5D III totally dead during firmware update

[birdsofpreydave]

Attempted to upgrade my firmware tonight.  Followed the directions to download and unzip the file onto the CF card.  Menu recognized the file.  As soon as I clicked "OK" on the first option "Current Version Is" the whole camera went completely black.  I never got the second menu to select which version to load.

I let it sit for 20 minutes just in case it was doing something.  No change.  i've now removed batteries and attempt to restart.  The camera is still completely dead.

Any suggestions?  Am I going to have to ship to a service center?

I can't believe this!

[birdsofpreydave]

The only down side I've found (other than screwing with firmware updates) is that writing to both cards like I have set up significantly reduces the number of shots you can take in burst mode.

[HDCamTeam]

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@birdsofpreydave wrote:

After sitting here reciting just about every four-letter word I know, removing the date/time battery + main battery, removing the grip, I took the Eye-Fi card out of the SD slot.  As soon as i did, the window came up saying Firmware update program loading...

It still says that after a few minutes, but at least it looks like I'm making some progress.

If you've got anything in the SD card slot, try removing it.

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[EDITED & CORRECTED]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for posting about it.

The firmware update 1.2.1 fixes list stated in point 9:

"9. Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera may not function properly when an Eye-Fi card is used."

This problem is probably fixed in the new firmware, but you still have a previous firmware to update, so the Eye-Fi SD card may not work properly.

So, the suggestion to users would be:

Do not use Eye-Fi SD cards to update the firmware.

Regards

[Assassin]

It just happened with mine too 😞

[Assassin]

I removed the EyeFi card and its working now :).... thanks for the tip... i felt sick after it went dead....

[Assassin]

I shoot the same as you, photos uploaded directly to my iPad...

[Assassin]

Thanks guys for the info, I felt sick to the stomach after my MkIII went completely dead... these forums are invaluable for this kind of info... I would have had to post my camera away, and been without it for around two weeks if I had have sent it to Canon...

[RobertTheFat]

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@Assassin wrote:

Thanks guys for the info, I felt sick to the stomach after my MkIII went completely dead... these forums are invaluable for this kind of info... I would have had to post my camera away, and been without it for around two weeks if I had have sent it to Canon...

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I know the feeling well, which motivates me to strengthen the already proffered advice: Don't ever download a firmware upgrade file directly to the camera! It's too easy to misread the instructions and screw it up. Instead, copy the file to a card in a card reader; tnen insert the card in the camera and run the update. I learned that the hard way when I bricked my wife's XTi while using the download method. We were going to photograph a family wedding and associated parties in just over a week, and I was afraid we couldn't get it fixed and returned before we left for Philadelphia. (In those days we didn't have a spare DSLR.) So I called Canon's Jamesburg shop and arranged to send them the camera and have it held for us to pick up on the way. Fortunately, they're only a couple of miles from the NJ Turnpike. It was my first introduction to the efficiency and helpfulness of Canon's service organization. They even fixed the camera under warranty.

[evelez]

So true! Just had my first bricking of the 5D3 when I tried to go from 1.2.3 to 1.3.3 today. It would not for any reason want to take the load from the SD card (yes its an eye-fi but I thought 1.2.3 would be ok). Did the same, batteries out, lens off, drain the camera....but thanks once again to the amazing politically correct internet...I had forgotten about the eye-fi and SD slot and had to load the .fir file onto the CF card. Dont ask me why but EOS Utility only loaded it to the SD card and not the CF card so basically it was NEVER going to work. Slapped the file on the CF and placed it in the camera and voila! Just had to take out the battery once completed and re-insert and all is back to normal. Worst case I drive 10 min to Jamesburg and hand it over to them (I am also a CPS customer) and if for nothing else they slap me upside the back of the head and say "what were you thinking?" and hand me a cleaned up body in working order.