Think my beloved 5D Classic has died

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mumrar

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Matt
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Attached are two images I took. The first shows the LCD screen with the power off and the battery in. It makes no difference if the power is off or on, and also the red 'writing to memory card' light stays illiluminated. The second image shows the shooting data display with a full auto lens attached, note the lack of aperture of AF mode, despite it being set for full auto. This happens with either no lens other lenses attached.



All photos off phone, no critique required LOL

UPDATE:

I've just had the call back from Calumet and the news is devestating I'm afraid. Bill of £654 to repair it. The PCB needs replacing, the AF system and the shutter control unit and of course the LCD. I can only imagine it has had an over voltage or something, the camera equivalent of a stroke. I sold the camera the 5D replaced to help fund it and I am not in a position to purchase a new body of any kind.

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it :-(
 
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Downer dude :(

Many faults are knwn so it might be worth talking to a repairer and describing what's wrong with it as it might very well be worth repairing.
 
it could be something as simple as corrupt firmware - in which case a reinstall will solve it, on the other hand it could be a knackered chip in which case its spares or repair on ebay time.
 
I meant to put in the OP that it isn't possible to record an image at all. I'm fearing it may end up being a spares or repair job but I don't have the funds to replace it, let alone it's Mk II sibling I covet.
 
Have you tried taking both batteries out and leaving it for a few hours.

Dave.
 
I was going to suggest the battery idea too, if that fails seek advice from a decent Canon dealer - not some spotty muppet in Jessops etc.
 
Tried to give it a few hours without battery and it's still the same. Time to look up camera shops.
 
Did you take the Memory backup battery out as well.

Dave.
 
Lunawolfy said:
Watch battery usually placed parallel to your actual battery. look closely :P
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It's in a seperate compartment screwed beneath the video out and remote shutter sockets. I'm going to wait until tomorrow when I can purchase a replacement battery and report back.
 
mumrar said:
It's in a seperate compartment screwed beneath the video out and remote shutter sockets. I'm going to wait until tomorrow when I can purchase a replacement battery and report back.
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um ... i'm not sure you've understood things propperly , the idea isnt to replace the battery (its very unlikely to be flat), the idea is that if you take both that and the main battery out and leave the camera completely powered down, when you put them back in the camera may reset itself and start functioning again .

It equally may not but you are no worse off for trying
 
Just checking but, you did try a new memory card didn't you?
 
you could have a go at updating / reinstalling the firmware

the chances are your gonna have to do this blind so here's the procedure i wrote on another forum some time ago


please make sure your battery is fully charged before you start
make sure the cf card has the firmaware update on the root of the card i would advise formating the card in your computer so the only file on the card is the firmware
insert the card and switch camera on
press menu
turn wheel one click to the left ( anticlockwise )
press set button ( button in the middle of the wheel ) once
turn wheel one click to the right ( clockwise )
press set button once
wait 20 seconds and then press set button once
turn wheel one click to the right
press set button once

DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES

press set button once

if successfull the camera should reset and things should be back to normal
it might not take 5 minutes to update the firmaware but at least it gives plenty of time to make sure

this might not help you in the slightest but it could be worth a try if all else fails
good luck....
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, after my misunderstanding the camera has spent the night with the memory backup battery out, so about to try that out now. Then I'll give the firmware thing a go, not knowing if the menu responds at all LOL.
 
Just to keep the thread updated I installed the firmware onto a formatted Cf card and followed the instructions but nothing changed. Still dodgy LCD display and the read/write light still permanently illuminated, so it looks like it is very broken.
 
I've just had the call back from Calumet and the news is devestating I'm afraid. Bill of £654 to repair it. The PCB needs replacing, the AF system and the shutter control unit and of course the LCD. I can only imagine it has had an over voltage or something, the camera equivalent of a stroke. I sold the camera the 5D replaced to help fund it and I am not in a position to purchase a new body of any kind.

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it :-(
 
I find that very hard to believe. My d700 had a similar failure, albeit without the LCD issue, just died completely. The bill for a new pcb and all the other stuff it needed was just under £300. Thankfully Nikon picked up the tab.

I can't see why yours would need a new shutter and AF system? I'd send it to canon at Elstree or a second opinion.
 
