Error 99

[Dave Adshead]

Hi,

I use a Canon 1D Mk2 body fitted with a 500 mm f4 IS lens, today whilst trying to photograph a bird in flight, the following happened:
The camera was mounted on a tripod, I framed the bird in the finder and pressed the shutter button, the camera took five exposures and then froze.
Error 99 was indicated on the top LCD display and the red light adjacent to memory card door was on continuously.
I switched the power off to the camera, hoping that would reset it, but on switching it back on, error 99 was still displayed and the red light was still on.
The only way, I could reset the camera and continue using it, was by opening the memory card hatch and closing it again. The camera continued on, as if nothing had happened, and more to the point the 5 images had been saved to the card. This has never happened before and I'm at a loss as to reasons why.
Has anyone else had this error with this camera, and what caused the problem?
Thanks in anticipation
Dave

[tommo]

Same set up --exact same problem but only the once so far in 6 months. Seems the memory card wasn`t clicked in securely enough. Just one of those things I guess. Its been fine ever since and I remove and replace memory cards a lot.

[paulc]

there is an article in this months digital camera magazine about this error 99 on the 20D, it reccommends to remove the battery for 5mins if it re appears then remove and replace the lens and clean the contacts with a cotton bud soaked in isopropyl alchohol and if the problem persists, then pray that your camera is in warranty.

[graham catley]

I had a 300D for a couple of months and it came up with 99 on a frequent basis which is why I got rid---the 20D I replaced it with does it now and then but just removing the battery and putting it straight back in seems to cure the problem instantly--that is what the book tells you to do by the way for an Err99

[Dave Adshead]

Thanks everybody for the replies.
I've been in touch with Canon, who informed me "this rarely happens and is usually displayed when a non Canon lens is fitted" Well I've only got Canon lenses, so I've been trying to replicate it, with the same lens and my other lens, but without success. In my first posting, I didn't mention that the camera was in its 'sleep' mode, and I just framed the bird and pressed the shutter, it leapt into action but then....

I've been on other web sites since and apparently error 99, is a catch all message for a number of things, that can be wrong.
But, its the first time its happened to me.

[robski]

I have suffered the error 99 a couple of times only on a 20D and the only way to clear was to remove the battery. This was with a Canon lens.

A more common bug I have suffered on the 20D and I have not seen reported as fixed is if you half press the shutter to refocus on a moving bird. If this is repeated about a dozen times while you wait for a better pose the shutter button ceases to function.
To start with the only cure was remove the battery but I have since found if you turn the main dial a click the shutter button starts to work again. Of course you have to click back again to reset the setting you had just changed.

[Dave Adshead]

I have suffered the error 99 a couple of times only on a 20D and the only way to clear was to remove the battery. This was with a Conon lens.

A more common bug I have suffered on the 20D and I have not seen reported as fixed is if you half press the shutter to refocus on a moving bird. If this is repeated about a dozen times while you wait for a better pose the shutter button ceases to function.
To start with the only cure was remove the battery but I have since found if you turn the main dial a click the shutter button starts to work again. Of course you have to click back again to reset the setting you had just changed.
Robski,

Thanks for that, I've also been in touch with H. Lehmann, Stoke on Trent, I've done business with them before and they always seem to be on the ball. According to them, error 99 usually comes up, when there "is a lens connection error , try cleaning the gold pins"

I'm hoping its as simple as that, because I've managed to replicate it with another lens after all. It happens when the camera is in sleep mode and I just press the shutter and hold on, without allowing it time to 'boot' up.

[QuantumTiger]

Thanks for that, I've also been in touch with H. Lehmann, Stoke on Trent, I've done business with them before and they always seem to be on the ball. According to them, error 99 usually comes up, when there "is a lens connection error , try cleaning the gold pins"
I have had this error only a couple of time - the first was with a brand new canon lens, which didn't need the contacts cleaning.

Every reference I've seen about this error relates to the interface between the camera and the lens. I have a feeling that with some of the heavier lenses the connection can get jogged by lens movement relative to the body and if this happens when the camera is asleep it then fails to recognise the lens when it wakes up again. Just a hunch.

[davehenri]

I use a 10D and only had this problem when I used a Sigma lens on the canon body. It was repeatable and was cancelled by turning the camera off and on again. This is a well recognized issue with non-canon lenses. I never have the error with any of my canon lenses.