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my blood ran cold (bent CF slot pin)

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Paul Worden

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I don't like removing the CF card and replacing it, but the slow transfer makes it almost compulsory.

Well..today my fears were justified - SOMEHOW (not paying attention) I put the card in the camera upside down or sideways or something.

When it wouldn't "seat" I realised my mistake and tried to insert it the right way. It wouldn't go.

(I didn't use a lot of force, but some pressure is needed to slip it past the eject tab.)

When I looked into the slot, one pin was bent sideways about 30 degrees.

S C R E A M

I was able to push the pin upright with the aid of a strong light and a thin bamboo kebab stick.

The card inserts OK and everyhting works but I may never recover.

I bet the CF socket is REAL cheap to get fixed!!!! :(

Now I'm going to have a nervous breakdown every time I replace the card.

Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based equipment?

--
Paul Worden
 
I have always been real careful when changing the card, now you have confirmed my reasoning. It is too bad that the camera is so slow transfering images because it is easy to start inserting the card incorrectly. I've found myself fumbling with the card too ...even when it is inserted in the proper direction.
Paul Worden said:
I don't like removing the CF card and replacing it, but the slow
transfer makes it almost compulsory.

Well..today my fears were justified - SOMEHOW (not paying
attention) I put the card in the camera upside down or sideways or
something.
When it wouldn't "seat" I realised my mistake and tried to insert
it the right way. It wouldn't go.
(I didn't use a lot of force, but some pressure is needed to slip
it past the eject tab.)

When I looked into the slot, one pin was bent sideways about 30
degrees.

S C R E A M

I was able to push the pin upright with the aid of a strong light
and a thin bamboo kebab stick.

The card inserts OK and everyhting works but I may never recover.

I bet the CF socket is REAL cheap to get fixed!!!! :(

Now I'm going to have a nervous breakdown every time I replace the
card.

Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?

--
Paul Worden
Click to expand...
--
300D Gallery:
http://tkis.com/wild-mike/

Boat Party Pics:
http://wnyboaters.com/

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. -- Albert Einstein
 
I know the feeling. We were using the one at school and kept getting an Error when trying to use the camera. We pulled the card and one of the pins was bent all the way over. Well, off to Canon. They were GREAT about it. They fixed the camera and sent it back NO cost. That is great customer service. It was clearly a user caused problem.

I would look at sending it in before it breaks off or ends up out of warranty.

I take my card out all the time and transfer via the JumpSHOT reader. I just make sure I slide it in easy and always triple check to make sure it is going in right. Know that I have seen the outcome of mis-aligned card I'm VERY careful.

JIM
 
I had this happen in G2, managed to fix it but lost about 5 pounds of sweat in the process. Bought a 512 card and never removed it again. Now I am using the Rebel and use a high quality card reader to read data but I am very careful inserting the card....gentle, very gentle. I will never forget the experience.
--
panard
 
Since you only bent the bin 30 degrees, I think you'll be OK provided you could get it back so it is aligned properly now.

For what its worth, I think it's probably easier to damage the small USB connector, so I don't see an advantage to leaving the card in and transferring via USB (even if the USB was as fast as it should be).
 
Boardhead said:
Since you only bent the bin 30 degrees, I think you'll be OK
provided you could get it back so it is aligned properly now.
Click to expand...
Thanks.. I NEED the reassurance!

I've had another look and a tiny push with the bamboo splint using a strong light and magnifier and the pin is aligned so that you can't tell which one was bent - so I'm feeling a bit easier.....

The card goes in and out and everything lights up and works fine.

These connector pins are quite robust (as they have to be.) If it wasn't buried in the bowels of a new camera, it wouldn't have been so traumatic.

I've seen same type of pins on the video out of a monitor almost flattened and straightened without apparent detriment.

I've marked the CF card with a boogin great black arrow so that I won't make the same mistake again.

--
Paul Worden
'Photography It's about pictures - not hardware'
 
I did that the second day I had the camera, I tried to put the card in upside down. When It would not go I looked at it and almost died when I seen that it was upside down. Good thing was I did not seem to bend any of the fingers, but it was still a little snug getting the card to go in the right way after that.

I always look really closely at the card before I put it in as their is no way I am going to down load the pics through the camera, I can fill up 2 256mb cards in one day.
Paul Worden said:
I don't like removing the CF card and replacing it, but the slow
transfer makes it almost compulsory.

Well..today my fears were justified - SOMEHOW (not paying
attention) I put the card in the camera upside down or sideways or
something.
When it wouldn't "seat" I realised my mistake and tried to insert
it the right way. It wouldn't go.
(I didn't use a lot of force, but some pressure is needed to slip
it past the eject tab.)

When I looked into the slot, one pin was bent sideways about 30
degrees.

S C R E A M

I was able to push the pin upright with the aid of a strong light
and a thin bamboo kebab stick.

The card inserts OK and everyhting works but I may never recover.

I bet the CF socket is REAL cheap to get fixed!!!! :(

Now I'm going to have a nervous breakdown every time I replace the
card.

Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?

--
Paul Worden
Click to expand...
 
This has been a concern of mine as well. My 300D is a family camera. That means in addition to me using it, both my wife and my 13 year old son use it as well. We each have our own card reader on each of our pc's. That of course means that three different people will be inserting and removing said card from the camera.

While reading your post, if occurred to me, why not just mark an arrow on the face of the cf card with a ultra fine permanent marker? You could mark an arrow pointing "in" towards the camera, and a second arrow pointing up (or the word "up") to indicate the correct up/down orientation.

