# Problem with my Canon 20d



## Monarch1st (Jun 18, 2009)

I bought a used canon 20d a few weeks ago and for a while it worked fine and I was really liking it.
The problems started the second day of a dance weekend about a month ago. I shot about a hundred pictures the previous day and all was well. The next morning I pulled it out, put on the flash just a before. When I clicked the button, the mirror acted normal, but it immediately went to an error 99 state. I tried taking the card out, and taking the battery out and letting the capacitors drain, and then putting it back in. But nothing worked. After a couple hours of trying it every few minutes it started working fine and had no problems the rest of the weekend.
The biggest episode however was a couple weekends ago at a d-day concert and display. It would not work at all no matter what I did. Well, to be fair, it worked for about half an hour in the middle of the day but not before nor after. Nothing. Not able to record a single picture. Every time it gets and error 99. I've tried it once since then, and it took one picture then locked up again.

I don't think its the card, it can display pictures you've already taken, and it acts that way will all three cards I have, from two different manufacturers and different capacities.
It doesn't seem to be the battery, everything is powered fine.
The firmware is the latest version I think, 2.3 something. If it's important I can look and tell you exactly.

So what is wrong with this camera? It doesn't like moderate heat? It doesn't like outdoors? (but the dance event was indoors although it was warm)
Is this a common phenomena with all 20d's (if so, how in the world did they sell any at all)?
I want to like it. I really liked my rebel 2k film I had for ten yrs or so. But if this can't be solved I might as well throw it in the river. Frustration is running high.

Thanks for the help!


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## Garbz (Jun 19, 2009)

Error 99 is a generic error. The camera is dead, send it back to get fixed. Possibly something lose inside. In any case not something that is user fixable. 
If it doesn't like heat, even when it's hot then it's faulty. Your camera should easily handle sub zero up to 50-60 degrees C. 

See if someone else can offer other insight.


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## Big Mike (Jun 19, 2009)

Quite often, error99 has to do with a lens problem.  Likely something wonky with the connection between the camera and the lens.  The usual advice is to clean the electrical contacts on the lens & camera mount.  A pencil eraser is a good tool for this cleaning.

If  you see this error again, try disconnecting the lens and re-attaching it again.  

Have you tried a different lens to see if you still get the same error?


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## KmH (Jun 19, 2009)

Quite often, with an older used camera, Error 99 signals a defective shutter mechanism.

On another forum heavily populated with Canon owners Error 99 is frequently associated with shutter mechanism problems. It even happens to brand new high end cameras.


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## Monarch1st (Jun 24, 2009)

Thanks, all, for the ideas. I hope not to have to take it in and spend money on it.
I have two lenses that I used on my film rebel 2k for a number of years with no problems. I don't know the model numbers but they're both the same age as the 2k, about 10 yrs old. One a 40-100mm, the other a 100-300 zoom. I switch back and forth between them, but usually use the 40-100 inside.
A further observation: I used it inside this weekend and it went quite well. (umm, the pictures didn't come out all that great, I have a great deal to learn. But that's another issue. The camera worked fine.) There was one time this weekend I took it outside into a bright sunlit day and it refused to shoot. When I brought it back inside it was fine. The other times it failed was outside also. The exception to that, when it failed inside, it was in the morning and there was more light that the previous night, but it started working again within about half an hour.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this might point to a lens problem, so I'll try the cleaning. I really hope its the contacts. That would be a cheap fix!
It feels good to be on the road to a solution. I can start liking my camera again.


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