IMPORTANT; First frame black issue

shopgrrrl wrote: Is the total lock-up I'm experiencing known to be related to the FFB issue?

In its final stages yes.

Just off the phone to Johnsons. Apparently they are no longer able to do any KM repairs at all because Sony have now pulled the entire KM spares catalogue.

Curse my procrastination; my 7D has been exhibiting FFB for at least a year and I've had numerous chances to send it off for the free repair. I'd even called Johnsons on two separate occasions to confirm the return process, but just never got round to seeing it through.

Now it seems I have the choice of either A) find somewhere that still has the parts (if Johnsons don't have them then I'm not holding out much hope) or B) bite the bullet, start saving up for a new body and keep my fingers crossed that the 7D doesn't deteriorate in that time.

I'm really going to miss my 7D when she (eventually) goes.

Conny1 wrote: blackworx wrote: (...) A) find somewhere that still has the parts (if Johnsons don't have them then I'm not holding out much hope)(...) At least you can ship your D7D directly to Runtime/Germany. They still have parts.

Conny1 that is brilliant news, thank you for taking the time to reply and let me know about this.

Do you know of the contact details off-hand? Also do you know if they might be willing to send the parts to me here so that I could have Johnsons do the work?

Posting my beloved 7D abroad for repair is a bit daunting (not least because of the language barrier) but if it is the only way then so be it.

Solution/fix for the first blank/black frame:

1. Set camera speed for 30 seconds or so
2. Press shutter-release button
3. Shake the camera vigorously, turn it upside-down and keep shaking.

[[but be careful in the 'vigorous' shaking as it may affect the anti-shake mechanism which, if it breaks, renders a 5 or 7D a bit of a write-off due to the cost of replacing it. ]]

Good point, but my camera was freezing every single time I turned it on, so I was desperate and I had little to lose.

A few shakes and miraculously, it works again. I don't know, but maybe, upside-down (or side) shake is the key (not 'vigorous').

Edited by fpocztatemp - 06 October 2011 at 04:31

blackworx wrote: (...) Anyway it's fairly academic for me now as I have finally gotten off my butt and sent mine to be fixed.

Is the cam back in UK already?

I debated posting a new thread on the following question, but since this FBF posting is already here, perhaps this is the place for it.

My personal experience and opinions I have read over the years, suggest that 7D FBF occurs progressively, usually beginning with a single occasional black frame followed by normal operation after restart, then worsening over time.

I recently bought another 7D with a control dial issue, it was claimed to be working fine in manual mode, but on delivery it had total FBF failure, ie all frames are black frames.

My question is: has anyone experienced a sudden complete FBF failure occurring without any preceding warning?

I don't want to assume I was sold an intentional lemon, based on only my own experience of FBF.

Can anyone comment on total sudden failure?