Canon starts to repair 20D Grips & replace battery holders for FREE

[RobbTC]

July 12, 2005
Canon U.S.A.

To customers using the EOS 20D/EOS 20Da Battery Grip BG-E2
*Grips will be received for free repairs starting on July 12, 2005.

Thank you for using Canon Products.

It has been discovered that when using Battery Grip BG-E2 with EOS 20D/20Da digital SLR cameras, there are cases that, even with fully charged batteries (exclusive battery pack or NiMH battery) or unused AA size batteries, only a few shots can be taken or "bc" is displayed immediately.

BG-E2 Battery Grips that cause this phenomenon will be repaired free of charge.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused for you. We will make every effort in quality control to provide products that our customers can use with confidence. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Please refer to the following for details:

Products:
Battery Grip BG-E2 and Battery Magazine BGM-E2
- Battery Grip BG-E2
Serial Number 000001 - 096000 (shown below)
- Battery Magazine BGM-E2
Old type products (shown below)

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/app/images/d_eos/BGE2_Battery_Grip.gif

* New type products have gold-plated terminals and different configuration.

Phenomenon:
Even with a fully charged battery (exclusive battery pack or NiMH battery) or with an unused AA size battery, only few shots can be taken or "bc" may be displayed immediately.

NOTE:
Please note that phenomenon concerned may occur under the following conditions. The products will not be considered as defective in these cases.

When a BG-E2 grip that is being charged is attached to the camera, the camera may not check the battery level correctly. Please attach the grip to the camera, and then charge the battery.
If AA alkaline batteries are used under the temperature below 20&degC, shots may not be taken. Also, the power of the AA alkaline batteries depends greatly on manufacturers' design specifications and storage conditions. With some AA alkaline batteries, shots may not be taken.
The number of shots taken and the level of battery power vary with the quality and the condition of the battery.
With NiMH rechargeable batteries, the battery level may not be shown as full even if they are fully charged.
Services Offered:
Battery Grip BG-E2 will be repaired free of charge
Battery Magazine BGM-E2 for BG-E2 Battery Grip will be exchanged with a new product free of charge.

Contact Information for inquiries:
Call Center
1-800-828-4040 (toll free)
*Available with your cell phone or PHS.

Office Hours:
Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays, holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

[cc10d]

Thanks for the heads up!

[JABACo]

I've had my grip for about 2 weeks and I haven't had the first problem. Maybe I got lucky.

[Nolz]

So for those that have NOT purchased one yet, it would be advised to find one with serial numbers ABOVE 96,000 and to look for the gold plated contacts!

*makes mental note*

[tim]

I just got mine from the new stock at B&H, the serial number's 112xxx.

[Jonny]

so does this extend worldwide or is this just the USA?

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thread "stickied" ;)

The Old sticky thread regarding grip problems is here;
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70497

[Jonny]

Just spoke to the local repair centre here in the midlands (UK) and they are aware of the issue.

I have just wrapped mine up tight and posted it off to them. I have dealt with this repairer before and they gave me excellent service so fingers crossed that this is the end of the issue for me now!

[AjP]

I had my grip for about a month or more, works great with main batteries, no problems at all with with AA 1-2 shots and ..... but in reality I don't care about AA... and don't know if I even should bother to send it for replacement since everything else working just great

[drisley]

Now if they would only fix the problem with the flexing/power loss issue :(
I'm now on grip number 4 after 4 months of waiting, and Canon Service either won't acknowledge the problem, and/or can't fix it. Just ask Toogy, he's in the exact same boat.

[RichardtheSane]

Jonny, which repair centre is this?

Mine has had the battery power issue intermittantly so I should really get it sent off too.

Cheers

Richard

[Jonny]

Jonny, which repair centre is this?

Mine has had the battery power issue intermittantly so I should really get it sent off too.

Cheers

Richard


Rich,

These are the closest canon repairers to us, they are based in Stoke-on-Trent.

http://www.lehmannsdirect.co.uk/

They are really good, i had some work done on my old 300d with them.

[Miyamoto Musashi]

Now if they would only fix the problem with the flexing/power loss issue :(
I'm now on grip number 4 after 4 months of waiting, and Canon Service either won't acknowledge the problem, and/or can't fix it. Just ask Toogy, he's in the exact same boat.

I second that. The flex - power loss, my serial number is newer than the ones listed for repair. This grip really is a poor excuse for a battery pack. I may just switch to supporting a different company because of this.

Now that production has risen, quality control isn't there. Canon is falling behind.

[cc10d]

Has anyone gotten one back since the July repair was offered? How was it? Did they address the flex problem or just the electrical one.

[drisley]

I did cc10d. This new grip is serial# 109xxx. It fits much tighter and there is no VISIBLE play between grip and camera, but it will still exhibit the flex power loss issue when a 420ex is attached. I guess it pulls away just enough so that the battery door open indicator button isn't pressed in far enough. I fixed it by adding a piece of sticky rubber onto the little knob on the grip that presses in the "battery door" button on the camera. I didnt feel like sending this 4th grip back for another month.
I never had an electrical problem with the 3 previous grips they sent me. However, I could swear I get much less battery time with this new grip, but it's something I have to test more.

[cc10d]

Tnx drisley, anyone else?

[drisley]

Toogy also went through the same mess as me.
His current grip serial is newer than mine, and he had to make a homemade remedy for the flex issue, similar to mine.

[Nabil-A]

Picked up mine recently (as can be seen in my new avatar) and thus far have had no problems...... not sure what my serial number is but now have something to check tonight.

