Help 5D Mii is broken

jhoannam · Jul 6, 2015

It started a couple of years ago but I didn't think anything about it because it was only happening when I used it in the humidity, so I thought it was just needing time to adjust to the extreme temp changes. But now this is happening all the time. It keeps writing the same image, but corrupted. It will only write a new image if I take the battery out, if I turn it on and off it will keep writing the same corrupt image. I took it to my local camera shop and they said they couldn't recreate the problem, and it would be $145 just to open it up. I don't mind paying the $145+ if they can fix it, but I don't know if I should trust them because they couldn't recreate the problem which happens ALL THE TIME after snapping a couple of pictures, any ideas?

Gianna'sPapa · Jul 6, 2015

Do you have faith in your local camera shop to be able to repair it. If you sent it to Canon with what you showed us, they may be able to diagnose it by the symptoms. To me it looks like sensor or power supply related. As I see it, you have three options, keep using it as is, send it in for repair or replace it. You would have to make the call whether the cost of the repair is viable or should be applied to a newer camera. My current batch of cameras are five years old so I have opted for repairs mainly because the technology of the cameras suits my needs. I don't need an upgrade at this time. Next year may be my target date for upgrades.

elmoandzoey · Jul 7, 2015

This may sound a bit stupid but have you tried a different storage card in your camera? I once had a corrupted CF card that created a smiliar problem. It would try to write the new picture which just produced junk instead. It worked fine with a new card. You could also try controlling your camera with a PC using Canon's control software and write the output to the computer instead of the card. If that works fine, the problem probably is with writing to the card. If it doesn't work, it probably is something more severe like mabye a corrupted memory module that doesn't clear the cache properly. Or something as easy to fix as a corrupted data transfer cable.

The thing is, even if you turn off the camera, power is still connected for a certain period of time (so the camera can continue to write pictures to the card that are only stored in memory). If you turn it off and turn it back on right away, you may think power is turned off when it isn't completely. Have you tried turning it off and leaving it off for say a minute and then turn it back on? Not that that is really a viable solution to the problem though.

jhoannam · Jul 7, 2015

Thanks @elmoandzoey for those tips. I bought a new faster card this month hoping that was the problem, but that's not it. I'll try using Canon's control software to see if it writes a corrupt image, I was about to uninstall that software from my PC, i'm glad I left it on there.

jec6613 · Jul 7, 2015

Because the corruption is worst on the top of the image, it's almost certainly the sensor or the board, and probably the sensor. Unless your local shop is a Canon authorized repair center, I'd send it to Canon, with sample images, as there's little of anything most shops can do.

(The top of the image is the last part to be read off of the sensor, but the first part to be written to the card, so if it were from the processor onward it would be the bottom of the image showing more corruption as errors are cumulative, while it occurring at the top indicates the error is most likely with reading the data from the sensor).

photo_chick · Jul 10, 2015

Since it keeps writing the same image, and it does show it's good the first time, I wouldn't jump to the sensor. It's trying to repeat the same task and because it does do it correctly the first time it suggests that it CAN do it correctly. It's just getting stuck and the file degrades a little as it runs in a loop. I'm thinking memory or image processor issues myself.

Also.. is this shooting jpeg or RAW? Does it do it with both jpeg and RAW? Are you shooting in burst mode or anything like that when it does it? I'm just stabbing at things that could clue into an answer.

Have you tried the usual reset to factory specs and all that? Tried updating the firmware?

bob100 · Jul 14, 2015

I would ask if you're shooting RAW or jpg

jhoannam · Jul 14, 2015

photo_chick said:
Since it keeps writing the same image, and it does show it's good the first time, I wouldn't jump to the sensor. It's trying to repeat the same task and because it does do it correctly the first time it suggests that it CAN do it correctly. It's just getting stuck and the file degrades a little as it runs in a loop. I'm thinking memory or image processor issues myself.

Also.. is this shooting jpeg or RAW? Does it do it with both jpeg and RAW? Are you shooting in burst mode or anything like that when it does it? I'm just stabbing at things that could clue into an answer.

