1D Mark II N doesn't power on

[forcanon]

Hey,
I have a problem with my 1D Mark II N.
Can you help me please?
The camera doesn't power on.
The original Canon NP-E3 battery seems to be dead. I tested it also with a voltmeter - it seems to be dead.
So I bought a new battery - but an off-brand (not Canon). The camera doesn't turn on with it.
Then I bought another off-brand battery (not Canon). The camera doesn't turn on with it either.
Both new batteries are good/charged (I tested them with a voltmeter).
When these batteries run low on power, the "low battery" sign is blinking on the top display of the camera - so the camera seems to get power (I also replaced the time-date battery - CR2025).
Also, when I fiddle on purpose with the lens mount, then the Err99 is being displayed on the top display - so the camera is getting definitely power from the NP-E3 battery.
When the battery is placed in the camera with the power switch ON - the voltmeter detects voltage on the flash connection pins.
And when the power switch is turned OFF - there is no voltage on the flash connection pins.
I have read on the net, that a firmware update can influence (or that it can cause) the (faster) "dead" of the mainboard.
I updated the firmware about 3 years ago. And now since about 2 months the camera doesnt't turn on.
Can this be the issue? How can I resolve it?
When I connect the camera to the PC, it doesn't get recognized.
What is the name of the mainboard (with the firmware saved on) ? Is it maybe CG2-1255 (the DC/DC converter) - or maybe CG2-1218 ?
Does anyone have an original Canon NP-E3 battery and live in Nuernberg in Germany and is willing to let me check if my camera works with this original battery?
I have found a post here on this forum with a similar problem ( https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/1D-Mark-2/td-p/215241 ) - but there is no solution provided.
What should I do?
I disassembled the camera - but I can not locate the problem.
I would be thankful for your help.

[Waddizzle]

Off brand batteries are always suspect.  But, it sounds ike the camera has experienced a significant electronic failure.  

New parts may be hard to come by.  Vendors no longer produce some of board components.  I would be very surprised if Canon still services it.  

[forcanon]

Thank you for your reply Waddizzle.
I don't know if it makes sense to service this camera.
I bought it brand new in 2005.
Now I think it would be cheaper to buy a used one, instead of servicing it.
Albeit it doesn't power on, it is in very good condition. That's why I would like to get it running again.

[RobertTheFat]

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@forcanon wrote:

Thank you for your reply Waddizzle.
I don't know if it makes sense to service this camera.
I bought it brand new in 2005.
Now I think it would be cheaper to buy a used one, instead of servicing it.
Albeit it doesn't power on, it is in very good condition. That's why I would like to get it running again.

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"Very good condition" is hardly a term I'd assign to a camera that won't turn on. The 1D2 N was undoubtedly a fine camera in its day; but as you have admitted, that was 15 years ago. Today there are many affordable cameras that will run circles around it. Why spend good money trying to resuscitate a near-antique?

[kvbarkley]

Especially an 8.2 MP one.

[forcanon]

Thank you for your reply RobertTheFat.
The camera is in very good condition as I have written.
From the outside it looks like factory new.
The inside is also clean - I disassembled and checked it.
It seems like factors that are out of my reach/influence caused it to go dead.

Thank you for your reply kvbarkley.
8.2 MP is still king. A 8 MP king can beat a 12/24/32 MP king. The camera is only a tool.
And this camera is a very good tool. As other Canon cameras are.

[Waddizzle]

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@forcanon wrote:

Thank you for your reply kvbarkley.
8.2 MP is still king. A 8 MP king can beat a 12/24/32 MP king. The camera is only a tool.
And this camera is a very good tool. As other Canon cameras are.

---

Yupper!  Those older full frame digital sensors ARE kings.  They have large pixels.  16 MP 1D Mark IV, EF 35mm f/2 is USM.  The camera bodies create RAW files of surprising size.  The 1D Mark IV is typically in the upper 20MB range.

The older cameras may not have the high ISO performance ot today's cameras, but they still perform well at lower ISO settings.  Look at the texture of the metal surfaces.  You can see the metal flakes when you pixel peep the original files.

I love photographing "stone stuff", and other objects with detailed surfaces..  Just look at my avatar of Poseidon.  

[forcanon]

Good stuff

[wq9nsc]

Pull both memory cards out if you haven't already and try powering it up, also take a close look at the CF slot to see if there is a bent pin.

Otherwise, it sounds like a component failure.  Capacitors of that age are the most likely component to fail and if you have an in circuit ESR tester you could take a look at those but without at least a schematic this could occupy a LOT of time.

I still have the 1DM2 I bought early in 2005 before the N came out and I shot a lot of soccer with that body.  It would be interesting to see how well a full frame or "sports crop" 1D style sensor with an 8 to 10 MP count would perform using current 1DX III sensor techology.

Rodger

[ebiggs1]

"Capacitors of that age are the most likely component to fail ..."

Been subject to that recently.  Not a camera but I did have two old cameras that simply died sitting on the shelf. A year or two ago I picked up my old 1D, yup the very first, and it was dead. It made the best portrai, I mean, and just to be clear it only had 4MP to work with.