Help!

My 7D's CF slot didn't work. several weeks ago I charged the battery to full and took a photo but don't receive the result. the CF seems to be empty as I've checked it on my 7D. It's a 16gb 30mbps CF card. I've also checked that the other previous photo file inside the CF card can still be read on my PC. and the CF slot is still look like in a good shape. nothing wrong with the shooting mechanism. I thought the problem comes from the CF card. so I bought a new CF card with the same specification as my older CF card. but the problem still the same.

Check the Pins in camera where the CF card goes in you may have a bent pin , also are you able to view the new shot after taking it on the LCD ?

David

dpds68 wrote in post #14976442
Check the Pins in camera where the CF card goes in you may have a bent pin , also are you able to view the new shot after taking it on the LCD ?

David

there was a bent pin. If my eyes didn't do mistake, I guess it wasn't really bent. so I don't have the courage to make sure and then fix it myself. an "Empty" word instead of "no card", that's all I can view on the LCD after I took a new shot or video.

EMPTY indicates that no image is recorded on the card , do a search on sites like youtube if you do have a bent pin you will DIY fix methods I remember one using a surgical needle cut to fit over the bent pin and then straightened .

David

Sorry for the OP but in another sense maybe this is good to bring the bent pin issue to the forefront. Several months back I recommended always downloading images via a camera/cable connection and someone chastized me for suggesting pins could get bent. Well the fact of the matter is this is the second instance this week!

Anyway, more importantly probably a good idea to consider getting rid of that card and card reader. As a minimum examine the card pin holes very carefully and the pins in the reader. The usual reasons these problems occur is a card with worn guides or damage in the immediate area where a pin enters the hole on the card. If the card is damaged, you might try the card manufacturer in case there is a warranty. There are also a fair number of counterfeit cards out there that just don't have the needed quality control.

In the future, consider not using a card reader, if that is your way of transferring images. As a minimum carefully check any card reader you do use for bent pins every time you use it. You are trusting you camera to a reader that was $10 retail and probably $2 wholesale. WHY! Someone a few months back had a damaged card reader, that then damaged the card, then the camera body. Expensive repair likely and the real cause was a $10 card reader!

There is a good thread on CF card damage and bent pins at https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1127101.

One of the best sites on the bent pin issue (great pictures!) is at http://www.tomguilmett​e.com/archives/445 where a bent pin is discussed on a 5DMkII. Note the writer of this thread was able to get a no-charge repair from Canon.

It's always the CF card that it is to blame, the cheaper brands have lower manufacturing tolerances and quality control, so there is a greater chance of bending pins in the CF slot. Pay a bit extra for the well known CF card brands and you can protect against this problem

Don't really understand how a card reader can damage a card unless it wore away it's guides creating some play when it was slotted into another unit ?

lannes wrote in post #14978321
It's always the CF card that it is too blame, the cheaper brands have lower manufacturing tolerances and quality control, so there is a greater chance of bending pins in the CF slot. Pay a bit extra for the well known CF card brands and you can protect against this problem

Don't really understand how a card reader can damage a card unless it wore away it's guides creating some play when it was slotted into another unit ?

Agree and of course, as the famous line says: you get what you pay for! Although I know cheap stuffs are good alternative but there will always be an underlying question if it will work or not, or if it will last. Sad part is if you come across consequences and you end up spending more.

lannes wrote in post #14978321
It's always the CF card that it is to blame, the cheaper brands have lower manufacturing tolerances and quality control, so there is a greater chance of bending pins in the CF slot. Pay a bit extra for the well known CF card brands and you can protect against this problem

Don't really understand how a card reader can damage a card unless it wore away it's guides creating some play when it was slotted into another unit ?

I don't know if it's "always" the case, but I suspect lower quality cards are the problem at least some of the time. I've seen examples of cards on the Internet, that have poorly formed sockets on the end and caused problems.

Knock on wood, I've made literally hundreds of card changes over the years in a lot of different cameras and in/out of various readers, and never bent a pin myself. Maybe it's just good luck or because I mostly use good quality cards (mostly Sandisk or Lexar).

The only place I have any trouble is an Expresscard CF reader that I use with my laptop. It's a bit tricky to get the card lined up... but it's very fast downloading so I put up with it when I need to download on location.

Inspect the socket closely with a flashlight if you suspect a bent pin. Look for any sign or an electrical short.... that can happen if the bent pin grounds ouot onto something it shouldn't. I've got a dead Digital Rebel/300D I bought for a few bucks to try to fix, the only problem with it was a bent pin. But it's going to get used as a CLP trade in now because I found out pretty quickly that the pin shorted out something. There's obvious signs of that around the pin and circuitry.

If it's just a bent pin, you might be able to straighten it yourself. It has to be pretty much perfect, though, or it will simply bend again the next time you insert a card. If there has been a short, chances are it will need professional attention and some components replaced.