CF card problem

peter brown · #1 14-09-2008, 08:24 PM

I have bought a used Canon 20D through IIS and have just tried it out. I didn't come with a CF card so I bought a Fujifilm 1G CF card.
It doesn't want to work and the camera comes up with the ' err CF ' error. Is this a well known problem with this combination or do I have a bum card, or worse still, camera?
Thanks if you can help.
Peter B

norm · #2 14-09-2008, 08:33 PM

Hi Peter,

Have you tried formatting the card? I once had a similar problem, albeit with just a point and shoot. Didn't liked it formatted in FAT32, but formatting it in FAT seemed to resolve it. Dunno why, but no issues since.

Cheers,

Norm

sheeny (Al) · #3 14-09-2008, 09:02 PM

Try formatting the card in the camera.

I think www.thedigitalphotographyconnection.com has a tutorial that opened my eyes about memory cards. Apparently, cameras are less tolerant of formatting differences than computers, so always format in the camera, and the computer should be happy. They also recommend reformatting the card in the camera each time you clear all you photos off - helps to keep it reliable.

Al.

dannat (Daniel) · #4 14-09-2008, 09:57 PM

If you are getting err-CF card, i'm not sure you will be able to format the card - it probably ould be formatted in another camera, maybe you could ask the local camera store

peter brown · #5 14-09-2008, 10:29 PM

I tried formatting camera but it didn't work. Looked like it was doing the formatting but then came up with the same error message.
Thanks for all the advice. I might have to take it to a camera shop, but I hate asking help when I didn't even buy the gear from them!

Thanks again for your advice

Peter B

vindictive666 (John) · #6 15-09-2008, 07:18 AM

can you you try a different cf card or a different one ? sd Card perhaps ?

regards john

xstream (John) · #7 15-09-2008, 11:40 AM

Peter, If you want to let me know when you're coming into town you can try one of my CF cards to see if you get the same problem.

RB (Andrew) · #8 15-09-2008, 11:46 AM

If you have a card reader, try the card on your computer and see if it reads and formats on there.

If you can, try another CF card like John offered.

Have a look inside the CF slot on the camera to see if any pins are bent.

Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

vindictive666 (John) · #9 15-09-2008, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

If you have a card reader, try the card on your computer and see if it reads and formats on there.

If you can, try another CF card like John offered.

Have a look inside the CF slot on the camera to see if any pins are bent.

Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

Andrew Do They Recommend Formatting in a Card Reader ?

I Know They Say Not to Format In Anything Else But The Camera

Or It May B****gger The Card ?

Hagar (Doug) · #10 15-09-2008, 01:11 PM

Hi Peter, Give me a call and I will give you a card to try that I know works in my 40D and worked OK in my 350D. I also have a card reader if that is any help.

Doug

RB (Andrew) · #11 15-09-2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vindictive666

Andrew Do They Recommend Formatting in a Card Reader ?

I Know They Say Not to Format In Anything Else But The Camera

Or It May B****gger The Card ?

I've done it on my SanDisk CFs many times without probs, but it's better/prefered to format them on the camera because it's formated according to the camera's BIOS.
I'm hoping he can at least get it to work this way and then format it again on camera once it recognises it.

sheeny (Al) · #12 15-09-2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

I've done it on my SanDisk CFs many times without probs, but it's better/prefered to format them on the camera because it's formated according to the camera's BIOS.
I'm hoping he can at least get it to work this way and then format it again on camera once it recognises it.

Yeah, I agree. It's worth a try.

Al.

peter brown · #13 15-09-2008, 10:25 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have opened the card opening and discovered 2 bent and one broken pin.
Guess that's what ya get for buying sight unseen!!

Will a repair be costly or is there a way to shoot pictures straight to a lap top. Would probably be best to get it repaired, I guess.
Should have stuck to Nikon!!!

Ian Robinson · #14 15-09-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter brown

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have opened the card opening and discovered 2 bent and one broken pin.
Guess that's what ya get for buying sight unseen!!

Will a repair be costly or is there a way to shoot pictures straight to a lap top. Would probably be best to get it repaired, I guess.
Should have stuck to Nikon!!!

You'd think it would be a standard CF card socket used , so worth showing it to the local camerahouse and asking for a quote to repair it.

Can't be that expensive to take the cover off, undo a screw or two, unsolder some connections, drop in a new CF socket , and reverse the process.

RB (Andrew) · #15 15-09-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter brown

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have opened the card opening and discovered 2 bent and one broken pin.
Should have stuck to Nikon!!!

Ah I suspected as much, unfortunate for you though.

The problem though lies not with Canon but with the inherent design of the CF cards themselves so I doubt you can blame Canon directly.
Unless these CFs are placed squarely into the socket they can bend the socket pins.

peter brown · #16 15-09-2008, 10:53 PM

Thanks again. I'll get a quote from a camera shop and I'll let you know how I go....for your information
Cheers
Peter B

Hagar (Doug) · #17 16-09-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter brown

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have opened the card opening and discovered 2 bent and one broken pin.
Guess that's what ya get for buying sight unseen!!

Will a repair be costly or is there a way to shoot pictures straight to a lap top. Would probably be best to get it repaired, I guess.
Should have stuck to Nikon!!!

Hi Peter, sorry to hear about the camera. It may be possible to image directly to the laptop using Canon Utility and no CF Card. There should be a menu item "shoot without CF Card" then all control and download is carried out using Canon Utility and Canon Digital Photo Pro.

You will need to install this software available from Canon website and give it a try.

MrB (Simon) · #18 16-09-2008, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

Can't be that expensive to take the cover off, undo a screw or two, unsolder some connections, drop in a new CF socket , and reverse the process.

Sorry, had to laugh, ever tried to desolder a rigid item with 50pins before?
My bet is that they would just order a new populated PCB and drop it in, quicker and therefore cheaper.

It's almost impossible to desolder connectors without damaging something.
Best thing is usually to try, very carefully, cutting each pin on the connector one-by-one and then desolder the leftovers of the pins individually... a very time consuming process.
Very carefully because modern electronics have fragile multilayer circuit boards (Nokia phones frequently have 8 layers of copper), any excessive machanical stress on the pins can break the fragile inner-layer connections to the PTH(plated thru-hole).

peter brown · #19 16-09-2008, 10:18 PM

After a good sleep, I can only summize that the damage to the pins must have been my fault. Thanks for all the advice and apologies to anyone I may have offended.
Peter B

Tandum (Robin) · #20 16-09-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

You'd think it would be a standard CF card socket used , so worth showing it to the local camerahouse and asking for a quote to repair it.

Can't be that expensive to take the cover off, undo a screw or two, unsolder some connections, drop in a new CF socket , and reverse the process.

Sorry Ian, all this stuff is surface mounted now and soldering is done by a surface wave soldering machine. Stick a weller in there and you wil screw it up completely. The board needs to be replaced and depending on which card is crook, it may also need to be reloaded with firmware to make it work again. The good old days are long gone mate.