20D locks up

I shoot college sports with my EOS 20D for a web site called hoopmatch.com and have had trouble at almost every game this year with the thing locking up on me. It just stops responding to the shutter button. I always get it going again within a few seconds but wonder if this is something I should worry about, or if it's correctible.

Any ideas?

Are you using the batt. grip? It was known as a trouble maker ever since the introduction.

I think we need more information to be able to give you good advice. What mode are you shooting in? What lenses are you using? What are the symptoms of the freeze (do you get an error code? Does anything flash or go blank?)? What do you do to recover the camera? What accessories are you using?

That info will be loads of help in determining the nature of the problems.

Mark

There seems to be a few similarities/variation​s to this "issue"
As to what or why is the exact cause in every circumstance seems to be a mystery.
But there are some issues.
Maybe list your gear when it happened and what you did to resolve it.
All Canon and non Canon items to.
But really if no definitive fix then its really to a test bench/properly equipped service center for diagnostics and time.

More information as requested:

I always shoot in aperture priority mode with the shutter set for rapid fire. The autofocus is in AI servo mode. This set-up seems to work best for sports. My lens is a Canon 100-300mm zoom. It (and the camera) are a little more than a year old. I'm not aware if there is an error code, or if anything flashes or goes blank. I recover the camera by repeatedly pressing shutter shutter release and the * focus button.

adas wrote in post #2092137
Are you using the batt. grip? It was known as a trouble maker ever since the introduction.

I just got the grip and love it with a larger lens and/or shooting vertical. I also shoot a lot of festivals so more battery is good for me. I have noticed some hiccups since I've stared using it though. I was not aware of it being a known issue. Can you point me towards some documentation? Can it cause long term issues even once removed?

Perhaps are you shooting sports in AI Servo and RAW, and holding down the shutter button to take advantage of the 5fps shooting rate? If you, you are filling the buffer area within the camera and it has to clear itself to permit you to shoot more!

thelightofsound wrote in post #2096350
I just got the grip and love it with a larger lens and/or shooting vertical. I also shoot a lot of festivals so more battery is good for me. I have noticed some hiccups since I've stared using it though. I was not aware of it being a known issue. Can you point me towards some documentation? Can it cause long term issues even once removed?

I don't know about all that BUT I know a couple people at camera stores who won't buy a grip for it.
One comment was "why complicate things?"
But I am equally certain that there are individuals using them(grips) who have never had a seconds trouble.........but you don't hear about it as much when it isn't trouble..

Ralpho wrote in post #2095851
More information as requested:

I always shoot in aperture priority mode with the shutter set for rapid fire. The autofocus is in AI servo mode. This set-up seems to work best for sports. My lens is a Canon 100-300mm zoom. It (and the camera) are a little more than a year old. I'm not aware if there is an error code, or if anything flashes or goes blank. I recover the camera by repeatedly pressing shutter shutter release and the * focus button.

Ralpho, are you getting a confirmed focus lock? If not, I don't think the shutter will fire (don't quote me on that though). Also, is the problem with just this lens, or does it occur with other lenses, i.e. perhaps the lens is having a tracking problem in AI Servo mode?

Mark

Maybe your CF card is slowing the camera down.

Thanks for all your input everyone. I will pay more attention the next time my camera does this and possibly get back to you.