tons of A70 problems

[colblaha]

This my first post on this forum, but I just wanted to get an idea of how many people out there are having as many problems as i am with my A70.

I first bought it from OfficeMax because it came with a free 64mb card, so with that money i saved, i got an extended warranty plan [which will come in handy soon]. I took it home, but found out the lens cap didn:t close all the way when i turned it off. I called the store, but they didn:t have any in stock, but had to get one from another store across the state. I traded mine in and got the new one, and everything seemed ok. I was able to take pictures for a week or so no problem, but then now and again, it wouldn:t turn on when i put in my kingston 256mg card. My way around it was to take the card out, turn it on then off, then put the card back in and it worked. This didn:t happen too often so i didn:t think much of it. I bought the camera with the intention to take tons of pictures during my 8 week study abroad trip to Japan. I flew out only a few days after getting the error message. I had written and email to canon, but they told me a few things to try to prevent the errors from happening. They said to keep it away from speaker magnets and harddrives, and metal detectors, anything that could induce some sort of EMF which might corrupt my data. I didn:t have time to test it out, so i had to fly out no knowing what was wrong with it. After my first day or so here, i started getting Memory Card Errors, and Corrupt Data errors along with E50 and E51 messages in the lower left hand corner just about every day. I got lucky and was able to get the pictures off the camera before the camera `ate` them. One day, i went to take a shot, then i saw that there were no images on the mem card, even though during the days before, i had taken at least 30 pictures. I download my pictures straight from the camera, but they were not there. In the format option, it showed that i was using 50 megs or so, but there were no pictures. Not having an external card reader, i accidentally formatted the card. Since then, i can:t even turn on the camera with the supplied 16mb card from canon, unless i hold the power button down for 12 seconds, and all i get is memory error, and i can:t format it from there. My Lexar 64mb card sometimes works, but now gets Memory Card errors, and can:t take pictures. My Kingston 256mb card is a mix between the Lexar and the Canon card, where it will sometimes turn on and sometimes won:t. Last night i took a good batch of 30 or so pictures on the Lexar and a 3 minute movie on the Kingston, but then all of a sudden, I couldn:t use any of my cards. Fortunately, i bought an ext. card reader and was able to get the pictures from the cards. [I had read on another post that ext. readers do the trick when you get memory card read errors] I left the batteries out overnight, but almost 14 hours later, i still can:t take any pictures.

I have tried turning it on w/o a card and taking pictures, taking out the batteries for a while. formatting the cards in windows with an external card reader, and just about anything else. once i had thought it was having problems when the batteries started to die, but then i put in freshly charged 1850mAh NiMH batteries and still, the same problems.

I can:t get the camera fixed here in japan because the warranty covers only US repair offices and won:t accept/ship cameras from out of the country.

Like i said earlier, i would like to know if this is a widespread problem, or if i:m just having horrible luck with their cameras. I:m about to go on my 3rd A70 :[

[MeGotsACanon]

Ive had mine for three days and no probs. Sounds like u got a bad grape in a very large bunch.

Not much u can do except get a new one when u get back with ur warranty.

[warrenpass]

I've had mine for a month, with no probs.

Take it back again.

[speedy_gonzales]

I had the same problem with mine - it was caused by unplugging the USB cable before the picture delete operation had completed resulting in corrupt data.

I just formatted the Compact Flash card through my card reader and that did the trick.

[bobk71]

I've only just got my A70 this week, and after aabout 20 picyures I'm getting memory error on a new Sandisk 256mb card. Formatted the card several times, but every time I reach 30 ish of pics or a full movie, i get the same error.

Any idea's what I should do ?

Thanks

[Guillermo Freige]

It really sound like a CF card problem, in the memory area used when you shoot 30 or so pictures or the same amount of data as a movie. Replace the card.

[bobk71]

Cheers mate. I've requested a new card to be sent. Rang Canon and they said Sandisk is supported. But in the meantime, I found this website: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/mediacompare/


Which basically says Sandisk is slow & pants, so I'm going to swap it again for a Kingston or Viking CF.

Thanks

[KevinG]

bobk71 wrote:

Which basically says Sandisk is slow & pants, so I'm going to swap it again for a Kingston or Viking CF.

Thanks

Based on what I've read in this and other forums, you'd better go for the Kingston and skip the Viking altogether. Most of the complaints I've read about card errors have been with Viking cards.

Kevin

[bobk71]

Hi, just got my replacment 256mb SanDisk CF card and it appears to be fine. I've recorded 3 big mpeg's and taken about 100 pics so far, and all is well. If it dies, i'll keep you posted, but at this moment in time I'm retracting my earlier statement, that Sandisk is pants.

[bobk71]

Took a further 800 pics and 10 movies now. And not a single prob. Must have just been bad luck with my firs card.

[eggoo]

I use 256MB Lexar CF card on my A70, more than 5 Gig of photos & videos have been shot, never have any problem.

[warrenpass]

I've just changed my 128Mb card this weekend as I was having problems with 'Memory card error'. The shop assistant gave me a HC branded card. I'll keep you posted.

[djramiro]

hi people, first time memeber, and first time canon owner...
i have come across a problem with my memory card as from what i can see along with many other people..

o.k.
here is my situation..
i just got this camera not more than 4 days ago.. been working fine.. only using stock 16mb card that came with camera though.. but still no complaints.. not had a problem transfering picture directly from camera to computer via usb cable that it came with either..

now today i recieved my simpletech flashlink card reader, (for when my wife is using camera and i want to work on some pictures) anyhow.. hooked it up on my computer at work... no problems yet.. read the memory card just fine...

now here comes the problem.. i edited one of the picture to make it smaller size.. changed it to a .bmp file. (instead of defualt .jpg that the camera does). i was trying to save it to my hard drive but saved it to my memory card instead.. to check it .. i pulled the card out of the reader and put back in the camera.. it read the memory card fine.. .

so i removed and put back in the reader to fool around with some more pictures.. fooled around some around some more.. but never changed what was on the card.. anyhow.. was done.. and put card back in camera.. NOW it came up with and "memory card error"...

i read that on the reader instruction that i was suposed to "stop" or "eject" first then pull card out or possible erasure would accure.. (this may have been the reason for the error..

i would still think that card would be able to be read and just the have pictures erased .. not soo.. i tried reformating the card in the camera.. and tried reformating via windows.. yet to no avail.. i still get a memory card error.. and also got a "currupt data error" as well..

any ideas on what is going on .. and any ideas on a fix for this.. it is the only memory card i have until my simply tech 256mb gets delivered..

THANKS ahead of time for any usefull info

Ramiro

[Spirit]

I've had my A70 for 4 months now with no problems. After the first couple weeks I started getting corrupt files... the problem was my sandisc reader. I now never remove my card and format (and download) using the camera. Not a single problem since.

You know it amazes me how something that costs so much, and is so fragile, could have so many problems.