[Jon]

My grip seems to be working OK - no false low battery warnings - since coming back. I never experienced the "flex" problem (possibly because the "low battery" issue was so bad that I just didn't use the grip). However, I think I'm more inclined to not bother with it - it's bulky and makes packing the bags harder - unless I know I'll need the extra battery life from having 2 batteries.

[Jonny]

Mine will be back tomorrow (UK) after suffering with the low batt warnings......fingers crossed...it only took 6 weeks!!!!

[Rob612]

Am I stupid or my BG-E2 does NOT have a serial# ? Where is yours ?

[drisley]

It's on the bottom

[Jonny]

Well mine is home.

Battery indicator looks to have been sorted.
Flexing issue is still there though.

[drisley]

Well mine is home.

Battery indicator looks to have been sorted.
Flexing issue is still there though.

:rolleyes:
That's too bad about the flexing Jonny. Does the grip atleast feel tight? While I still have the flexing issue, the grip does fit very tight and does not move around as the first 3 I tried did. As mentioned, I've gone thru 4 grips all with the same flexing issue. Did you mention how old your 20D was? Either some 20D's don't like the grip, or everybody has the flexing issue and just don't notice it, or don't know what to look for (ie, the power doesn't stay off so you have to have the lcd on to test). But, a few people have noted they can't get the grip to flex/power off/on no matter how hard they try. I really wish there was a canon service centre here in town so I could show them in person. Canon wants me to send in my grip with the camera, but there is no way I'm going 1 month without my perfectly functioning 20D after being without my grip for 4 months, and not have the problem resolved.

[Jonny]

:rolleyes:
That's too bad about the flexing Jonny. Does the grip atleast feel tight? While I still have the flexing issue, the grip does fit very tight and does not move around as the first 3 I tried did. As mentioned, I've gone thru 4 grips all with the same flexing issue. Did you mention how old your 20D was? Either some 20D's don't like the grip, or everybody has the flexing issue and just don't notice it, or don't know what to look for (ie, the power doesn't stay off so you have to have the lcd on to test). But, a few people have noted they can't get the grip to flex/power off/on no matter how hard they try. I really wish there was a canon service centre here in town so I could show them in person. Canon wants me to send in my grip with the camera, but there is no way I'm going 1 month without my perfectly functioning 20D after being without my grip for 4 months, and not have the problem resolved.

My 20D was purchased just before xmas '04 but who know how old it actually is. I bought the grip at the same time.

I didn't really notice the flexing issue until you pointed it out on these forums, so thanks for that ;-) , and i very rarely shoot with such a heavy load pulling on it. I don't really believe its going to be an issue for me but just knowing it is there bugs the hell outta me!
To get the unit to power off i just have to pull on the bottom of the grip under the connections but it does feel nice and tight though.

[postpossum]

Just got my grip back from Canon Australia. Yes, they've changed the cartridge for the one with gold contacts. No, the camera still shows the battery flat icon when I take a shot with fully charged Inca 2500mah rechargeable AAs.

A senior tech from Canon Singapore (last November) mentioned something to me regarding the voltage of rechargeable AAs (1.2 or 1.25v as opposed to 1.5?), which didn't help at the time because standard 1.5v AAs were doing the same thing. Anyway, I've yet to find some normal 1.5v AAs to test the 'new' grip with..

[drisley]

Postpossum, when you install the grip, make sure it is empty, and add the battery after the grip is attached. Perhaps you have, but I know the manual says to do this to prevent the low battery indicator problem.
Jonny, with this last grip, if I had not known about the flex issue, I may not have come across it.
However, my first 3 grips were very loose, and it was easy to tell there was a problem.
I too got my grip before xmas, actually in September. Canon insists I have to now send my camera in with the grip for repair. But, I really don't wan't to do that since I dont want to be without my perfectly working camera for 1 month, with little promise that they will be able to fix the grip.

[ddelallata]

I just got a new one from BH and all works well. No flexing or power loss issues from mine.

[drisley]

DDelallata,
Turn your LCD on, then try pulling the grip away from the camera near the battery door and see if the LCD goes out. It usually doesn't take much. You need the LCD on, because the power comes back on, and you won't notice otherwise.
Having the 420EX attached is enough weight to cause the grip to pull away from the camera sometimes when the camera is moved around quickly, and resulting in a power interruption (again, the power comes back on immediately after so you wont notice unless you have the LCD on, or you lose images that are in the camera's buffer).

[postpossum]

Postpossum, when you install the grip, make sure it is empty, and add the battery after the grip is attached. Perhaps you have, but I know the manual says to do this to prevent the low battery indicator problem.
Jonny, with this last grip, if I had not known about the flex issue, I may not have come across it.
However, my first 3 grips were very loose, and it was easy to tell there was a problem.
I too got my grip before xmas, actually in September. Canon insists I have to now send my camera in with the grip for repair. But, I really don't wan't to do that since I dont want to be without my perfectly working camera for 1 month, with little promise that they will be able to fix the grip.

If I ever have to put the grip on (it's usually always on), I make sure it's empty first, so I think I've covered that base. Just tried playing around with it, it went flat with my 6 Inca 2500 Nimh's and the 17-85 (IS on). But strangely enough, I put the 70 200 IS on, and it started taking shots! I switched it back to the 17-85 and it started taking shots too!

Problem solved? Unfortunately not really. Put the 70 200 IS back on again and camera died and I had to take out the batteries and try again. I guess it's one of those temperamental things..