Help! 5D MK II not turning on!

[bloodhound31]

I picked up my camera last night and turned it on, but nothing. I removed the battery grip and replaced the door and tried just one battery. Nothing. I tried the other battery. Nothing. I charged both batteries and got a few minutes of operation out of it then left it for 5 minutes. Came back and guess what? Nothing! Tried cycling batteries and power on/off a dozen times. Nothing.

I have two weddings this month!!! The first next weekend!!! My backup camera is a 400D (Rebel XTI).

HELP!! How can I fix this?

[Garbz]

Call Canon Support.

Then call a camera rentals place and book some rentals for the wedding. A 5DII will cost $100/day.

I haven't seen a non Canon Professional Service member turn around a repair in any form of quick timing. :( I would expect to be without your camera for about 6 weeks if you need to send it away.

[bloodhound31]

OK. Here's what's happening now.

I got another battery from a friend. I also bought a new internal clock battery and replaced the original one, even though it is only 2 years old and word has it they should last for five.

I tried these sequences to see what happens.

Sequence 1.

New clock battery in.
Camera turned off.
Put camera battery in.
Close battery door. No red light flickers near scrolly wheel.
Turn power switch on. No power. No LCD display. Nothing.

Sequence 2.

Open battery door.
Eject battery.
Turn power switch on
Push battery in.
Close battery door.
Whaddya know? Power comes on, camera works.

Sequence 3.

Turn power switch off.
Turn power switch back on.
Nothing again.

What the heck!!!???

[gbeal]

Not something simple and intermittent like the battery contacts is it, on the battery or where the battery fits into the body?
Gary

[bloodhound31]

Sent the camera and grip to Canon repair

Repair Camera that won't turn on =

$1215.60

Replace the plastic wheel inside the battery grip (This one gets me)

$122.41

I took the grip apart before I sent it away. Took me 40 seconds and the same to put it back together. It just needs the plastic wheel replaced. $31 for the part..fine. $80 for LABOUR!? Insert expletive here.

So the total comes to $1337 plus postage.

If I decide not to go ahead with repair, they will charge me $50 for looking at it plus return postage, so I'm already out of pocket $150 to get it back, as well as the $60 it cost me to send it up registered and insured post.

I can get one new from DDP $1680 AUD
http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/...mera-Body.html

Anyone know where I can get a new 5DMK II cheaper than $1680 AUD?

[rcheshire]

Canon 5d Mark II Parts Lists and Schematics (http://www.scribd.com/doc/49199979/Canon-5d-Mark-II-Parts-Lists-and-Schematics)

Same - just stopped working.

I came up with a blown fuse - they can be purchased on-line for a few dollars. Not much help I know. Then you have to solder it across the top of the blown SMD component - or remove the old first...

Easy enough to get at, but a bit fiddly.

Part Number - VD7-2293-001

dpreview - 3rd party batteries blow the fuse easily - apparently.

[bloodhound31]

Yeah, not much good to me now. Don't even know if that was the problem. I don't think it was. I also only use genuine Canon batteries.

[leon]

So the total comes to $1337 plus postage. :eyepop:

That is just outrageous. :mad2:

Leon :thumbsup:

[acropolite]

Baz, depending on how old the camera is you, may have some recourse under Australian consumer law. Canon cameras come with a 12 month warranty but you are entitled to have a reasonable life expectancy from the unit past the warranty period offered by Canon.
I'd suggest checking with the accc to see what rights you have under consumer law.

[bloodhound31]

I think it would be fair to say that as an adventurer and wildlife photographer, this camera has been knocked and wet enough times that I wouldn't have a leg to stand on there.....

Good advice normally though. Thanks! :thumbsup:

Baz.

[AstroFlyer]

Camera Paradise is selling 5D mkII body for $1618.60 http://cameraparadise.com/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-II-Body-only-Digital-Camera-178.html (http://cameraparadise.com/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-II-Body-only-Digital-Camera-178.html)
Their postage is usually higher though.

You can use http://spot.lofico.com.au/ to check current lowest prices on various photo gear.

Arek

[bloodhound31]

Thanks mate. :thumbsup:

[rcheshire]

Barry. Some other possibilities. But I suspect you have already been down this track. The battery door microswitch and the CF card door microswitch in place - no red blip on closing the card door no power to PCB. Remove both batteries and replace after 5 minutes - one post suggests also pressing the shutter with no batteries and power switch on.

[AstroFlyer]

Barry have you tried taking all batteries out, including the clock battery, leaving the camera for few hours before replacing?
Few people that had similar problem reported this helped - camera needs to power off completely before reset happens as capacitors in the camera can hold charge for a while.
Some had the batteries out overnight before it worked.
Might be worth a shot.

[bloodhound31]

Yep, guys. Did all that. No go.

It's just come back from Canon Repair and needs all new PCB's. I've declined their expensive and unrealistic quote and have just ordered another camera through DDP.

[rcheshire]

All new PCB's is a way of saying we don't really know, we'll give that a go and see what gives?

[bloodhound31]

I figured as much.

[alpal]

The fault would be in only one of the PCB's.
The electronic service industry is dying -
I should know because I'm in it.
People just throw away the old or faulty items & buy new when the warranty has expired.

[LewisM]

Going off track a bit but alpal is right.

Was given a Samsung LR40 LCD TV recently. Prior owner said it was dead and that Samsung wanted $900 to fix it. I took it thinking I could fix it, as I had fixed our own 40" LCD TV for $80 previously (PCB issue).

So, I got the Samsung apart finally yesterday. 2 capacitors on the pCB with swollen tops, one slightly burst through the expansion petals with sooting. Went online - spare parts places want $374 for the whole PCB. Went on eBay - cheapest I found was out of NZ for $80 with postage.

Looked at the board again. Grabbed the soldering iron, desoldered the 2 boogered capacitors. Went to my local electronics supply store. Came out with 2 new capacitors and a small roll of fine solder (I only had thick solder at home). GOt home, soldered new ones in, clipped the wires. Turned on TV. Voila!

All that cost me $3.20, and that included a $2.40 roll of solder.

Getting back on track... I have been a semi-professional photographer for years (how else could I afford telescopes? :) ). My 40D gave me close on 3 years great service before the trigger got decidedly iffy to use - VERY heavy, if it went at all (I missed MANY great shots - especially those nude portraits LOL). Local repairer wanted $500. Called Canon. They wanted $250. Out came my trusty set of jeweller's screwdrivers again...(the camera was well used and out of warranty of course).

Sand. The trigger had grit and crud in it (not unexpected!). Zapped it with some automotive microswitch cleaner and an compressed air can. Voila. Cost - $17 (I had run out of microswitch cleaner - you'd be amazed how much a Volkswagen Passat goes through during maintainence :D :) :D :) ).

So far, I have had superb service out of the 5D Mk II. Not issues at all - yet. It does make a decent astrocam it seems. Now, I just have to convert my 40D to Astro specs...