CF Card won't go in - Bent pins!

[DieselGirl]

Has anyone ever put in a CF card backwards and bent one of the pins that are suppose to fit nicely into the CF card. If you dont know what I am talking about, take out your CF card and look inside the slot. You'll see two row of pins. I managed to goof up and bent one or two of the pins now my memory card won't even go in!

Any advice besides taking it in for repair. Gawd, I hope this ain't expensive!

DUH!!!!

[cmM]

that can cause issues.
Never had that happen to myself, but I would recommend you have it fixed by Canon

[herderdog]

Sorry to hear. :(
I did it to my Dreb on Christmas Day.
$200 and a trip to Canon for a week took care of the problem.
A hard lesson learned.

[robertwgross]

I guess the degree of "foolproofness" varies from one Canon model to another.

On my old D60, I don't think there is any way to get the card in backwards.

Initially, I would have expected the same from the Digital Rebel. Then I kept hearing about users that got bent pins, so I guess Canon must have made the card slot less foolproof on some models.

---Bob Gross---

[DocFrankenstein]

My rebel is proofed against that... granted I didn't push too hard :S

[ron chappel]

There is no serious risk to carefully trying to straighten the pin up again.
Do that before laying down heaps on a repair that may not be needed

[DieselGirl]

Sorry to hear. :(
I did it to my Dreb on Christmas Day.
$200 and a trip to Canon for a week took care of the problem.
A hard lesson learned.

Thanks herderdog. $200 aint bad. It's the week without my camera that I can't stand.

Any idea what you did to cause this? I don't really know what I could have done other than force the card in there? Its' only one or two pins bent.

Anyone else please feel free to comment. I am taking it in tomorrow. I just made it worst trying to fix it myself. Now its really screwed up. AHHHH!

[herderdog]

Not to worry....I tried to straighten the pins myself and they broke off. :shock:
Canon will fix it up.

[Mikelite80]

Been there, still fixing it! My Drebal is still at Canon to get a new CF reader installed. If I remember right $197 for labor and a $7 part! I just went out and bought a 20d instead of being camera less!

Mike

[DieselGirl]

Not to worry....I tried to straighten the pins myself and they broke off. :shock:
Canon will fix it up.

I feel so much better knowing I am not alone.

:)

You rock!

[DieselGirl]

Been there, still fixing it! My Drebal is still at Canon to get a new CF reader installed. If I remember right $197 for labor and a $7 part! I just went out and bought a 20d instead of being camera less!

Mike

Mike
Thanks for responding. I am glad to know I am not the only one to suffer through this.

[xdjoynerx]

dont send it to canon. you can fix it with a simple small flat headed screw driver.

do a search on this too, there has been a million threads on it.

[DieselGirl]

dont send it to canon. you can fix it with a simple small flat headed screw driver.

do a search on this too, there has been a million threads on it.

I tried but the head of the pin is really bent! Send me a link if you have any I would really appreciate it

[gudac]

Haven't done it to a camera, but my friend did it to 2 Firewire readers. Get one of those really small jewlers screwdrivers. One of those cheap sets that sell for usually a couple of bucks. Pull the screwdriver tip out of one and use the handle part to straiten up the pins. You probably can't make it any worse.

Once you get the pins fairly strait. Insert a card slowly and they all should line back up. Good Luck.

Joe

[photoshooter]

ive had this happen the best thing we found was the smallest needle nose pliers you can find took only a few minutes dont just sqeeze doit in a slow sqeeze so not to snap the pins

[griff2]

I've had similar experiences at work with various laptops and certain clumsy people forcing in plugs (mouse and video ports):rolleyes: . The best way I've found to straighten a pin is to use a pair of tweezers and small screwdriver to approximately straighten it. Depending on the degree of pin deformation, it may be impossible to get it completely straight, but you may get it straight enough so that you can carefully insert the flash card - the act of inserting the card will help to straighten the pin:)

[Mark_48]

After reading this thread I think a may dob a small spot of bright colored paint to the non pin end of my CF cards to serve as a reminder which end goes in. I've come close to inserting the wrong way.

Mark.........

[DieselGirl]

Thanks everyone. I got it to the point where I can insert a CF card so I'm happy and will leave it at that for now. I dont think I put it in backwards, I believe the correct term would be upside down with the holes of the CF card inserted but with the label facing the wrong way. Anways, be careful everyone! I guess these things happen when you are busy during a shoot and can't afford to miss a second without a ready-camera. Thanks again

[Andy_T]

Dieselgirl,

good it worked out :D
Better be careful now whenever changing the CF card again, if it was bent once, it might bend easier the next time.

Best regards,
Andy

[glangston]

I always figured there was a trade-off on using a card reader or simply downloading from the camera. Everyone seems to think it's faster to pull the card out of the camera and insert it into the reader but of course that means more wear and tear on the card and connection vs. ...wear and tear on the USB connection...and the accidents that can happen, in truth, in either case.

I have two P&S Digitals that have movie making abilities so I have to use a reader to get those downloaded as with Apple and iMovie, Firewire is the only direct option and the cameras only have USB.

[gaza]

One thing nobody has mentioned, and you'll probably get away with it nine times out of ten is the effect of static electricity. It would be prodent to earth yourself before putting a screwdriver in the cf socket. Simply done, either use an earthed wristband, or hold the metal body of your switched off computer for a few secs as you pick up the camera. It could save the chips in your camera from being fried.
Regards Gary

[Persian-Rice]

One of the regulars once posted that he called and yelled at them for the $200 bill and they cut it almost in half, so do that.

BE VERY CAREFUL, I will tell you why. The pins are a very thin and fine metal, once you bend it, if you bend it back it is almost broken at that point. Try bending a staple back and forth once and see if it breaks. Pins are even more delicate then a staple. The worst part is that it can break in the CF card and you lose a CF card too.

[yellow_belly]

I always figured there was a trade-off on using a card reader or simply downloading from the camera. Everyone seems to think it's faster to pull the card out of the camera and insert it into the reader but of course that means more wear and tear on the card and connection vs. ...wear and tear on the USB connection...This is why I download from the camera WHENEVER possible, it just seems the most sensible thing to do as you are minimising any 'problem' opportunity :)

Terry

[Persian-Rice]

What if you have 8 Cf cards?

[yellow_belly]

What if you have 8 Cf cards?LOL - I did say, and emphasise 'WHENEVER' possible, I personally hardly ever fill more than one CF card at a time, but if I do I then have to change over to another one :) but you missed my point, what I am saying is that it is sensible to REDUCE any area of risk to a minimum, but obviously everyone is different and this needs to be arranged around an individuals particular working practise :)

Terry

[Persian-Rice]

This is the best excuse to buy a big card. I have 512 ultra II, all 8 of them. I usually have my assistant(kid brother), transfer my images to laptop and make some basic WB adjustemnts, while I fill another card.

I guess if you don't shoot very much and have a big card, camera stransfer is ok, but another problem I have is that its pretty slow.

[kb244]

My mind totally misread the topic of this thread.

[yellow_belly]

This is the best excuse to buy a big card. I have 512 ultra II, all 8 of them. I usually have my assistant(kid brother), transfer my images to laptop and make some basic WB adjustemnts, while I fill another card.

I guess if you don't shoot very much and have a big card, camera stransfer is ok, but another problem I have is that its pretty slow.Hi PR, yes the 10D and 300D is a little slow using the camera USB, however the 20D is much faster as it uses USB2 :)

Terry

[DieselGirl]

At shoots I usually go through five to six 1Gig cards. I don't have time in between cards to download so it leaves me no choice but to switch cards. Perhaps its time for bigger cards.