Canon 7D, I messed up the Media Card Insert, ON VACATION!

[Calindy]

...at least it was my last day of vacation! I do not know how I did it, but even though I am careful, I bent pins in the media card insert of the camera. I have an extended warrenty from B & H, so now that I am home, I will ship it for repair. I am just mad at myself for messing it up, even though I am not sure just how I managed to do it.

On another note, I went to NY for the FIRST time! I just had to go to B & H after reading everyone's comments on this forum. I was impressed!! I ended up buying a very nice refurbished G10 for $200. My husband saw the crowd and thought it would take forever to check out...it took about 5 minutes. It is a good thing I do not live near that store, I would be there all the time!

[coldcuts113]

Glad you enjoyed you trip to NY and to B&H. Too bad about those pins...

[kenjancef]

That's one of the things I worry about with a CF card camera. I know the slots on the card align it correctly, but I always get a twinge of nervousness when I out a card in. I have a T1i also, and I don't worry at all when I put the SD card in.

I hope the repair goes well...

[tonylong]

Too bad about the pins!

The only thing I can suggest is something I saw here on POTN but with no "verification", which is that some card makers have small openings, but that at least Sandisk has wider "bevelled" openings so that the cards can be more "smoothly" inserted.

But still, some folks have had this type of thing happen with Sandisk cards, so...

[JWright]

Yeah, the CF card design isn't the greatest but with a reasonable amount of care, you should be able to remove and re-insert the cards without problems. I've had CF card cameras since my D60 in 2002 and I've never had any difficulty with removing and replacing the cards.

[harcosparky]

Originally Posted by tonylong

But still, some folks have had this type of thing happen with Sandisk cards, so...

In my entire digital camera life, I have never had an issue with pins in a CF slot, and I have never used anything but Sandisk.

I never heard of anyone bending a pin before I joined this forum so the engineer side of me became curious.

In looking at some off-brand cards I can see how if one was careless and was rushing to insert a card they might bend some pins.

It's so easy to not bend a pin, but if one cannot recognize the resistance before forcing the card in, one will bend the pins.

When I insert a CF card I kind just nudge it in, letting it find its way home then a little more pressure and it is seated.

I won't use any other brand but Sandisk - I did once long ago and experienced a failure but that was with a camera maker branded card.

[Bannor]

One more vote for using the camera USB connection and downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 4 years of doing so!

[monk3y]

Originally Posted by Bannor

One more vote for using the camera USB connection and downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 4 years of doing so!

Unfortunately, this will only work if you few shots or shoot JPEG...not everybody has 16gb cards

[rick_reno]

Originally Posted by Bannor

One more vote for using the camera USB connection and downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 4 years of doing so!

I've had my card out once. I use the cable/camera for downloading photos.

[Gatorboy]

Originally Posted by Bannor

One more vote for using the camera USB connection and downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 4 years of doing so!

I've NEVER bent pins and I've swapped cards out of my cameras thousands of times.

I guess you've never shot weddings or sporting events in Raw, or you've had to stop to offload your images on-site once you've filled a card.

[Numenorean]

Originally Posted by Bannor

One more vote for using the camera USB connection and downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 4 years of doing so!

One more vote for swapping the cards and using a card reader for downloading.... I've NEVER had bent pins doing this - after more than 7 years of doing so!

[amfoto1]

I switch cards sometimes a dozen times or more in a day's shoot - often swapping them very quickly to keep up with the action - and have been doing that for 7 or 8 years now. Somehow I've never bent the CF pins in any camera, knock on wood. Worst thing I've ever done is pulled a card too quickly, while the camera was still writing... lost about a third of the images on that card.

I virtually never use the USB to download... too slow and the camera's batteries would be drained.

Besides, USB connectors wear out or get damaged, too, you know... Which means a total rebuild of the camera since it's an integral part of the main board. I figure the CF socket would be easier and less expensive to replace, if it were ever to get damaged.

I also think that removing and reinstalling the card occasionally is likely to help keep the socket to card connections fresh and clean. Over time, it's not uncommon for connectors can get corrosion that can interrupt the flow of data in low voltage circuits. Removing and replacing the card "wipes" the connection clean, same as self-cleaning switches.

I essentially only use the USB cord for tethered shooting, to load new firmware, or to sync camera clocks.

I don't put all my eggs in one basket, either: Currently using fourteen 8GB cards (mostly used in two 7Ds and some backup 50Ds) and a couple 16GB (mostly for 5DII). Still have a bunch of 2GB and 1GB cards, too, that were used with earlier, lower resolution cameras. Some are 7, 8 years old and all still work fine.

[You-by-Lou]

after having bent the pins in a really cheap internal card reader I purchased a good one, (not that I didn't want to spend the money the first time......the good was not in stock...darn not being able to wait)

anyways I no longer reach and put card in but rather stand right in front in put in gently.
I figure the first time was my fault putting it in slightly askew then trying to force it.

[dharrisphotog]

This is why CF cards should go the way of the dinosaur.

[emsjeep]

Originally Posted by Razeus

This is why CF cards should go the way of the dinosaur.

If they switched to microSD all the old farts would be whining about how they can't see the thing and how they slipped them past the card socket into the innards of the camera. I like having a larger card that is easy to keep track of and difficult or impossible to put in backwards. I never really got the SD card orientation and the channels on the CF card are nice.


Anyone want to buy a 1GB IBM Microdrive? Do we have a retro subforum?