I didn't catch the swine flu while I was in the US. I can't say the same for my cameras.
Well, it's not exactly a flu, but both my cameras (G5 and 400D) are acting loopy lately. While in the US, my 400D saw a lot of action, while my G5 stayed in my check-in luggage the whole time. And I never got to check any of them upon our return, maybe it's because of all the excitement I had with my MacBook.
Fast forward to last night. I attempted to clean my 400D's sensor, having noticed a big dust spot in most of my Bay Area photos. To my surprise, my camera wouldn't turn on. I assumed it's my batteries, having been exposed to cold weather in the US (which would drain them faster). I charged one partially and I was able to boot up my camera, and do some initial cleaning. I left the batteries charging before going to bed.
This morning, the same problem occurred. Well, almost. I was able to turn on my 400D on some occasions, but when I try to shoot something, Error 99 is displayed on the screen. It's really hard to decode what Error 99 is, since this is more of Canon's generic way of saying that something is wrong with my camera. I tried reinstalling the batteries, turning the camera on and off, and swapping lenses. At one time it worked, but tonight it's still problematic. Hopefully it's just a dirty connection (what else can go wrong?), and I'll have it checked by Canon soon.
Now, my G5. Poor G5. I tried to charge it this morning, so that I can shoot the Error 99 on my 400D. When I turned it on, the LCD acted funky. Either it was blank, all white, or garbled (big time). But tonight I realized that this one might be my fault. I noticed dents at the back of the swivel LCD, might be from all the tumbling inside my luggage. I'm hoping that it's nothing major, but I'm also bracing for the worst.
So what have I learned from all this?
- Never check-in your photography gear, unless you're really sure it's well protected.
- Always test your gear after a long trip.
- No matter how old your gear is, always show them some extra love.
I really hope Canon can do something about my cameras. All I can do right now is cross my fingers.
Well, it's not exactly a flu, but both my cameras (G5 and 400D) are acting loopy lately. While in the US, my 400D saw a lot of action, while my G5 stayed in my check-in luggage the whole time. And I never got to check any of them upon our return, maybe it's because of all the excitement I had with my MacBook.
Fast forward to last night. I attempted to clean my 400D's sensor, having noticed a big dust spot in most of my Bay Area photos. To my surprise, my camera wouldn't turn on. I assumed it's my batteries, having been exposed to cold weather in the US (which would drain them faster). I charged one partially and I was able to boot up my camera, and do some initial cleaning. I left the batteries charging before going to bed.
This morning, the same problem occurred. Well, almost. I was able to turn on my 400D on some occasions, but when I try to shoot something, Error 99 is displayed on the screen. It's really hard to decode what Error 99 is, since this is more of Canon's generic way of saying that something is wrong with my camera. I tried reinstalling the batteries, turning the camera on and off, and swapping lenses. At one time it worked, but tonight it's still problematic. Hopefully it's just a dirty connection (what else can go wrong?), and I'll have it checked by Canon soon.
Now, my G5. Poor G5. I tried to charge it this morning, so that I can shoot the Error 99 on my 400D. When I turned it on, the LCD acted funky. Either it was blank, all white, or garbled (big time). But tonight I realized that this one might be my fault. I noticed dents at the back of the swivel LCD, might be from all the tumbling inside my luggage. I'm hoping that it's nothing major, but I'm also bracing for the worst.
So what have I learned from all this?
- Never check-in your photography gear, unless you're really sure it's well protected.
- Always test your gear after a long trip.
- No matter how old your gear is, always show them some extra love.
I really hope Canon can do something about my cameras. All I can do right now is cross my fingers.
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