EOS M100 - Memory Card Error

[ken2020]

Greetings,

I love this camera but today when I turned it on, I got an error message saying "Memory Card Error".  I am using a Sandisk Ultra 32GB SD card.  Tried three other SD card and it is the same error.  When I go to settings to format the card, the "format" option is greyed out.  Read online and it says to pull the battery and reinsert after 10-15 seconds.  Tried that and not working either.  I had this camera for just a little over a year so think the warranty is done.  Don't know if I am just really lucky or if this is a common problem and have an easy solution.  Thanks!

[ebiggs1]

" I brought this M100 for ~$470 just over a year ago and it stopped working after 14 months."

You know this exact experience comes up ever so often and when it's your problem it is a huge problem.  I understand. But consider how many thousands upon thousands of Canon cameras work with out issue for years and even decades.

"So either I have bad karma with Canon products or some other QC issue inherent with certain Canon products."

Yeah, who knows?  Luck of the draw? Perhaps, but I can confidently tell you Canon's QC is second to none in the industry.  Any and all manufacturers have problems and/or defective gear that gets out.  Generally a faulty product will fail in the warranty period or at least we hope it does if it does.

"I am living in Canada and sending the camera to Canon for repair will cost $215 plus postage."

Yet another bummer but that isn't Canon's fault. Are you trying to sen it to Canon USA?  That is your shipper and governments fault. 

"I can find enough Canon users with the same issue through social media, perhaps I can get Canon to look into this and take it seriously."

Unlikely, but you can go for it.

[ken2020]

Yeah, the Patriot and Adata are smaller brands and not big players I believe.  I prefer bringing SD cards of different sizes on trips just in case one dies.  I prefer using smaller SD cards for that reason.  Regardless, I didn't have any issues with using the Patriot and Adata cards before.  As a matter of fact, I was in Asia for two weeks taking pictures daily on the SD cards.  Most recently, I used the camera at my work recording a video and taking pictures on the Adata card with no issues.  All four SD cards were formatted by the M100 prior to first use.  I don't move the SD cards from one camera to another.  The M100 was my exclusive camera for the past 14 months.  Now that the M100 is not working, I will have to use the Panasonic instead.  

I looked inside the SD card slot with some magnfying glasses but could not see any foreign objects.  Is it safe to use compressed air to blow into the SD card slot to remove dust if it exists?  Although I don't see any lint or major collection of dust.  

[ebiggs1]

" I am using a Sandisk Ultra 32GB SD card. ... it says to pull the battery and reinsert after 10-15 seconds."

Get a new top brand SD card from a known good retailer. Not a discount store or Amazon. A new Sandisk Ultra 32GB is OK.

Format it with a Windows computer and try it.

[ebiggs1]

"Is it safe to use compressed air to blow into the SD card slot to remove dust if it exists?"

No it is not.  A squeeze blower is all you should ever use on a camera.

[ken2020]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

" I brought this M100 for ~$470 just over a year ago and it stopped working after 14 months."

You know this exact experience comes up ever so often and when it's your problem it is a huge problem.  I understand. But consider how many thousands upon thousands of Canon cameras work with out issue for years and even decades.

I have no doubt that Canon products have been used by untold thousands but to be brutally frank, I just care about the one I have.  

"So either I have bad karma with Canon products or some other QC issue inherent with certain Canon products."

Yeah, who knows?  Luck of the draw? Perhaps, but I can confidently tell you Canon's QC is second to none in the industry.  Any and all manufacturers have problems and/or defective gear that gets out.  Generally a faulty product will fail in the warranty period or at least we hope it does if it does.

Yeah, it is just my luck that this issue cropped up just shortly after the warranty period.  

"I am living in Canada and sending the camera to Canon for repair will cost $215 plus postage."

Yet another bummer but that isn't Canon's fault. Are you trying to sen it to Canon USA?  That is your shipper and governments fault. 

