Battery caused a problem with 7D Mark II

I was shooting a soccer game today when my camera suddenly stopped working. The number that shows remaining shots was missing. Camera wouldn't focus or fire. Image review didn't work. Menu didn't appear when Menu button was pressed. All other display numbers appeared normal.

I tried various fixes, like checking switches on lens, disconnecting and reconnecting lens, cycle power switch, take CF card out and put it back in and changing modes. I left the game and went home, where I remembered to try my other battery. I swapped them out, and the camera works normally.

Has anyone else had this problem? Know the cause? Your insight is sought and appreciated.

What brand battery? OEM or third party?

Ralpho wrote in post #18145556
I was shooting a soccer game today when my camera suddenly stopped working. The number that shows remaining shots was missing. Camera wouldn't focus or fire. Image review didn't work. Menu didn't appear when Menu button was pressed. All other display numbers appeared normal.

I tried various fixes, like checking switches on lens, disconnecting and reconnecting lens, cycle power switch, take CF card out and put it back in and changing modes. I left the game and went home, where I remembered to try my other battery. I swapped them out, and the camera works normally.

Has anyone else had this problem? Know the cause? Your insight is sought and appreciated.

For what its worth, I always carry a spare battery.

Canon battery.

I've had two Canon cameras act funny when the battery gets low, say below 10%. I haven't had any problems since I switch batteries at 20% now.

Haven't had this happen to me but I hear about it happening occasionally.

The battery that originally came with my 7D2 wouldn't work. Canon exchanged it right away.

My battery had 50-75 percent of its charge left when camera stopped working.

If your charger has a conditioning function (total discharge then recharge) try that and see how it goes...

bildeb0rg wrote in post #18146010
If your charger has a conditioning function (total discharge then recharge) try that and see how it goes...

Better advice is to throw away the battery. They are way too cheap to chance frying $1500 camera with a defective one.

bildeb0rg wrote in post #18146010
If your charger has a conditioning function (total discharge then recharge) try that and see how it goes...

Not good advice for a Lithium Ion battery. Li batteries do not like to be fully discharged.

gjl711 wrote in post #18146073
Not good advice for a Lithium Ion battery. Li batteries do not like to be fully discharged.

If this is true, why does Canon build this functionality into the 1DIII/1DIV/1DX/1DXII battery chargers? As mentioned above, and in Canon white papers, this extends the life of the Li-ion batteries that come with these cameras.

Bassat wrote in post #18146086
If this is true, why does Canon build this functionality into the 1DIII/1DIV/1DX/1DXII battery chargers? As mentioned above, and in Canon white papers, this extends the life of the Li-ion batteries that come with these cameras.

I take Canon technical 'advice' with a grain of salt...after all, when every other flash manufacturer in the world makes flash units with flash photosensor Auto mode that results in precise exposures, Canon invented the 430EXII and 580EXII and 600EX-RT that all underexpose by -2EV when in External (photosensor) mode, and created cameras (Canon 20D and 30D) that forced you to use FEC +1EV in order to take photos with flash exposed the same as ambient-only exposure mode! Neither behavior seems logical.

As for lithium ion care: http://www.techrepubli​c.com …lithium-ion-battery-life/

"3: Allow partial discharges and avoid full ones (usually)
Unlike NiCad batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not have a charge memory. That means deep-discharge cycles are not required. In fact, it's better for the battery to use partial-discharge cycles.

"There is one exception. Battery experts suggest that after 30 charges, you should allow lithium-ion batteries to almost completely discharge. Continuous partial discharges create a condition called digital memory, decreasing the accuracy of the device's power gauge. So let the battery discharge to the cut-off point and then recharge. The power gauge will be recalibrated.

...but this has nothing to do with battery LIFE, only the power guage recalibration for improved accuracy.

"4: Avoid completely discharging lithium-ion batteries
If a lithium-ion battery is discharged below 2.5 volts per cell, a safety circuit built into the battery opens and the battery appears to be dead. The original charger will be of no use. Only battery analyzers with the boost function have a chance of recharging the battery.

"Also, for safety reasons, do not recharge deeply discharged lithium-ion batteries if they have been stored in that condition for several months.

"5: For extended storage, discharge a lithium-ion battery to about 40 percent and store it in a cool place
I've always had an extra battery for my notebook, but it would never last as long as the original battery. I know now that it's because I was storing the battery fully charged. That means oxidation of lithium-ion is at its highest rate. Storing lithium-ion batteries at 40 percent discharge and in the refrigerator (not freezer) is recommended"

Wilt wrote in post #18146206
I take Canon technical 'advice' with a grain of salt...after all, when every other flash manufacturer in the world makes flash units with flash photosensor Auto mode that results in precise exposures, Canon invented the 430EXII and 580EXII and 600EX-RT that all underexpose by -2EV when in External (photosensor) mode, and created cameras (Canon 20D and 30D) that forced you to use FEC +1EV in order to the photos with flash to be exposed the same as ambient-only exposure mode! Neither behavior seems logical.

Scratching my head and trying to figure out what any of that has to do with lithium-ion battery chemistry.

Bassat wrote in post #18146211
Scratching my head and trying to figure out what any of that has to do with lithium-ion battery chemistry.

The flash information was for humor. I added lithium ion care info, after I mistakenly posted the message before I had completed it!