fotobyferg

Twice now, on my Canon 7D m2 I have experienced the shutter button going “dead” for lack of a better description. The lcd also remained black but the top screen showed its normal stuff. Batteries were 3/4 charged and in a grip.

I shut the camera off a few times and checked all the normal things I thought might be wrong...lens communication, AF vs MF modes, etc. I then pulled the battery compartment out, counted to 10 and reloaded...which worked.

I’m not too concerned...but could this be a harbinger of a larger problem or just a fluke occurring on a random basis, not unlike a computer doing silly stuff from time to time. I have had the camera about two years now and love it.

What say you hogs?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Is your grip a Canon grip or a 3rd party product? I had similar problems when I tried to use an aftermarket grip. Removed it, all was ok. Later got a branded grip and all has been fine to this day. In my case, it was on a Nikon D300s. But it would be easy to check whether you are having a similar experience.

Vietnam Vet

Make sure the contacts in the vertical grip are clean and the grip is on tight. I used to have problems with the battery connections before I bought cameras with the built in vertical grips.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Since the screen goes black, it sounds like the shutter button is okay, but the camera isn't. Give Canon a call.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

If the entire camera is going dead when this happens, it is most likely battery or electrical contact loss (this would be better than internal failure for sure), grip would be suspect, or a connector is on the verge of losing contact, or an electrical regulator/switching circuit is starting to go (internal). If only certain functions are lost (but camera is still powered), that sounds internal to camera. Can you operate sans grip for a while to determine yes/no on grip as cause? If it won't repeat with regular battery installed, that leans heavily toward grip, and since it comes back to life when you pull and re-install battery grip, that also says battery grip or connection. A dirty on/off switch could also cause this. My $.02

fotobyferg

It’s a Canon grip.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Have you tried a "factory reset"?

fotobyferg

“Can you operate sans grip for a while to determine yes/no on grip as cause?”

Probably not, since the problem has only briefly happened twice in the three year history of using the camera. It could be months before it recurred.

fotobyferg

Not “by the book” but I was going to look into that.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Does this happen after periods of inactivity? If camera sits for a period of time, grip pin to camera contact pressure could be going soft, or may have minimal surface corrosion hindering adequate connection. Given the time between occurances, it may very well just be grip to camera electrical contact. Perhaps a periodic contact cleaning with 91% alky may solve the occasional reoccurance. Good luck with the issue.

fotobyferg

olemikey...cleaning the contacts was something I was going to do. I am pretty meticulous with my gear...it’s always kept pristine.
But what is 91% alky solution...you make it or buy it? I figure it’s alkaline.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

I'm sorry, rubbing alchohol, 91%, or a good quality contact cleaner.No alkaline. Really the 91% rubbing alchohol is all you need. My gear is in a/c and low humidity while stored, and also kept pristine, but often goes out into humid environment (Florida), and minor contact corrosion can happen. I clean the contacts on lenses and camera bodies on a roughly quarterly basis (indeed, on any of my electrical/battery powered electroinc devices, drones, R/C gear, receivers/transmitters/transceivers, recorders, microphones, etc. etc.

I can't say if this is your problem, but I never have battery power interuption with cleaned contacts, and I have resurrected dead devices by cleaning connectors. Several of the Nikon and 3rd party lenses I have purchased that were listed as not working (hence = bought cheap) came right back to life with a good old alky elec. contact swab, clean and dry. Use microfiber or something with no lint for lens and camera contacts when cleaning those, lint isn't as big a concern in the battery compartment, although enough of it could hinder a connection. If you get excess alky in or on anything allow it to dry thoroughly prior to putting the battery back in or powering it up. The 91% stuff dries very quickly, and you can always use a fan to ensure via blow dry. Hope this helps your situation from reoccuring.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Call Canon Tech Svs. (800) 652-2666

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Remove the battery grip and use it that way to see if the problem reoccurs. Battery grips are known to be the cause of some problems..

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Only twice in three years and easily fixable when it does occur? I would ignore it until it starts to occur more frequently. Could be a circuit board issue but the odds of even Canon identifying such a sporadic event is probably low. Circuit boards do develop problems. Canon replaced the circuit board in my Canon 7D Mark II for a different problem a few years ago under warranty., I wouldn't even bother with a factory reset, but I would make sure all contacts are clean.