HELP Camera Problems

[Victor Pelino]

Hi everyone,
I have a 50D and I've had it for awhile with no problems. Unfortunately my wife was using it today and it she filled the card. She put a new card in and it didn't work. She put the old card back in and it flashed: err message. Now when you try to review the pictures the camera says the card is not formatted and to format the card. When you try to reformat it says card cannot be reformatted and to insert a different card. When we put other cards in it says the same thing. Anyone have any thoughts? Solutions? Has this ever occurred to anyone?
Haven't tried updating firmware because I loaned my reader out.

Would appreciate any insight.

-V

[Positron]

I've never seen that problem before, but it almost sounds like something that would happen if one of the contacts on the camera's card slot was rusted/corroded/otherwise rendered unable to make contact. Hopefully someone else has some less theoretical insight into the problem.

Edit: Just remembered 50D uses CF, so it has pins which could potentially bend/break. You could look in with a flashlight to make sure that's not the case, but I wouldn't advice messing with it unless you know what you're doing.

[HDNitehawk]

Unfortunately my wife was using it today and it she filled the card. She put a new card in and it didn't work.

I have seen the articles many times where the card gets inserted backwards and it bends a pin. I never had it happen myself. You might ask the wife if she put it in backwards and had to reverse it. Positron's guess may be right, a bent pin.

[Victor Pelino]

Thanks guys. That's exactly what happened; Sure enough there was a bent pin. Thankfully I was able to straighten it with a few of my electrical tools. Would nt recommend doing this if someone else happens across this thread. Send it in for repairs. There was a lot of sweating and probably a new ulcer. Thanks everybody.