Problem with Canon PowerShot 950 recognizing SD Card

BradfordBenn

Hello All-

I am having trouble with my PowerShot not always recognizing the SD card. It indicates Memory Card Fault. If I turn it off, remove the SD, and reinsert it comes back about two out of five times. This same symptom appeared about three weeks ago but I thought it was the card, new card problem stopped. Being that this is the new card, I figured I would ask if anyone has any ideas?

I did a Low Level format in the camera with no success. Oh yeah, this one is a SanDisk the last one was a Kingston - both 4GB

ziggy53

Clean the contacts to the card that are in the camera. I seem to recall this happeneing a long time ago with a P&S camera and I used a piece of card stock, cut to the basic dimensions of an SD card but longer, and I inserted the card stock and SD card into the camera (with the card stock on the same side of the card as the contacts), and then pulled the card stock out, scrubbing the contacts and cleaning them. Don't force anything if you try this approach. It might be possible to bend a contact so proceed at your own risk.

I suppose it could also be something to do with the door interlock, if the camera has an interlock switch on the door for the card. That might involve sending in the camera for service.

BradfordBenn

Thanks Ziggy for the tips. It is not the interlock as the interlock turns the camera off. I tried the card stock approach to clean the contacts, still not much luck. I might do some more "cleaning" at the office since we have some more cleaning solutions. Is there an risk of damage with getting an electronics cleaner on the sensor.

ziggy53

BradfordBenn wrote:

Thanks Ziggy for the tips. It is not the interlock as the interlock turns the camera off. I tried the card stock approach to clean the contacts, still not much luck. I might do some more "cleaning" at the office since we have some more cleaning solutions. Is there an risk of damage with getting an electronics cleaner on the sensor.

I would be very cautious with any aromatic cleaner inside a camera, or any excess liquid of any kind for that matter. Cameras are not well designed to tolerate foreign fluids and solvents internally.

BradfordBenn

So I went with compressed dry air. Still not quite fixed yet. Might send in to Canon for a cleaning or see if I can find a local service center.