# Battery stuck in 5D Mark III



## Policar (Apr 5, 2014)

Not a complicated problem to explain, but very unsettling and I've yet to solve it. I went to replace the battery in my 5D Mark III… tried a couple generic batteries that were out of juice then put in a genuine one… was surprisingly difficult to push in (didn't slide smoothly, lots of friction) but I figured it was seated slightly wrong but ok and pushed it in farther. Now it is stuck in the camera body. The white tab works, there is some play when I move the battery around, but it won't slide out. Stuck in there pretty good, not even sure how... feels like maybe something else is jammed in there keeping it there or the spring is messed up but I can't imagine how.

Help! Need to get it out. Fwiw, the camera works fine with the stuck battery, but that does me no good because it will run out soon and then I've got a $3500 paperweight. :/


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 5, 2014)

Saving a few dollars by buying a junk battery and ruining a $$$$ camera does not make sense. I bought a used camera one time with exactly the same issue, junk battery swollen up and jammed in the camera. In my case, the battery was long dead, so I took a electric drill and drilled several 1/4 or so inch holes in it until I could finally take it out in pieces. The camera was not very good anyway (A Sony), so I was willing to risk damage. It turned out fine.

In your case, I'd contact the battery seller and see if they will pay to have Canon fix it. Realistically, it may not be totally dead, and my solution might cause a explosion or severe overheat and ruin the Camera.

Have Canon repair it, its a expensive lesson learned.


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## Policar (Apr 5, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Saving a few dollars by buying a junk battery and ruining a $$$$ camera does not make sense. I bought a used camera one time with exactly the same issue, junk battery swollen up and jammed in the camera. In my case, the battery was long dead, so I took a electric drill and drilled several 1/4 or so inch holes in it until I could finally take it out in pieces. The camera was not very good anyway (A Sony), so I was willing to risk damage. It turned out fine.
> 
> In your case, I'd contact the battery seller and see if they will pay to have Canon fix it. Realistically, it may not be totally dead, and my solution might cause a explosion or severe overheat and ruin the Camera.
> 
> Have Canon repair it, its a expensive lesson learned.



The battery that is stuck is a genuine Canon battery bought new.

I have a paid shoot early next week (but not paid enough to justify a rush delivery to CPS)... Trying to figure out a better solution. Might try one of those adhesive hooks to pull it out.


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## Valvebounce (Apr 5, 2014)

Hi Policar. 
I was going to suggest a sucker but an adhesive hook like you already mention will probably be better! 
Alternately both my batteries, BP511 and LPE6 have a square indentation on the centre of the flat side, a re-bent paperclip might just access the recess to enable a pull on the battery. It would need to be a very short L actually if you made the bit to hook in to the battery the same as the base line on the L it would probably be about right! 
The indent is about 1/8" or 3mm square depending on your currency. ;D It is central on the battery, on my 40D it is just visible with the battery fully engaged, on the 7D it is not, but even slightly out from being hooked under the white plastic hook it is just visible.
I hope this is of some help to you, I imagine this would be quite stressful, maybe have a time out if you don't succeed after a short time to prevent damage from pent up stress if you are at all like me. :

Cheers Graham.



Policar said:


> Not a complicated problem to explain, but very unsettling and I've yet to solve it. I went to replace the battery in my 5D Mark III… tried a couple generic batteries that were out of juice then put in a genuine one… was surprisingly difficult to push in (didn't slide smoothly, lots of friction) but I figured it was seated slightly wrong but ok and pushed it in farther. Now it is stuck in the camera body. The white tab works, there is some play when I move the battery around, but it won't slide out. Stuck in there pretty good, not even sure how... feels like maybe something else is jammed in there keeping it there or the spring is messed up but I can't imagine how.
> 
> Help! Need to get it out. Fwiw, the camera works fine with the stuck battery, but that does me no good because it will run out soon and then I've got a $3500 paperweight. :/


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## Policar (Apr 6, 2014)

Had to pull confusingly hard (it was REALLY stuck in there), but everything is back to normal, battery is ok and fits normally again.

Bizarre! But yay.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 6, 2014)

Policar said:


> Had to pull confusingly hard (it was REALLY stuck in there), but everything is back to normal, battery is ok and fits normally again.
> 
> Bizarre! But yay.


 
That's good news. You do need to find out what the issue was. If the battery is not swollen up, there is a issue that can happen again. Check carefully for something stickey.


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## Valvebounce (Apr 6, 2014)

Hi Folks.
If I had to take a guess it would be somehow not having the battery lined up on the guide rails properly if it now fits without tightness. Perhaps the battery is right at the small limit of tollerance and the body at the large limit of tollerance? Tools for injection moulding wear with each injection cycle, perhaps the battery is from a new tool and the battery compartment from one reaching the end of its useful life! 

Cheers Graham.



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Policar said:
> 
> 
> > Had to pull confusingly hard (it was REALLY stuck in there), but everything is back to normal, battery is ok and fits normally again.
> ...


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