Solution to 20D grip problem

[de_stan]

Dear all,

Just an experience to share with fellow 20D owners.
As many are aware there surfaced several problems with users who purchased the grip. Problems like inaccurate battery indicater or bad connection with the battery.

Recently I myself was looking for a grip, but was much cautious having seen the posts by the many here. On a day, I actually went to three different shops to test out the grips but all gave me problems. That was until a staff at CP told me that I need to update my firmware. So I went down to Canon service center @ Harbourfront and got my firmware updated. (from version 1.0.5 to version 1.1). But on top of that, I told the technician to make some adjustments to my camera so that the indicator will become more accurate when I fix on the grip.

Next thing I did, I went to CP to test out the grip again. To my delight the battery indicator showed full power this time. But just to be sure I tried it out on another grip again, this time round it turned out to be half-full only. Very weird but I immediately bought the 1st grip that I tested out on. So far after 2 weeks there hasn't been any problem.

So advice to all 20D grip owners, maybe you would like to get your firmware updated and see if the problem with the grip can be rectified cos I believe it should be a software problem rather than a hardware problem.

Hope the info helps.

[Jia Wang]

Yup... firmware 1.1.0 will solve inaccurate batt level indicator prob... by now, the grip thingy issue isn't a big issue anymore...

Now that u've got a grip on it... enjoy your shooting...

Cheers

[de_stan]

Originally Posted by Jia Wang Yup... firmware 1.1.0 will solve inaccurate batt level indicator prob... by now, the grip thingy issue isn't a big issue anymore... Now that u've got a grip on it... enjoy your shooting... Cheers

Actually its still not 100%, as mentioned I have tried out 2 grips and one of them still gimme inaccurate reading.

[studiolabmaster]

send the body and the grip to canonsg,they had solved mine problem,closed to 95% solved.

Originally Posted by de_stan Actually its still not 100%, as mentioned I have tried out 2 grips and one of them still gimme inaccurate reading.

[rickygck]

Thanks for the wonderful info, am facing the same problem too and thought my batt got problem. May i know how long does it take to update the firmware?

[Jia Wang]

Originally Posted by rickygck Thanks for the wonderful info, am facing the same problem too and thought my batt got problem. May i know how long does it take to update the firmware?

Canon Firmware can be upgraded by user... not necessary to go all the way down to Harbourfront...

Follow the steps stated & u'll be ready to go...
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/eos20d/e...irmware-e.html

Cheers..

[de_stan]

Originally Posted by rickygck Thanks for the wonderful info, am facing the same problem too and thought my batt got problem. May i know how long does it take to update the firmware?

Not very long, only about 15 - 20 mins.

[Zplus]

If you have a grip problem...
Just send the grip + 20D to canon to get it solved. There is some voltage adjustment to be done for it to be solved... Adjustment done on the 20D. AFAIK...

[dshooter]

Originally Posted by de_stan Not very long, only about 15 - 20 mins.

hmmm ... the updating process itself is definitely much shorther than that. Less than 5 min when I did mine myself last month.

[rickygck]

Hmm.... so which is better?? dl through the website or go to harbour front?

[obrag]

Gosh, and I was about to buy the grip thinking the problem should have gone away by now.... This must be the worst-made thing by Canon...

Good thinig I read this post: will bring own camera down to try all the grip before buying, otherwise sure

[dragos]

did not know abt this when i get the grip...heng it is okay....btw, CP grips out of stock...me got the last one..hehe

Marina side might still have.

[Xing]

Originally Posted by obrag Gosh, and I was about to buy the grip thinking the problem should have gone away by now.... This must be the worst-made thing by Canon... Good thinig I read this post: will bring own camera down to try all the grip before buying, otherwise sure

Hi Obrag, the battery problem seems only to affect the older generation batteries BP511, whereas the newer ones like BP511A/514, etc, they dont seem to be affected by the grip.

Try bringing a fully charged BP511 to test the grip before buying. Otherwise like what the others suggested, send it down to harbourfront, hehe... solved all my grip problem too.

[Zplus]

Originally Posted by rickygck Hmm.... so which is better?? dl through the website or go to harbour front?

The website is for updating the firmware. Harbour front for servicing the camera and also to solve the grip problem. The grip problem is solved thro' some other means known only to Canon....

[rickygck]

Originally Posted by Xing Hi Obrag, the battery problem seems only to affect the older generation batteries BP511, whereas the newer ones like BP511A/514, etc, they dont seem to be affected by the grip. Try bringing a fully charged BP511 to test the grip before buying. Otherwise like what the others suggested, send it down to harbourfront, hehe... solved all my grip problem too.

That's weird, my Firmware Ver is 1.1.0. Battery pack using BP-511A. It sometime reveal insufficient power on the batt screen.. pretty weird.. anyone face this problem before??

[Xing]

Originally Posted by rickygck That's weird, my Firmware Ver is 1.1.0. Battery pack using BP-511A. It sometime reveal insufficient power on the batt screen.. pretty weird.. anyone face this problem before??

Hi Ricky, send it down to HarbourFront. Think it wasnt just the voltage problem, the technicians also adjusted the contacts in both my cam and grip. After tweaking, all my old batteries lasted more than 400 shots per batt.

[rickygck]

THanks Xing!

[obrag]

Originally Posted by Xing Hi Obrag, the battery problem seems only to affect the older generation batteries BP511, whereas the newer ones like BP511A/514, etc, they dont seem to be affected by the grip. Try bringing a fully charged BP511 to test the grip before buying. Otherwise like what the others suggested, send it down to harbourfront, hehe... solved all my grip problem too.

Heehee will be doing just that. Not only bring full charge one, will also purposefully drain one to 1/2 charge and try try

cheers,