The postage is not the main concern, if the cost of repair was cheaper I would gladly pay for the postage.  However, the cost of the repair equals 54% of the camera.  I understand a company require several revenue streams but two repairs will cost more than a new camera.  I don't want to pay 54% and find out later another issue arise later on.

"I can find enough Canon users with the same issue through social media, perhaps I can get Canon to look into this and take it seriously."

Unlikely, but you can go for it.

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[ken2020]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

" I am using a Sandisk Ultra 32GB SD card. ... it says to pull the battery and reinsert after 10-15 seconds."

Get a new top brand SD card from a known good retailer. Not a discount store or Amazon. A new Sandisk Ultra 32GB is OK.

Format it with a Windows computer and try it.

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SD cards are pretty cheap so I'll purchase another Sandisk to try it out.  Doubt it is going to work and even if it does, this is not a long term solution as it is the M100 is not registering my current Sandisk SD card.  Don't want to buy a new card for every instance this Memory Card error pops up in the future ... assuming using a new card will work.  Thank you for the suggestion though.  

[ken2020]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"Is it safe to use compressed air to blow into the SD card slot to remove dust if it exists?"

No it is not.  A squeeze blower is all you should ever use on a camera.

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Thank you for the reply.  I already tried that using a blower and it didn't work.  That's why I thought about using compressed air pressure.  Figured it is unusable right now in it's current state so I have nothing to use.  But didn't want to risk it and make the problem worst.  I am thinking of bringing it to a local camera store and see if they can try to fix it.  If the price is somewhat more reasonable. 

[Waddizzle]

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@ken2020 wrote:

Thank you for your question.  I brought the M100 at a Shoppers Drug Mart, a chain of pharmacy equivalent to CVS Pharmacy in the U.S.  The M100 is stored in a camera bag along with two Canon lenses, the 15-45mm and 75-300mm.  As mentioned before, I don't take photos very often and when the M100 is not in use, I take out the battery and SD card and stored in a plastic case.  The Elph was in a small case.  Both cameras have never been dropped or thrown around.  

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I wonder if Shoppers Drug Mart is an authorized Canon dealer.  

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/contactus/where-to-buy/authorized-dealers/ 

CVS is not an authorized USA dealer, so I doubt if Shopper Drug Mart is an authorized dealer in Canada.  Returned merchandise at those types of retailers have a way of finding its' way back onto the shelf, ready to be sold to the next customer.

The Elph cameras are so cheap, that they are practically disposable cameras.  All it takes is little piece of dirt or grit in the lens mechanisms to jam it up.  If you have can of compressed air, have at it.  The camera does not work right now, anyway.

[ebiggs1]

 I almost tend to agree with " If you have can of compressed air, have at it.".  However, and not to be confrontationable, but Canon has no way of knowing how people treat their cameras.  WHat you think, seems to be a harmless action may actually damage the camera beyond repair at all. If Canon should decide it is repairable and even perhaps they find it was their fault, if you damage it further with compressed air, all bets are off. They will know it!

I left my camera in the trunk of th car on a 100 degree day but I only did it once.  Or it was just a few drops of water fell on my camera nothing really.  It only fell a couple feet and on the carpet.  I know this all seems like trivial things but can be disastrous to a camera.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

 I almost tend to agree with " If you have can of compressed air, have at it.".  However, and not to be confrontationable, but Canon has no way of knowing how people treat their cameras.  WHat you think, seems to be a harmless action may actually damage the camera beyond repair at all.

If Canon should decide it is repairable and even perhaps they find it was their fault, if you damage it further with compressed air, all bets are off. They will know it!

I left my camera in the trunk of th car on a 100 degree day but I only did it once.  Or it was just a few drops of water fell on my camera nothing really.  It only fell a couple feet and on the carpet.  I know this all seems like trivial things but can be disastrous to a camera.

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A new one costs $100.  If it breaks, it is disposable.  There is most likely no repairing it.