There is also the labour costs involved as I'm not covered by any warranty unlike your Nikon, when a car goes in the parts usually only represent 30 odd percent before labour.
 
mumrar said:
There is also the labour costs involved as I'm not covered by any warranty unlike your Nikon, when a car goes in the parts usually only represent 30 odd percent before labour.
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The quote I got was out of warranty, it was £275 inc parts and labour. The mainboard was about £40 i think, the rest was rubbers and consumables. Then the majority was labour.

They only paid as it transpired afterwards it was a lens at fault and not me., so I would have paid the full price otherwise.
 
TCR4x4 said:
The quote I got was out of warranty, it was £275 inc parts and labour. The mainboard was about £40 i think, the rest was rubbers and consumables. Then the majority was labour.

They only paid as it transpired afterwards it was a lens at fault and not me., so I would have paid the full price otherwise.
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Maybe it is the age, the D700 was released 2008 and its replacement has only just come out. So it's kind of like the 5D2 in age respect.

Canon probably stopped making 5D PCBs a looonnnnggg time ago.
 
mumrar said:
I've just had the call back from Calumet and the news is devestating I'm afraid. Bill of £654 to repair it. The PCB needs replacing, the AF system and the shutter control unit and of course the LCD. I can only imagine it has had an over voltage or something, the camera equivalent of a stroke. I sold the camera the 5D replaced to help fund it and I am not in a position to purchase a new body of any kind.

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it :-(
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ouch thats not good - at that price its basically a write off as you can buy them for less than that.

I'd offer you one of my old bodies cheap as a stop gap but we arent allowed to trade outside the classifieds and i don't want splatting with the hammer of doom so i'd say more generally that you can get stuff like 300D , 20D and so on for underr the ton on ebay or the classified here - and while its not a 5D at least it gets you shooting again
 
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Thanks for the replies folks, I'm seeing what my options are.
 
Just in case it's an opinion, but do you have house insurance that may cover this?
 
mumrar said:
I've just had the call back from Calumet and the news is devestating I'm afraid. Bill of £654 to repair it. The PCB needs replacing, the AF system and the shutter control unit and of course the LCD. I can only imagine it has had an over voltage or something, the camera equivalent of a stroke. I sold the camera the 5D replaced to help fund it and I am not in a position to purchase a new body of any kind.

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it :-(
Click to expand...

TCR4x4 said:
I find that very hard to believe. My d700 had a similar failure, albeit without the LCD issue, just died completely. The bill for a new pcb and all the other stuff it needed was just under £300. Thankfully Nikon picked up the tab.

I can't see why yours would need a new shutter and AF system? I'd send it to canon at Elstree or a second opinion.
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I too would be suspicious of this quote. Seem overly high and my dealings with Calumet up here have left me feeling very much like they are only interested in you if you're spending big.
 
Whilst I understand what you're all saying I'm loathe to pay another 30 pounds or so for another quote as that will be £65 spent with no remedial action at all. Maybe if I can list the item as spares or repairs based on the report I may get some money back for it.
 
mumrar said:
Whilst I understand what you're all saying I'm loathe to pay another 30 pounds or so for another quote as that will be £65 spent with no remedial action at all. Maybe if I can list the item as spares or repairs based on the report I may get some money back for it.
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Personally that's what I'd do. Stick it up on eBay, maybe get £200. A working body will set you back around 450

I feel bad for you.
 
To be fair to Calumet the 35 would go towards the repair bill to fix it. I don't know many places that would send off a camera, get it looked at and send I back to the local store for free.
 
If you could sell it for spares maybe the cash would buy a 300D, 350D, 10D or 20D. They're not shabby cameras and will keep you shooting digital for £100-150 I'd have thought.
 
woof woof said:
If you could sell it for spares maybe the cash would buy a 300D, 350D, 10D or 20D. They're not shabby cameras and will keep you shooting digital for £100-150 I'd have thought.
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Yep, it's not ideal but I have to look at all available options. My wife tells me today that an online catalogue (that i routinely slag off) she is with have a 600D on a 12 month interest free thing. The price isn't bottom dollar, but it gives me another option.
 
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AJ Johnstone don't charge me to quote, perhaps worth checking them out. I believe Jessops do interest free finance and Grays of Westminster also do interest free finance if you are willing to swap formats.
 
ebay has loads of Canon 30D's for sale and often for well under £200 - one went for £130. Cracking camera and not far off the 5D in image quality.
 
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