Have you tried the usual reset to factory specs and all that? Tried updating the firmware?

shooting RAW only, single image mode.

bob100 said:
I would ask if you're shooting RAW or jpg

shooting RAW only

jhoannam · Jul 14, 2015

I called canon today, I explained what was going on and he asked when it started. I explained that it started when there were drastic temp changes, going from AC to hot and humid and as soon as I said that he said it was probably the motherboard. At this point I didn't want to spend the money on replacing it because I don't need something nicer than a 5D, I only shoot for me. So I would rather spend $500 on repairs than $1K+ on something new. I was thinking about switching to Micro 4/3 camera because I would rather have something small but I'm too invested in canon to make the switch at this time.

elmoandzoey · Jul 15, 2015

If you are serious about changing and want to stay in the Canon line, look at the Canon M or the newer Canon M3. You can use your Canon lenses with an adapter (which runs at about 30 bucks). The M will be significantly cheaper than the repair of the 5M3 (but then it will be used since the M is no longer sold). The M3 ranges around 600 with a lens over here - I am not quite sure how much it is in the US though or if it's available at all? I think bob100 mentioned something along the way at some point that it may not be as readily available in the US as it is in Europe.

photo_chick · Jul 15, 2015

jhoannam said:
I called canon today, I explained what was going on and he asked when it started. I explained that it started when there were drastic temp changes, going from AC to hot and humid and as soon as I said that he said it was probably the motherboard. At this point I didn't want to spend the money on replacing it because I don't need something nicer than a 5D, I only shoot for me. So I would rather spend $500 on repairs than $1K+ on something new. I was thinking about switching to Micro 4/3 camera because I would rather have something small but I'm too invested in canon to make the switch at this time.

Those drastic temperature changes are not your camera's friend. Condensation forms on things and can cause all kinds of issues. Sorry it wonked up your camera. It's always a fear of mine when I go to WDW.

You may want to consider the Canon loyalty program where they give you a discount on a purchase if you trade in a broken camera.

bob100 · Jul 16, 2015

jhoannam said:
I called canon today, I explained what was going on and he asked when it started. I explained that it started when there were drastic temp changes, going from AC to hot and humid and as soon as I said that he said it was probably the motherboard. At this point I didn't want to spend the money on replacing it because I don't need something nicer than a 5D, I only shoot for me. So I would rather spend $500 on repairs than $1K+ on something new. I was thinking about switching to Micro 4/3 camera because I would rather have something small but I'm too invested in canon to make the switch at this time.

so if you shoot multiple pics and then put the SD card in the computer's card slot and copy the raw files over all the pics look corrupted except the first ?
anyway, if you want something smaller you can still use your Canon lens with Sony mirrorless models and other brands. That's the good part about mirrorless models, the bad part is mirrorless models are not so great with sports -- but some are better than others

elmoandzoey said:
If you are serious about changing and want to stay in the Canon line, look at the Canon M or the newer Canon M3. You can use your Canon lenses with an adapter (which runs at about 30 bucks). The M will be significantly cheaper than the repair of the 5M3 (but then it will be used since the M is no longer sold). The M3 ranges around 600 with a lens over here - I am not quite sure how much it is in the US though or if it's available at all? I think bob100 mentioned something along the way at some point that it may not be as readily available in the US as it is in Europe.

right, Canon doesn't sell the latest Canon mirrorless models in the US - a strange marketing strategy!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless/

jhoannam · Jul 16, 2015

bob100 said:
so if you shoot multiple pics and then put the SD card in the computer's card slot and copy the raw files over all the pics look corrupted except the first ?
anyway, if you want something smaller you can still use your Canon lens with Sony mirrorless models and other brands. That's the good part about mirrorless models, the bad part is mirrorless models are not so great with sports -- but some are better than others

right, Canon doesn't sell the latest Canon mirrorless models in the US - a strange marketing strategy!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless/

Yes, the first image is fine, sometimes I can shoot for 5 minutes before it starts messing up. I can see that they are corrupt in the preview.

I was really hoping to buy a canon M, but I will have to wait until I decide to trade in my 5D for something smaller.

Help 5D Mii is broken

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