your heart dropping flat onto the ground when this happened.

I know mine would. It got partway there when mine locked up. Not a good feeling.

We just have to remember that we're essentially working with computers here and they sometimes get confused.

[CyberDyneSystems]

..I'd just take the time to hook the CF crd to a PC and run a diagnostic? Could help prevent a data nightmare?

[Rob Larsen]

..I'd just take the time to hook the CF crd to a PC and run a diagnostic? Could help prevent a data nightmare?

Norton Disk Doctor says all is well (wish I would have tested before formatting). Got my fingers crossed it was a one-time situational CF fluke.