T4i camera completely locking up in the ON position?

[bigguy841]

I have had my Canon T4i for about 4 months now, use ita few times a week as a hobby. Every couple weeks I will turn on the camera and adjust the Ap/Sh/ISO settings to prepare for a shoot and the camera will just freeze or lock up in the spot. None of the buttons or dials trigger any sort of response from the camera and I am not able to take a picture or do anything. Even turning th camera to the 'OFF' position does nothing and the camera remains on with the LCD still lit up but not responding. The only way I am able to get the camera working again is to remove the battery and then put it back in and power it up, at which point it usually works normally. The only time I've had this happen more than once in a day was over Thanksgiving when it happened about 3-4 times throughout the day.

I contacted Canon support and was told to first try resetting the camera to default settings, which I did, and if that doesn't work to remove the battery and memory cards and using a pencil eraser to clean off the contact surfaces of those items, which I have not done yet. If it continues to happen, I am supposed to send it in to let them inspect it and decide if if needs repair or replacement. Since it seems random and spread out, it's hard to say whether it's 'fixed' since it did it last week before I re-set the settings.

Has anyone had this problem? If so, did you do either of those methods to solve it? If you sent it in, were they able to determine the problem and handle it? I don't want to send it in and be without my camera for weeks only for them to tell me it worked fine for them and there is no problem, since it works fine 98% of the time as of now.

Any help would be great!

[bobakman]

I just found this thread which appears to confirm that the "lock up" issue is highly probable due to a firmware bug.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/50191572

[bobakman]

I was further troubleshooting with my camera and with continuous auto focus enabled was able to re-create the lock up if I moved the lens AF switch from manual to Auto and turned the camera on going directly to movie mode (My mode dial being in MANUAL "M".) I got it to lock up several times still intermittent but repeatable. And this was with a different memory card so it appears that the card is not an issue.
I also observed that with the camera OFF and the lens AF switch is moved in either direction the memory card red led will blink several times as if it is communicating with the camera anyone else have their camera doing the same?

Thanks, Bob

[bobakman]

Mine is currently at the VA USA Repair facility. I called in today to check up on the repair status details and was told that "no problems were found and that my camera is within canons specifications." Needless to say I was not happy and explained that this was an intermittent issue. I was transferred to a supervisor who listened to my explanation of the defect and she told me that she would escalate my repair status for further review hopefully before my defective camera is sent back to me. I to believe that a lens issue may be part of the problem since it has so far only occurred with my 18-135mm IS STM lens and not my 70-300 lens. Since the STM lens’s are pretty much “focus by wire” using the stepping motor it has no mechanical manual focus like my 70-300 lens. Rather the manual focus is VIA controlling the stepping motor electrically through the focus ring. Just my thoughts.
I told the canon supervisor to just do a search on Google or Youtube for "T4i Lockup or Freeze" and others with the same issue will be brought into light.
Not Happy at this juncture with Canon. :>(

[jhodgesatmb]

I haven't looked at comments for a while, especially since our camera has not had a single issue since it was replaced. Before it was replaced (body and STM 18-135 lens) I had the problem with both of the lenses I'd bought (also the IS 50-250), so I don't think it is a lens related issue. I also have been using a 64 GB SD card from the get go, and it works fine in the new body, so I don't think it is the SD card. I have used the camera and switched from manual focus to automatic focus and back on my 60mm macro and never had a lock up. I now also have a 50mm f1.4 prime and also no problems.

I have no idea why Canon wouldn't replace the body if you are having lock ups. I consider myself lucky that I bought ours from Amazon, that it happened so quickly after we bought it, and that we returned it inside the return window. I wish the same had happened with everyone else but Canon should stand behind their camera one way or another.

[bobakman]

Canon has listened and corrected the issue with my camera. Through all of this I must say that Canons phone support folks have always been best in class IMHO, US based and focused on the customer.
Thank you Canon for resolving my issue and renewing my loyalty!

Bob

[junenward]

I've had the same issue.  Purchased the camera late last fall and this has happened on several different occasions.  Only solution as with others who have experienced this is to remove the battery and re-install it.  Meanwhile your photo opportunity has gone. 

Has Canon determined a cause yet.  Nothing from them as yet as an issue.

[junenward]

Yes, I had noticed the red light flashing as well when changing from AF to MF or vice versa.  Even with the power OFF.  I thought it was strange.

[bobakman]

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@junenward wrote:

Yes, I had noticed the red light flashing as well when changing from AF to MF or vice versa.  Even with the power OFF.  I thought it was strange.

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About the red LED flashing with the camera OFF it appears now to be a normal behaviour with the STM lenses since I verified that it also occures on the Newer T5i models and I was at a trade show where Canon was present and verified it on the T4i that he had at the booth as well. Most likely not related to the lock up issue.

[Jason]

Hi everyone,

We have an update on this topic.  New EOS Rebel T4i firmware has just been released.  Firmware Version 1.0.4 offers performance improvements when shooting with certain lens models equipped with a stepping motor.  To learn more and download the update, click here.

Thank you.

[NCFStudios]

Strange I bought my T4i in December 2012,, it has the old firmware on it and never had this problem, then again...I never shoot in live mode anyway.