Getting an error 99 on my 30D. Help.

[DubzMom]

I have been getting an error 99 when I try to take a pic with my 30D. The camera says to turn it off and then on and reinstall the battery. I did this, but it doesn't work. Does anyone know what causes this and how to fix it?

[Tim]

DubzMom, 

To isolate the cause of the error 99, we suggest that you try the following steps.  Your removal of the battery was a good first thing to try.  I'll have you re-do it here for the sake of going in order below   

 1.  Turn off the camera.

 2.  Remove the lens, battery, and CF 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 CF 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 lens on the camera. 

 9.  Turn on the camera.

10.  Depress the shutter button to take a picture.  Does the error 99 still appear on the camera? 

If multiple lenses cause the same error to be appear, then the camera should be sent in for service.  If only one lens causes it, then likely it's just that one lens which should be serviced.  You can set up service through our web site, here. 

[ebiggs1]

Error 99 is a undefined message.  The camera knows something is wrong but not exactly what.

You must elimanate all possibilities.  Like the battery, the lens or the CF card.

At this point I would get all new stuff.  A new CF card and a new, Canon, battery.  Try a different lens, too.  Not the one giving the error.

20 minutes might not be long enough.  Over night is better with no battery installed.  I mean NO BATTERY at all.

In addition to the large rechargeable lithium ion battery that provides most of the power for your Canon EOS 30D, a second battery nestles in the same compartment to provide enough power to retain your current settings and preferences, as well as the local date and time. This coin-sized clock battery is a long-lived C2016 3-volt lithium manganese dioxide cell, located in a slide-out carrier near the hinge of the battery door.

And of course replace this battery with a brand new one, too.

It may be necessary to reinstall the firmware and a good time to see if there is a update anyway.

[ebiggs1]

Oh, BTW, if none of that works.  Send it in. 

[paco68]

Hi DubzMom,

This camera and the lenses would be quite old by now, so if you found this error, after reading all the other comments, you can try to give a gentle rub on the connectors of your camera with a soft cloth (for glasses), and same for the lens(es)

Enjoy the light