Canon Errors – 'Err 20' and 'Err 50'
- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated Nov 5, 2013 at 6:46 pm by
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Does anyone have experience with the various Canon error messages? I was less than halfway through a 2-week bonefishing trip and my 50D starting giving me an ‘Err 20’ message after a single shot, and telling me to turn the camera off and on. I could then take another single shot, but then I would get the ‘Err 20’ message again. Also, after each shot where the shutter would fire normally, it would then cycle through about 3 more actuations in a row, without storing images. The camera then progressed to giving me an ‘Err 50’ message where the shutter wouldn’t fire at all.
From what I can gather, ‘Err 20’ signifies a mechanical error of undefined origin, and ‘Err 50’ signifies an electrical error of undefined origin. It doesn’t sound good at all. I tried swapping cf cards, lenses, batteries, etc. etc., all to no avail. The camera is about 4 years old but only has about 13,000 clicks on it.
I’m planning to drop it off at a Canon repair centre to get a proper diagnosis, but does anyone here have any experience with there errors? Any suggestions on other potential troubleshooting options?
I’m quite frustrated about the whole thing – it was bad enough having the camera crap out on me, but it was worse yet that it died so early during the trip. I ended up missing out on a fair few opportunities to shoot fish like this…and a few bigger specimens as well.
That sux Tim. Sorry to hear that. I can understand your pain. I have gone through enough shoots over the last few years and learned very quickly to have “Plan B” ready to go. A backup camera body to a place like that is required 😉 It has saved me quite a bit. Hope it does not cost you to much.
Tim – that is extremely frustrating, I hope you were able to salvage some images as these fish look amazing.
It has been years since I shot on Canon, but battery and lens contacts can sometimes cause mechanical/electrical error codes. Before sending it off to a service center, you may want to make sure the contacts are clean on your lenses and mount, and eyeball the battery contacts as well to ensure everything is sound.
I had a few of these issues on earlier Canon bodies, and had a similar problem one time with a Nikon D200 when the battery contacts got dirty.
Best of luck. If everything looks pristine, Canon is good about getting your gear back to you pretty quickly. If you need a body in the meantime, you can consider renting.
Thanks guys. Brett, I checked the lens and battery contact as best I could, and I also switched lenses and batteries a couple time to make sure that the fault wasn’t specific to one lens / battery. Unfortunately, no luck. I dropped the camera at Canon last week to get the problem diagnosed, but it doesn’t sound good. It sounds like I’ll be in the market for a new camera. Anyone have a Canon body they’re looking to sell?
I hate the thought of having to take a back-up body on trips, as I prefer a minimalist approach, but I’m afraid a back-up body will be necessary for future trips like this. Or I’ll just make Stu come alone.
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