Canon's "Err 99" strikes again

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My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed and
died with the infamous Error 99 message no on-line camera review site had
ever mentioned. After it happened to me, a web search for "err 99"
turned up beaucoup complaints from Canon EOS owners. Their fix-it
suggestions all failed, so I returned the camera to the vendor today.

Next, hefting the Nikon D70 and Pentax *iST-DS at a local camera store, I
instantly fell in love with the Pentax's size, great prism, and overall
"feel". In fact, the Pentax build quality made the dead Canon feel
cheap, while the D70 felt bulky and heavy.

I will, however, miss the Canon's low digital noise at high ISO speeds,
and its fast working (until it died, that is).

My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled in
Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

 

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Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com> writes:

> My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed and
> died with the infamous Error 99 message no on-line camera review site had
> ever mentioned. After it happened to me, a web search for "err 99"
> turned up beaucoup complaints from Canon EOS owners. Their fix-it
> suggestions all failed, so I returned the camera to the vendor
> today.

What lens were you using on it?

If it's an old Sigma, this isn't a faulty camera.

--
Todd H.
http/www.toddh.net/

 

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Charles Gillen trolls idiotically:

> My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed
and
> died with the infamous Error 99 message no on-line camera review site
had
> ever mentioned.

I guess all we need to do is find one (1) review that mentions it.
Let's see:

www.google.com: canon digital rebel xt error review 99

I click on the first link and read about an "error 99" on 2005 Mar 23
-- two months ago.

> After it happened to me, a web search for "err 99"

> turned up beaucoup complaints from Canon EOS owners. Their fix-it
> suggestions all failed, so I returned the camera to the vendor today.

This letter has been mailed to you from Canon HQ. I'll post it now
just to make sure you read it:

Dear Mr. Gillen,

It has come to our attention that you have recently returned a Canon
Digital Rebel XT to one of our retailers because of claims of an "error
99" and your lack of adaptability in overcoming it.

On behalf of Canon, I would like to thank you for returning this
merchandise so that a more worthy member of H. sapiens can make more
productive use of our superior technology. Indeed, your continued
ownership of the equipment would have amounted to a literal smack in
the face to people like Arthur Morris and millions of satisfied -- and
intelligent -- customers worldwide. When we brought up this matter
with our customer service department, and particularly its resolution,
the cries of joyous relief were audible even in Tokyo.

Please do not attempt to purchase any more material from Canon, from
any of our departments. We deserve better than the likes of you.

Yours very truly,

Fujio Mitarai
President & CEO
Canon, Inc.

> My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled in

> Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

http/www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/youare.swf

 

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Yeah, that's the tone that successful Japanese high-level executives
take all the time. Riiiiiight.

 

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Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com> writes:

> My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled
> in Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

What's worse is that history is repeating itself, only a bit further
west, this time in an urban guerilla war.

--
Todd H.
http/www.toddh.net/

 

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Charles Gillen wrote:

> Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

The USA was defeated by the USA.

 

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On 16 May 2005 17:18:25 -0400, Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com>
wrote:

>My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed and
>died with the infamous Error 99 message no on-line camera review site had
>ever mentioned. After it happened to me, a web search for "err 99"
>turned up beaucoup complaints from Canon EOS owners. Their fix-it
>suggestions all failed, so I returned the camera to the vendor today.
>
>Next, hefting the Nikon D70 and Pentax *iST-DS at a local camera store, I
>instantly fell in love with the Pentax's size, great prism, and overall
>"feel". In fact, the Pentax build quality made the dead Canon feel
>cheap, while the D70 felt bulky and heavy.
>
>I will, however, miss the Canon's low digital noise at high ISO speeds,
>and its fast working (until it died, that is).
>
>My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled in
>Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

The U.S. is now Vietnam's number one trading partner as well.
Bill Clinton revived relations.
-Rich

 

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t@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:

> What lens were you using on it?
> If it's an old Sigma, this isn't a faulty camera.

It was the Canon 18~55mm kit lens usually sold with the camera. With
freshly-charged Canon battery and a Canon CF card. Tried other brand CF
cards with no better result. Not a Sigma needing to be re-chipped.

"eawckyegcy@yahoo.com" <eawckyegcy@yahoo.com> wrote:

>This letter has been mailed to you from Canon HQ. I'll post it now
>just to make sure you read it:
>Please do not attempt to purchase any more material from Canon, from
>any of our departments. We deserve better than the likes of you.

You've set a new record in gratuitous anal orificedom. I checked your
other Usenet posts and found you really are consistent... always obnoxious
and vituperative. Of course, a decent sane person would not hide behind an
anonymous email address. The Vietnamese have a term for folks like you:
"Throw rock, hide hand." Put your _real_ name where your loud mouth is.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

 

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Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com> writes:

> t@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
>
> > What lens were you using on it?
> > If it's an old Sigma, this isn't a faulty camera.
>
> It was the Canon 18~55mm kit lens usually sold with the camera. With
> freshly-charged Canon battery and a Canon CF card. Tried other brand CF
> cards with no better result. Not a Sigma needing to be re-chipped.

