20D grip has just permently attached itself! HELP!

[paulhillion]

I'm meant to be shooting a friends football match in approx 4 hours time and this happens! I've just attached the grip and as I was tightning it up I heard a crack (and before you ask no I wasn't using excessive force) and now when I try to remove the grip the wheel just spins without un-doing the grip. I can't even use the camera because the slightest touch of the grip now turns off the power :-(

HELP!

Update: OK, I've taken the dog for a walk and calmed myself down! I can still use the camera just as long as I try not to move the grip, so at least I'll be able to take some shots this afternoon. First thing Monday I'll pack it up and send it off to Canon's UK service centre. Hey one good thing that might come out of this is that I may get an updated and flex free grip :-)

[Jonny]

This is a nightmare that i have recently been though with my old 300D. I had to send it away for repair and it took 3 weeks!!
The only good thing to come out of it was my 20D, i just couldn't spend 21 days without my camera!

[dsze]

Do you mean that you actually snapped the threaded bolt? I'm not sure how that could happen without excessive force. ....or did something plastic in the grip itself break? Either way, you should be able to pull the grip off if the bolt is no longer attaching the grip to the bolt. I'm not sure I understand what happened.

-daniel

[Jonny]

MIne happened with the bolt 3/4 of they way into the camera. Whilst i was turning the small wheel something inside the grip snapped and the wheel just revolved from that point on without actually turning the bolt.
I am assuming that there is some kind of small cog/gear that turns the screw and this is what snapped or became disengaged.

[karusel]

Hey, the grip fell in love with the camera, or was it vice versa? :D

I'd say the plastic wheel that is used to tighten the grip was loose around the screw, now it completely lost it. I imagine this IS serious specially after reading what Jonny Skyman said, so send it to repair shop.

[dsze]

Ahh...that makes sense...I think. My guess would be that the grip is shot and will have to be broken open/taken apart.... Let Canon do it. I've never even thought about this happening with my 10D/Grip. ....now I'll be paranoid.

-daniel

[Hogleg 44]

It's hard for me to remember from my 10D and grip, but if I remember correctly, the grip screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of the body. Assuming this is so, it sounds as if whatever it is within the camera body that locks the tripod screw in place has failed. If that is the case it is definitely serious, and for the sake of warranty it would be best to forget about any self fix, and send it in!

After re reading the previous posts, if the thumbscrew that mounts the grip is plastic, then, as others have said, that has probably broken loose from the screw itself.

I guess care should be exercised when attaching this grip to the camera to ensure that the screw is not trying to cross-thread into the camera. And, if the two metals are dis-similar (especially if aluminum is involved), it may not hurt to apply a tiny bit of an anti-seize compound to the screw before attaching.

[OceanRider]

nice to know this thanks for sharing! I will bre carefull with mine.

[paulhillion]

Whilst i was turning the small wheel something inside the grip snapped and the wheel just revolved from that point on without actually turning the bolt.
I am assuming that there is some kind of small cog/gear that turns the screw and this is what snapped or became disengaged.Yeah this is exactly what happened. Just as the wheel was being tightened there was a snapping sound from within the grip and all contact between the wheel and the threaded bolt was lost, leaving me with a permently attached grip :-(

I'm going to pack the camera up and send it off for repair first thing Monday.

At least it rained for this afternoons football so I didn't feel too bad not having my camera!

[DSMITH131]

one more reason i wont by a grip for my 20d til canon upgrade it

[michael.luczkow]

one more reason i wont by a grip for my 20d til canon upgrade it
+1

[Jonny]

one more reason i wont by a grip for my 20d til canon upgrade it

To be fair i had this issue with the 300D Grip so it isn't just on the 20D and i searched for other reported issues and found none. So to date this is only the second time i have heard of this. I would'nt let two bad apples from a massive bunch put me of purchasing the 20D grip.

As for all the other reported problems, that seem to be more common - well i have had none of those and i am more than happy with mine.