# EOS 1dx Problems



## zellamsee (Jan 27, 2015)

About 6 months ago I purchased a brand new 1dx through B&H and I have about 5,000 shots on it. All has been great until recently. At least three times now the first image taken with the camera is just blank/black. The camera fires, and I can hear the shutter. But, no image is recorded. It is almost as if the lens cap was still on! When I check the info for the blank/black image, all appears normal -- shutter speed, and all other info, etc., is recorded as if nothing was wrong. But, there is no image. For whatever reason, this seems to occur only for the first image taken after a week or so has transpired. Once the blank/black image is recorded, all subsequent images taken are just fine.

I am using a SanDisk Extreme CF card, 16GB, 60MB/s. I have formatted the CF card a couple of times, but that didn't solve the issue.

As a possible "fix" I removed the battery, hoping that might reset things. That didn't work. I had been using firmware version 1.2.4 (two instances of the blank/black image), and I just upgraded to version 2.0.3. That didn't fix the issue either. The problem persists.

The only "change" since I purchased the camera has been a recent home computer upgrade (iMac retina display). I am now running OS X Yosemite (version 10.10) and using both iPhoto (version 9.6) and Digital Photo Professional (version 3.14.40). A couple of times now when I have uploaded images to my computer, both iPhoto and DPP both run and are simultaneously trying to upload the images. This has resulted in a "freeze" or stall, with Error Code 70 popping up on my camera (two times now).

Any thoughts or insights on what may be wrong much appreciated. Perhaps I have a bad CF card? Or, is something faulty with my camera? I have called Canon a couple of times, and they have been great, but I have not been able to get a "fix." I may need to send it in.


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## mackguyver (Jan 27, 2015)

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Have you tried a different CF card? I've had similar issues on other cameras and it's always been a bad card. Formatting alone won't fix a bad card.


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## zellamsee (Jan 27, 2015)

Thanks. I haven't tried another card yet, but will do so soon. Hope it just a bad card.


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## Northstar (Jan 30, 2015)

Agree that it may be a card issue.


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## zellamsee (Jan 30, 2015)

Thanks. I am going to try a different card this weekend. If it is the card, then this is first time I have ever had a bad card. This card is new and worked just fine for the first cycle/round of shots. Only when I formatted it for the second time did the problems appear. Stupid question -- can a card go bad subsequently, or would it be bad only initially right out of the box?


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## StudentOfLight (Jan 30, 2015)

Here is a list of error codes posting in a previous thread:
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=8194.0


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## Stparrot (Jan 30, 2015)

zellamsee said:


> Thanks. I am going to try a different card this weekend. If it is the card, then this is first time I have ever had a bad card. This card is new and worked just fine for the first cycle/round of shots. Only when I formatted it for the second time did the problems appear. Stupid question -- can a card go bad subsequently, or would it be bad only initially right out of the box?


Cards can fail as DOA or at any time thereafter. All of my card fails have been some time after working for months or years.


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## JimKarczewski (Jan 30, 2015)

I have purchased 10, 1000x or 1066x Lexar UDMA 7 cards. 2 have gone bad (reminds me I need to send them back for replacement!)

One card the camera just can't read, the other is seen as a 32MB card instead of 32GB. So, it's completely possible it's the card. Does the histogram show completely black as well? Have you tried (just for S&G, Setting the camera to overexpose by 4 stops to see if anything comes out? A black frame is kind of weird, you would think on playback it would recognize it was corrupt, unless only the JPG Thumbnail in the file is getting corrupted?

Sorry, just throwing thoughts out there of things to try.


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## zellamsee (Feb 9, 2015)

Thanks again for all of the responses. It appears that my issues were on account of a bad card -- I tried a different card and I have not been able to replicate the issues with the other (newer) card.


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## mackguyver (Feb 9, 2015)

zellamsee said:


> Thanks again for all of the responses. It appears that my issues were on account of a bad card -- I tried a different card and I have not been able to replicate the issues with the other (newer) card.


That's good to hear that this appears to have resolved the issue for you. Most CF cards have a lifetime warranty so you should be able to return it to the manufacturer for a replacement.


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## zellamsee (Feb 9, 2015)

Thanks. Yep, this one has such a warranty, and I sent it back last week. First time I have ever had one fail on me.


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## IgotGASbadDude (Feb 9, 2015)

While we're on the subject of a 1DX, one of my batteries started acting weird. It would only charge to 50%. I was on vacation (using the travel charger) so I couldn't re-calibrate it so I figured I'd let it drain down to 0%, then recharge it. It appeared to "charge". The green light would come on but it wouldn't power the camera.

Now that I'm home I tried to re-calibrate it but it keeps flashing red. The battery is the LP-E4N.

Anyone else have this problem? (Hopefully this battery isn't dead--$160 to replace!)

Thanks for your help!


