Canon 20D issues??

mushy

I'm most keen to upgrade from my olympus c8080 to the Canon 20D but keep reading on different forums about mirror lock-up issues regardless of firmware installed. Has anyone here come across these issuse or any others or should i look to another camera of similar specs and price?

Please help as my head is spinning a little with all the pro's and cons, it seems like such a great camera but the cons also seem a little scarey!

Cheers in advance for any help

ian408

mushy wrote:

I'm most keen to upgrade from my olympus c8080 to the Canon 20D but keep reading on different forums about mirror lock-up issues regardless of firmware installed. Has anyone here come across these issuse or any others or should i look to another camera of similar specs and price?

Please help as my head is spinning a little with all the pro's and cons, it seems like such a great camera but the cons also seem a little scarey!

Cheers in advance for any help

The first week or so I had mine, there was one or two occassions I had to
remove the battery to get things going again but with the latest firmware
installed, it's all good.

Ian

gus

Mushy...i have had one for about 6 months/maybe 10 000 actuations & the only single hiccup was a '99' error to which i turned it off...removed the battery for 5 seconds & put it back & thats that.

Its just like turning the lights out when you were a kid...there really isnt anything under the bed but we can talk ourselves into it pretty quickly.

Gus

Michiel de Brieder

I had a lock-up once (first day). It has nothing to do with mirror-lock up however MLU is actually a very useful function

Red Baron

My experience is the same as "Humungus" (although with half the actuations) in the one year I've owned it. The 20D is a great camera - no question about it.

SnapHappy

As good a place as any to ask but what is mirror lock up? I thought it was a feature of some DSLR's.

Khaos

SnapHappy wrote:

As good a place as any to ask but what is mirror lock up? I thought it was a feature of some DSLR's.

The mirror is locked upright when the shutter is activated so the vibration of it flipping up does not affect the shot.

SnapHappy

Khaos wrote:

The mirror is locked upright when the shutter is activated so the vibration of it flipping up does not affect the shot.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. [hijack over]

ginger_55

I have a major issue, the second time it has happened. Whenever I put an external flash on the camera, the on camera flash will not come up again, at all.

I don't mean with the external flash on it, when I would not expect it up, I mean for months afterwards. I called Canon on it once and it popped up after talking to the guy. So I thought it was the non dedicated flash. I bought a dedicated flash, the Sigma, and it happened again. I am hesitant to call Canon for the same reason I am hesitant to call anyone, but I am afraid I am going to have to send it in. Bought it from BH last February, the 20D. For the time being I have been using no flash.

Does anyone have an easy solution?

ginger

Andy

mushy wrote:

I'm most keen to upgrade from my olympus c8080 to the Canon 20D but keep reading on different forums about mirror lock-up issues regardless

mirror lockup is not the same as "camera" lockup

mirror lockup (mlu) is a custom function you use when you want to ensure as sharp a pic as possible (e.g. when shooting tripodded) you'll enable mlu so that the mirror doesn't slap

camera lockup on the 20d occassionally happens. very rarely. it's no biggie, you simply remove the battery and reinsert it and you're back in business. it's a mystery, but it happens. no biggie, really.

a great camera.

marlof

Although my Oly E-1 is built like a tank, the E-1's are also known to have the occasional camera lockup that requires removing the battery, waiting, reinserting and start shooting. So it doesn't sound like a brand/model specific issue. I wouldn't let it keep me from getting a camera I'd really want.

ginger_55

Yes, mine only locks up infrequently, however this flash thing, I just talked to Canon. They said I have to send it in, with about 2 wks or more turn around time.

I am a bit upset about this.

I think Dixie will be here this weekend so I will wait until after that.

ginger


A bit of info, there is the main battery and a backup battery. The backup battery is a small thing. Taking both out and waiting about a minute resets the whole camera. That was the "fix" the technician just had me try. On the camera lockup, with an error code, or whatever, I have only taken out the main battery. No big problem.

Red Bull

I've had my 20D for 6 months and haven't run into any lock up problem. I really wouldn't worry about it.

dragon300zx

These camera's are really just mini computers designed to take photos. Thats all they are and they operate off software like any computer, add in moving parts..... Considering the amount of serious problems they have is relatively small, and the lockup issue is so simple, no real worries. Think of it this way. You Microsoft computer has problems how many times a week? Compare that to your camera. That said I'm hoping the 20D that is arriving for me on friday doesn't have any gremlins.

ian408

Ginger, is your camera up to date on firmware?

In the digital world, many changes are introduced via firmware. And like I said earlier,
since the last firmware upgrade, I haven't had any issues to speak of (pilot issues
maybe but that's it).

Ian

mushy

thanks all for the response to my initial camera doubts, i think you've all solved the problem of which camera to get... its the 20D for me now i just need a few more dollars for some nice lenses.

Michael_Hansen

Glad to hear you all feel this way about the 20D...mine arrives tomorrow

3rdPlanetPhotography

I've had mine about 9 months and never a single issue!!!! I love it!

digismile

Over a year and never a hiccup. You'll be happy you chose the 20D, because Good Guy's wear white (an inside dgrin joke )

Brad