Canon 5D mkII won't turn on after extended use!

ManxSpanxManxSpanx Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
edited May 15, 2015 in Cameras
I've had this camera for about 2 years, and I bought it used. It worked completely fine up until a month or two ago, after I used it extensively for a long video shoot. I know about the 10 min limit for continuous shooting, so I try to keep it cool, but on that occasion i did a lot of "shooting" for nor more than 40 seconds, but did that straight for maybe an hour, shutting it down only a couple times, keeping it mostly in the view finder mode.

At the end after i turned it off, it wouldn't turn right back on like it normally did; i figured it was just hot. After more instances of using it, I've experienced some annoying moments where it took time to turn back on. But today especially was rough, I shot for under an hour grabbing a bunch of clips, turned it off, and it would just not turn on. I left it alone for about 15 min, and it turned back on.

Also some time before the camera started having power issues, it continued to ask me to re-input the date. Now whenever the camera shuts off, and turns on (when able to) it always asks me for the date. I've read some other help sites, but what would you guys suggest the issue might be, and what can I do to solve it. Obviously the clock battery is something that will need to be changed, but do you think it is something more complicated. I am also an American living in Japan, so going to a repair shop is not impossible just a little bit more complicated as I would have to speak Japanese (not my first language); or sending to a Japanese Canon facility.

Comments

  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,167 moderator
    edited May 13, 2015
    I'll start with some easy suggestions, and possibly some that seem stupid, but I have a 40D that does odd things like this too.

    Have you tried…

    * A different CF card?

    * A different main battery?

    * A different lens? Is the lens you were using a Canon lens or another brand?

    * Turning the 5DII on with the lens or CF card not installed? And then placing them in/on while the camera is turned on? Or any combination of these?
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited May 14, 2015
    It's likely that the button cell backup battery has died, or is dying. The battery is a CR-1616 Lithium button cell, or equivalent.

    You will lose all camera settings when you change the battery, so record any settings that are important, so that you can revert to those settings later.

    If you have your User Manual, the battery replacement procedure is located on page 217, "Replacing the Date/Time Battery". If you don't have a user manual, you can get a PDF copy here:

    http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0/0300004270/01/eos5dmkii-im4-en.pdf

    Alternately, you can also get instructions at the following locations:

    http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/batteries/care_of_batteries.do

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+EOS+5D+Mark+II+Clock+Battery+Replacement/31531
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • ManxSpanxManxSpanx Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited May 15, 2015
    * A different CF card?
    -Unfortunately only have one. Someone said that it might be because i have a shotty card, but I thought mine was fairly descent: SanDisk, 60mb/s, 32gb, udma, 20(clapperboard).

    * A different main battery?
    I have two canon brand batteries, i switch them up but no difference.

    * A different lens? Is the lens you were using a Canon lens or another brand?
    I just have two canon lens, i switch them, and no difference. I even start it up with a lens; no use.

    * Turning the 5DII on with the lens or CF card not installed? And then placing them in/on while the camera is turned on? Or any combination of these?[/QUOTE]

    I actually haven't tried this way, but can't see it being that useful. Would it really make that big of a difference.

    Regardless thanks for all the help.!!!
  • ManxSpanxManxSpanx Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited May 15, 2015
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    It's likely that the button cell backup battery has died, or is dying. The battery is a CR-1616 Lithium button cell, or equivalent.

    You will lose all camera settings when you change the battery, so record any settings that are important, so that you can revert to those settings later.

    If you have your User Manual, the battery replacement procedure is located on page 217, "Replacing the Date/Time Battery". If you don't have a user manual, you can get a PDF copy here:

    http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0/0300004270/01/eos5dmkii-im4-en.pdf

    Alternately, you can also get instructions at the following locations:

    http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/batteries/care_of_batteries.do

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+EOS+5D+Mark+II+Clock+Battery+Replacement/31531

    I actually replaced the clock battery yesterday, and it stopped asking for the time. I hoped it might help the power issues, but then had the same issue today. Finally after some time, it turned out, but asked me for the date/time; like it went though a hard reset. I feel like that is what's happening when i run it for a little then turn it off. It doesn't just power down, it goes into a hard reset. Its frustrating because it turns back on (after an hour) and is ready to roll. I have no problems when it is on, only when i use it for an extended period and then shut it off. Tempted just to keep it on for however long i have to shoot, then once my shoot is over i shut it off expecting it not to turn on for the next hour or so. But this also just sounds like burning the camera faster until its completely done for.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited May 15, 2015
    Are you using Magic Lantern by any chance?
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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