Date & Time Rebel XT (total newb question)

Perhaps the excitement is clouding my mind and I'm missing the obvious, so please excuse the rudimentary level of this question.

I'm setting the date and time on my XT and all is fine. When I turn it off and turn it back on, the date and time needs to be set again. There is a date/time battery in there and it's installed correctly.

What am I missing here?

Thanks for putting up with the question everybody.

I've heard of cases where the backup battery's flat, it's worth replacing that to find out. Any camera store or general electronics store should be able to set you a new one. The backup battery's hidden somewhere inside the main battery compartment.

I don't know for sure, but maybe after you set it, you are not setting it before you go out of that function menu.

I have a feeling it is a flat battery. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking the obvious before I went out and got one.

Everytime I power on, the LCD screen to set the date/time comes up and it's reset. I have to set it to use the camera.

I'll try the battery.

Just a quick update.

Ended up putting a new battery in. The time stayed set, but didn't advance. It stayed at the date/time I set it at for 5 days. Then today it started showing the 'set date/time' screen when I turn it on.

I really don't want to send my XT back already.

Any other suggestions?

That's an odd one. Looks like you've got a lemon. Return it.

Could be a firmware problem. I'm sure they'll have a couple upgraded versions over the next couple of months after they hear of all the things that users are finding.

Why? Is this being reported by other XT owners? I have not seen anything related on the other forums I visit.

That's actually another thought I had, but like Jim, I can't find a single other XT owner having this problem.

I ordered from B&H and am still within my 14 days. I'll think I'll just try an exchange. The problem is they're already out of stock.

It's a shame, I'm already going to miss it until I get a new one back - it's a great little camera!

[QUOTE=jobber73]That's actually another thought I had, but like Jim, I can't find a single other XT owner having this problem.
QUOTE]

I remember there were problems with the 20D that not all users were experiencing that got fixed by firmware updates. And I'm sure there are only a small handful of XT owners, yet alone that are posting here.

I have been reading posts by some other XT owners and no one has mentioned this. I'd exchange it ASAP to avoid having to send it to Canon on a warranty repair. B&H will take care of you and you will then be first on the list when new cameras come back in stock. Yeah it sucks, but better than issues down the road.

Yeah, I'm calling them in the morning for an RMA#.

Thanks for the help guys.

Hi, I just bought an XT over the weekend and date and time setting seems fine. It may be obvious but remember to press the set button before leaving the screen.


I took 150 indoor flash photos of my 4 grandkids yesterday and nearly every one of them were keepers. The ones that weren't were due to either the kids moving quickly or the photographer moving!

Compared to my Sony 4 MP P&S, the lighting from the built in flash is excellent. The XT looks like a baby compared to my Elan II with a grip but it feels great in my somewhat small hands. Next I plan to start learning the controls.

After discussing the problem with both Canon support and B&H, it was unanimously decided that it was a faulty camera. It's already on its way back to B&H to be exchanged for another.