Wayne
 
Paul Worden said:
Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?
Click to expand...
1st: You can't insert a CF card the wrong way... at least I can't. The edge slots are different sizes. I just checked and I couldn't insert a card the wrong way into the 300D unless I use a hammer.

I have never had problems with CF sockets (and that's several devices). In fact, I tend to insert the cards quite quickly into CF readers. I am careful with the camera because I know the cost of repairs but with a $30 reader or a $100 MP3 player I just whack it in.

Your experience is a reminder to us all to use a bit of caution with expensive devices through.
 
wrace said:
While reading your post, if occurred to me, why not just mark an
arrow on the face of the cf card with a ultra fine permanent
marker?
Wayne
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I did! Great minds etc...

With regard to the next Post, I must have inserted the card sideways, because as you say, it won't go in upside down.

There's a groove down the sides. The groove must have caught and pushed over one pin. In theory, the card can't be forced down onto the pins because you'd have to flatten the lot!

But sideways...now that's another thing...

Enought I think - but at least I'm not the only one in the world to have done it.
--
Paul Worden
'Photography It's about pictures - not hardware'
 
I thought of that from the previous post but my problem isn't that I loose which end's up, it is a matter of sticking it in a little crooked.
wrace said:
This has been a concern of mine as well. My 300D is a family
camera. That means in addition to me using it, both my wife and my
13 year old son use it as well. We each have our own card reader on
each of our pc's. That of course means that three different people
will be inserting and removing said card from the camera.

While reading your post, if occurred to me, why not just mark an
arrow on the face of the cf card with a ultra fine permanent
marker? You could mark an arrow pointing "in" towards the camera,
and a second arrow pointing up (or the word "up") to indicate the
correct up/down orientation.

Wayne
Click to expand...
--
300D Gallery:
http://tkis.com/wild-mike/

Boat Party Pics:
http://wnyboaters.com/

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. -- Albert Einstein
 
I'm having the same problem with my canon powershot G1.

I lend it to a friend and when he give it back to me he told me that he can't put back the CF inside the camera.
I also tried and push a bit, but no way.

When I took out the card, one of the last connector( on the external edge) was bent. I tried to put it back on place, but since it's deep inside de camera, no way to move enough.

I would need some surgeon tools, or open it or bring it back for repair, but since it's a 3 years old camera, I fear it will cost more than its price... :(
 
Paul:

Good lord man....relax!! Ive taken 10,000 photos between a G2 and a 10D, always use a card reader and NEVER had a problem! Just pay attention to what your doing!!!!!!!
Paul Worden said:
I don't like removing the CF card and replacing it, but the slow
transfer makes it almost compulsory.

Well..today my fears were justified - SOMEHOW (not paying
attention) I put the card in the camera upside down or sideways or
something.
When it wouldn't "seat" I realised my mistake and tried to insert
it the right way. It wouldn't go.
(I didn't use a lot of force, but some pressure is needed to slip
it past the eject tab.)

When I looked into the slot, one pin was bent sideways about 30
degrees.

S C R E A M

I was able to push the pin upright with the aid of a strong light
and a thin bamboo kebab stick.

The card inserts OK and everyhting works but I may never recover.

I bet the CF socket is REAL cheap to get fixed!!!! :(

Now I'm going to have a nervous breakdown every time I replace the
card.

Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?

--
Paul Worden
Click to expand...
--
Jim Garavuso
 
Paul Worden said:
I don't like removing the CF card and replacing it, but the slow
transfer makes it almost compulsory.
Click to expand...
I just switched over to the 300D after a couple of years on the C2100UZ which uses the smartmedia card and the camera is set up not to allow you to insert it bassackwards.

When I got the 300D I was surprised that there is NO stoopid proof device to prevent you from inserting it bassackwards.. strange.. should be so simple as making murphy-guide rails or something. I also accidently install the card part wrong ways a few times but quickly learned which way is up and never seemed to have had a problem since. You learn after a few times.

I still shake me head wonnerin why they never murphy-proofed the darn things.. like the angle corner on the smartmedia card.. must be where the 'smart' comes in?

http://www.eastcoastphotos.com/
 
Yesterday i bought a special tool with long and fine clamp(sorry for my english).

And I succedded to put it straight enough so I can insert my CF. So far it seems to work fine :):)

I inserted my biggest CF (512Mg) and from now on I won't change CF until i buy a new camera.

(in few weeks I will go to Taiwan and compared to Belgium, prices are 30% cheaper...)

Anyway, if someone ever face the same problem with a G1 or GX, try to use a such tool.

Don't expect to succeed by opening the camera. the CF card reader is quite deep inside and would require a lot of time and experience(I tried a bit but stopped it coz too complicated.

A happy G1 surgeon ;)
 
hehe...you can develop a new phobia out of this :)

the trick is to take is really smooth..I never push hard when I insert the card...if I fell any resistance I remove and reinsert the card. I do this all the time and it's working fine. I only have 256mb card so yes I did it often after near 8000 pics.
Paul Worden said:
Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?

--
Paul Worden
Click to expand...
--
I am not an English native speaker!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
 
Yep, but the moral of this story is...
NEVER LEND ANYTHING EVEN TO UR BEST FRIEND, U WILL AVOID PROBLEMS...

I'm not selfish at all, but such incident can really create problems because of the price of such devices... :(

Anyway... A happy end story...
Daniella said:
the trick is to take is really smooth..I never push hard when I
insert the card...if I fell any resistance I remove and reinsert
the card. I do this all the time and it's working fine. I only
have 256mb card so yes I did it often after near 8000 pics.
Paul Worden said:
Anyone else had anything similar with this or other CF based
equipment?

--
Paul Worden
Click to expand...
--
I am not an English native speaker!
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=26918
Click to expand...
 
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