Error 99 on XTi. Can you help?

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  ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,911 moderator

  March 14, 2008 edited March 14, 2008

  jbswear wrote:

  ...
  
  Okay, so I removed the lens and lifted the mirror manually. Bad, maybe, but did it anyway. Lowered it back down, and put the lens back on. It fires again now.
  
  YAY!
  
  Now then, what's Error 99 mean?

  
  "Error 99" is a non-specific error and can be the result of many different things. Often it's the lens not making electrical contact and that's what I'm betting in this case.
  
  Next time, if there is a next time, power down, take the lens off, power up and see if it doesn't finish the cycle. I would not recommend moving the mirror manually.
  
  If reseating the lens does not correct the situation, carefull clean the contacts on both the lens and the camera. If cleaning the contacts does not help, try another lens. If another lens does not help, you should probably send the camera in for repairs.

  ziggy53
  Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums

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  jbswear Registered Users Posts: 167 Major grins

  March 14, 2008 edited March 14, 2008

  ziggy53 wrote:

  "Error 99" is a non-specific error and can be the result of many different things. Often it's the lens not making electrical contact and that's what I'm betting in this case.
  
  Next time, if there is a next time, power down, take the lens off, power up and see if it doesn't finish the cycle. I would not recommend moving the mirror manually.
  
  If reseating the lens does not correct the situation, carefull clean the contacts on both the lens and the camera. If cleaning the contacts does not help, try another lens. If another lens does not help, you should probably send the camera in for repairs.

  
  Thanks, Ziggy!

  Semper fi,
  Brad
  www.facebook.com/SwearingenTurnings -- Hand made pens by yours truly

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  pathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,699 moderator

  March 15, 2008 edited March 15, 2008

  Remove the battery after reinstalling the lens for 20 seconds or so, to constitute a cold reboot, so to speak.
  
  Like Ziggy said, electrical contacts with the lens can cause this.
  
  So can a defective lens as well.
  
  My Tamron 200-500 did this when it failed, and had to be returned for service.

  Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com
  
  Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin

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  Tee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins

  March 15, 2008 edited March 15, 2008

  As mentioned above. My error 99's mainly came when the contact between the lens and the body was not good due to build up of stuff on the lens contact. Turning the camera so that the lens mount is facing down and using a pencil eraser to gently scrub clean the lens contacts (facing down so the eraser bits don't fall into the sensor/mirror) and doing the same with the contacts on the lens may be worth a try before sending it in.

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  pyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins

  March 15, 2008 edited March 15, 2008

  "Err 99" does indeed basically mean 'oops'. I've had it from the lens contacts several times (cleaning helps), from a loose battery grip and it's even popped up from shorting the flash shoe contacts in sea water.
  
  So it's sort of like the camera's safety - something goes wrong and everything freezes with the 99 displayed.
  
  The few specific error codes should be listed in the manual.
  Like "Err 05: take your fingers off the flash, please."

  Creativity's hard.
  
  http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/

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  jgoetz4 Registered Users Posts: 1,267 Major grins

  March 16, 2008 edited March 16, 2008

  jbswear wrote:

  I last used my XTi Friday night, shooting a concert. I loaded the pics onto my computer from the card, as I always do.
  
  I brought my camera into work today to shoot some circuitry we built.
  
  When I powered up the camera, everything seemed fine, but when I went to shoot, the lens wouldn't focus. I checked to ensure that it was set on AF. It was. It won't shoot.
  
  Then I put it on MF and was able to shoot, but after the shutter released, I got the Error 99 message telling me to power down and/or replace the battery.
  
  I did both, and formatted the card. Now I can shoot in MF, but it won't even begin to focus in AF.
  
  I've had the camera for about a year and a half and just hit 9k shots with it.
  
  I don't have my manual handy, so that's why I'm here. Please help me!
  
  
  
  (edit)
  
  Okay, so I removed the lens and lifted the mirror manually. Bad, maybe, but did it anyway. Lowered it back down, and put the lens back on. It fires again now.
  
  YAY!
  
  Now then, what's Error 99 mean?

  
  Afternoon Folks,
  It seems this error is popping up a lot lately :cry
  As an electronic tech with over 15 yrs experience, I recommend Chrome Polish and q-tips to clean the contacts. I've used this combination on old analog relay switches, vcr mode switches, and anything conductive, and in all those years, I've never had any piece of electronic equipment returned for a recall I used this once on my Xt after i got that message, cleaned all the contacts on the body and all of my lenses, (you'll see the build up on the q-tip if they are dirty), and did not have a problem up until the time I sold my Xt, some 10,000 shots later. If you use this combo and still receive that error, rest assured it's not the contacts.
  Have a good day
  Jim...

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