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## Pieces Of E (Feb 10, 2015)

Buy an external card reader or use the card reader if it came with that new apple and don't connect your $7,000 1Dx to a computer again. Didn't the first Error code 70 send a message?


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## ewg963 (Feb 10, 2015)

IgotGASbadDude said:


> While we're on the subject of a 1DX, one of my batteries started acting weird. It would only charge to 50%. I was on vacation (using the travel charger) so I couldn't re-calibrate it so I figured I'd let it drain down to 0%, then recharge it. It appeared to "charge". The green light would come on but it wouldn't power the camera.
> 
> Now that I'm home I tried to re-calibrate it but it keeps flashing red. The battery is the LP-E4N.
> 
> ...


BTW I'm having a similar problem with the battery on my 5D Mark III thanks....


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## IgotGASbadDude (Feb 11, 2015)

ewg963 said:


> IgotGASbadDude said:
> 
> 
> > While we're on the subject of a 1DX, one of my batteries started acting weird. It would only charge to 50%. I was on vacation (using the travel charger) so I couldn't re-calibrate it so I figured I'd let it drain down to 0%, then recharge it. It appeared to "charge". The green light would come on but it wouldn't power the camera. Maybe I dodged a $165 bullet? Hope so, I just committed $900 for the new Sigma 24 Art + filter! ;D
> ...



Over the course of several days I kept putting the battery on the charger then pressing the calibrate button. Finally, after doing that over and over, the light blinked green. When I got up this morning it showed 3 green lights. In the camera it showed 100%, although it did give the "battery needs to be re-calibrated" message.

The 1DX charger has a "Calibrate Performance" button on it whereas the 5D3 charger doesn't so the re-calibrate button isn't an option. Maybe you can "beat it into submission" like I did 8)


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## ewg963 (Feb 11, 2015)

IgotGASbadDude said:


> ewg963 said:
> 
> 
> > IgotGASbadDude said:
> ...


Thanks it looks like a beatin' I'll go or buy another battery.


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## zellamsee (Feb 22, 2015)

mackguyver said:


> zellamsee said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks again for all of the responses. It appears that my issues were on account of a bad card -- I tried a different card and I have not been able to replicate the issues with the other (newer) card.
> ...



UPDATE -- the issue is back with a vengeance -- used the 1dx yesterday, and had at least 3 instances of the blank/black first image, each time I first used the camera. Bummer. So, guessing it is not related to the card. I am going to send the camera to Canon this week for a warranty repair. Needless to say, I am quite unhappy. Camera is both too new and expensive for this to happen.


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## mackguyver (Feb 23, 2015)

zellamsee said:


> UPDATE -- the issue is back with a vengeance -- used the 1dx yesterday, and had at least 3 instances of the blank/black first image, each time I first used the camera. Bummer. So, guessing it is not related to the card. I am going to send the camera to Canon this week for a warranty repair. Needless to say, I am quite unhappy. Camera is both too new and expensive for this to happen.


I'm sorry to hear that but at least it's under warranty. Let us know what happens and hopefully you'll have your camera back soon.


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## zellamsee (Feb 23, 2015)

Thanks much. Body is being shipped to Canon later today. If major surgery is required, I will likely ask for a new one -- this camera is too new and too expensive -- I didn't pay almost $7k to end up with a "refurbished" camera a few months later.


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## zellamsee (Mar 4, 2015)

Well, I just heard from Canon. The shutter assembly needed to be replaced. Camera is being shipped back to me, and should arrive tomorrow. Seems like a pretty major repair for what is a relatively new camera, no?!


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## R1-7D (Mar 4, 2015)

zellamsee said:


> Thanks much. Body is being shipped to Canon later today. If major surgery is required, I will likely ask for a new one -- this camera is too new and too expensive -- I didn't pay almost $7k to end up with a "refurbished" camera a few months later.



If Canon replaces the camera I doubt they will do it with a refurbished unit. I've had some experience with 1DX issues. PM me if you want details.


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## zellamsee (Mar 4, 2015)

Thanks. PM sent. Sorry, I think my post wasn't clear -- with my "fixed" camera back, I feel like I now have a "refurbished" camera in my hands. I agree that if Canon were to give me a replacement it would have to be a brand new one -- anything less would be unacceptable. The question I have is whether it is fair/appropriate to ask for a brand new 1DX from Canon. I am a bit spooked with my repaired camera -- it shouldn't need a replacement of the shutter assembly 6 months in to ownership (with only 4,000 shots on the clock).


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## danski0224 (Mar 5, 2015)

It is still a collection of parts, and some will fail.

What would prevent the possibility of a different part or assembly failing on a replacement camera?

If it had been in the shop several times for similar issues, yes, I would want a new one. I couldn't see Canon giving you a new camera for one failure any more than a car dealer giving you a new car if the transmission fails in 4000 miles.


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