Error 99

[teej72]

I get an "error 99" message when I take pictures with  my EOS Rebel XS.  I have changed my battery and memory card, but it hasn't helped.  Any suggestions about what to do next?

[Tim · Accepted solution]

Hello Teej72!

To isolate the cause of the issue, we suggest that you do the following:

 1.  Turn off the camera.

 2.  Remove the lens, battery, and memory card.

 3.  Allow the camera to sit without power for approximately 20 minutes.

 4.  Insert a fully charged battery, and turn on the camera.

 5.  Depress the shutter button as you would to take a picture.

Does error 99 still appear?  Please proceed with the following steps.

 6.  Format the memory card in the camera.  This will erase all data on the card so please be sure to save the images first. 

 
 7.  Also, please attempt the use of a new card properly formatted in the camera. 

 8.  Clean the lens contacts by gently cleaning then with a new, soft, micro fiber cloth.  If possible, please attempt the use of a different Canon EF or EF-S Series lens on this camera. 

 9.  Turn on your EOS Rebel XS.

10.  Depress the shutter button to take a picture.  



If the error 99 still appears on the camera with a different lens, then your camera needs service.  If it only occurs with the first lens you used, then just that particular lens needs service.

We recommend setting up service directly though our Service and Support web site. 

We hope this helps resolve this issue!

 

[ebiggs1]

"I fixed the Error 99 problem by using a pencil eraser to clean the lens contacts..."

Coincidence and probably not the fault.  The lens contacts are self cleaning by action.  When you mount and remove lenses.  The only, very seldom time, I have seen cleaning the contacts work was on cameras where the lens was never removed.

Now don't take this wrong as I suppose there are situations where the contacts can become contaminated.  However, being gold plated not many will ever see this.

  Just my several decades of experience.