Cool. I know I freaked when I ran into Err 99 and finally figured out
it was because of my old school Sigma APO glass. I didn't want to
use those at anything but f/2.8 anyway (yeah that's the ticket!).


--
Todd H.
http/www.toddh.net/

 

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"with no socks" <badspam@nono.com> wrote:

> did you try contacting Canon instead of just going by what fix-it
> suggestions you could find on the internet from other owners?

Of course not... Canon would have told me to ship it off for warranty repair,
but then my new camera would have become "refurbished" at the original full
price. Bad economics. I returned my dead Canon to its maker hoping this will
help persuade Canon to clean up this error-prone design.

I certainly did not want my day-old camera FIXED... I wanted it GONE!

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

 

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"Charles Gillen" <see-my-sig@below.com> trolled:
> My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed and
> died with the infamous Error 99 message
snip
> so I returned the camera to the vendor today.
>
> Next, hefting the Nikon D70 and Pentax *iST-DS at a local camera store, I
> instantly fell in love with the Pentax's size, great prism, and overall
> "feel". In fact, the Pentax build quality made the dead Canon feel
> cheap, while the D70 felt bulky and heavy.

Good move! It is always better to get help from the experts on Usenet and
blogs instead of the factory service people, especially with a sophisticated
product such as a DSLR. Pentax makes a nice product, as do Canon, Nikon,
and Minolta. Choice is a wonderful thing.

> My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled in
> Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.

I know what you mean. Why support those who have fought us! I am sure you
try not to buy English, French, Mexican, Spanish, German, Italian,
Panamanian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Grenadian products for the same
reason. Come to think of it, isn't the Japanese camera body the more
objectionable part of the package? After all, they attacked us rather than
the other way around.

 

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Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com> writes:

> "with no socks" <badspam@nono.com> wrote:
>
> > did you try contacting Canon instead of just going by what fix-it
> > suggestions you could find on the internet from other owners?
>
> Of course not... Canon would have told me to ship it off for warranty repair,
> but then my new camera would have become "refurbished" at the original full
> price. Bad economics. I returned my dead Canon to its maker hoping this will
> help persuade Canon to clean up this error-prone design.
>
> I certainly did not want my day-old camera FIXED... I wanted it
> GONE!

I don't blame ya. Hell, I'm a Canon fan, but I can't understand why
anyone is trying to talk ya out of your decision which has all the
markings of an informed, good decision.

--
Todd H.
http/www.toddh.net/

 

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"Todd H." <t@toddh.net> wrote in message news:84d5rq55l0.fsf@ripco.com...
> Charles Gillen <see-my-sig@below.com> writes:
>
> > "with no socks" <badspam@nono.com> wrote:
> >
> > > did you try contacting Canon instead of just going by what fix-it
> > > suggestions you could find on the internet from other owners?
> >
> > Of course not... Canon would have told me to ship it off for warranty
repair,
> > but then my new camera would have become "refurbished" at the original
full
> > price. Bad economics. I returned my dead Canon to its maker hoping this
will
> > help persuade Canon to clean up this error-prone design.
> >
> > I certainly did not want my day-old camera FIXED... I wanted it
> > GONE!
>
> I don't blame ya. Hell, I'm a Canon fan, but I can't understand why
> anyone is trying to talk ya out of your decision which has all the
> markings of an informed, good decision.

well like I said, I guess I shouldnt try to talk people out of it when
they're the ones who make perfectly good equipment available at a fraction
of the price so all the better for me!

I guess I just didn't understand the decision to change brands because of
this... if it were me I would have at least taken it back for a different
DR, it probably would have been fine.

--
www.robinbauer.com

 

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The err 99 typically means that the lens and not the camera is at fault. If
you are using an older Sigma lens, you will need to send it back to Sigma to
get it re-chipped. I had an older lens that I used with my 10D got these
messages. Minor and free repair is all it took.

Steve
Tucson AZ


"Charles Gillen" <see-my-sig@below.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9658B01848266gillen@216.194.192.13...
> My new Digital Rebel XT worked for all of 1.5 days before it crashed and
> died with the infamous Error 99 message no on-line camera review site had
> ever mentioned. After it happened to me, a web search for "err 99"
> turned up beaucoup complaints from Canon EOS owners. Their fix-it
> suggestions all failed, so I returned the camera to the vendor today.
>
> Next, hefting the Nikon D70 and Pentax *iST-DS at a local camera store, I
> instantly fell in love with the Pentax's size, great prism, and overall
> "feel". In fact, the Pentax build quality made the dead Canon feel
> cheap, while the D70 felt bulky and heavy.
>
> I will, however, miss the Canon's low digital noise at high ISO speeds,
> and its fast working (until it died, that is).
>
> My only gripe against the Pentax is that its kit lens is assembled in
> Vietnam... and our war loss still rankles.
>
> --
> Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
> Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA