Canon 40D err-01 HELP! stuck in Asia with limited options

I'm currently in Malaysia and am experiencing an issue with my Canon 40D and my 17-85mm lens. It's really inconsistent but every once in a while I get:

"Err 01 - Communications between the camera and lens is faulty. Check the lens contacts."

I have cleaned the contacts and everything looks ok. I've also done some research and it appears that this is actually a common problem with the only solution being to send it back to Canon.

Unfortunately that isn't really an option for me right now as I'm traveling in Asia and have 6 weeks left, including a trip to Sipadan. I'm trying to decide what I should do.

Option 1: Take a chance and hope that I don't get this error while diving and have it ruin the whole dive.

Option 2: Shoot only Macro while in Sipadan with my 60mm

Option 3: Break out the credit card and buy a new lens.

With option 1, I run the risk of this issue ruining my trip to Sipadan, if this happens on all my dives. Option 2 means I wont get any shots of turtles or sharks, and Option 3... well since I'm in Malaysia (Penang) I have limited options for what I can find here within the next few days, that also works with my existing housing/ports.

I have an ikelight housing with a 6" dome port - #5503.90, and a flat port #5502 for my 60mm lens.

So far the only lenses I've been able to find in Penang are:

- Sigma 17-70mm (which is pretty close to the one that's not working right)

- Canon EF 24mm (same price as the above)

- Canon EF 10-22mm (would like this, but kind of expensive)

- Canon EF 18-55mm (cheapest option)

So I guess my question, is will all of the above lenses work with one of the ports I already have above? (sorry I find the Ikelight website and they're port numbering system totally confusing), and second if you were in my shoes and somewhat budget conscious (although knowing Sipadan is probably a once in a life time)... what would you do?

Only other idea I've got, not knowing if you're seeing this in the housing or in general, but if you're seeing this in the housing, make sure the control to dismount the lens is not pressing against the release button. (My ike housing has a kind of L-shaped bar with a blob at the end that you rotate a knob to make contact to the lens release, in case you've mounted a fat-front lens that has to be put on and off while the camera is housed vs. threading it all pre-mounted thru the back.)

If I let that knob turn to push on the button, my aperture info just plain goes away, even though the lens is fully seated by the full turn on the bayonet mount. Just pressing that button interrupts the communication. And that knob is kind of close where my fingers tend to dangle from my left hand on the left handle. :doh:

May not have anything to do with your issue though, if yours is more just a lens misbehavin' in general.

Anything that can press on the lens from the side and cause a bad connection can cause this error - the lens release lever, zoom/focus gear on wrong, etc.

Cheers

James

glamourpuss,

1) Do you have a +4 diopter on the Canon 17-85mm lens as REQUIRED to use this extended dome port UNDERWATER? Many people try the lens ABOVE WATER and of course it focusses fine. But UNDERWATER the lens "sees" a virtual image on the dome port and the lens needs to be able to focus to 12" or less. Hence the +4 diopter need....

2) Of the lenses you mention the only one that MIGHT work but still will likely vignette due to physical short length is the 24mm. Plus the port you have is longer than a 24mm would normally require, because your 17-85mm is longer.

Sigma 17-70mm barrel is too fat to fit in the built in zoom rubber port you have.

3) Check the lens release button or others that may be pressing on something that makes the camera and lens lose communication.....

4) The #5503.90 port has hard rubber internally in the very front as the Canon 17-85mm lens has the zoom ring OUT FRONT towards the lens element. My experience owning his lens is that installing this port is a bit tight and maybe in wiggling it on or sideways you moved the lens in the mount just enough for the contacts to separate?

Does the lens and camera work fine on the surface out of the housing?

If so, I'll bet its a button like the lens release or tight port contact separation inside as I related might be it.

Good luck!

dhaas

i used to get this error all the time when i was shooting a 1dmkII and one lens i forget which one. i worked at a newspaper and the gear was heavily used. the contacts on either the camera or lens were getting dirty and wearing down. eventually they had to be replaced.

BUT the best temporary fix was cleaning them with a pencil eraser. this would usually alleviate the problem for a couple weeks. i'd suggest you try that in addition to other suggestions above. just be careful not to get the eraser shavings into the camera body. cheers,

chris

Sorry for the confusion, but this issue has nothing to do with the housing or while using underwater. This error happens completely randomly on land, and seems to be an issue with the lens, as my other lenses work fine. I have been shooting with this camera for about a year and this is just now happening.

Dhaas:

1) Do you have a +4 diopter on the Canon 17-85mm lens as REQUIRED to use this extended dome port UNDERWATER? Many people try the lens ABOVE WATER and of course it focusses fine. But UNDERWATER the lens "sees" a virtual image on the dome port and the lens needs to be able to focus to 12" or less. Hence the +4 diopter need....

I don't have a diopter, but have been shooting with this lens and the dome port for almost a year. All is good here, just worried about getting the error while diving.

2) Of the lenses you mention the only one that MIGHT work but still will likely vignette due to physical short length is the 24mm. Plus the port you have is longer than a 24mm would normally require, because your 17-85mm is longer.

 

Sigma 17-70mm barrel is too fat to fit in the built in zoom rubber port you have.

Thanks, that's what I was worried about. Would the sigma 17-70mm, fit in the dome, and be usable if I didn't try zooming? What about the Canon EF 18-55mm ikelight says that works with #5503... I have #5503.90 what's the difference? zoom wouldn't work?

3) Check the lens release button or others that may be pressing on something that makes the camera and lens lose communication.....

 

4) The #5503.90 port has hard rubber internally in the very front as the Canon 17-85mm lens has the zoom ring OUT FRONT towards the lens element. My experience owning his lens is that installing this port is a bit tight and maybe in wiggling it on or sideways you moved the lens in the mount just enough for the contacts to separate?

 

Does the lens and camera work fine on the surface out of the housing?

Sorry for the confusion, but as I mentioned above this has nothing to do with the housing... it's an issue on land... and looks like it's due to the lens.

Undertow:

BUT the best temporary fix was cleaning them with a pencil eraser. this would usually alleviate the problem for a couple weeks. i'd suggest you try that in addition to other suggestions above. just be careful not to get the eraser shavings into the camera body. cheers,

Thanks, I did clean the contacts and they look fine... but it's still happening... it's really random though... some times it's fine, and then all of a sudden it'll happen. will see if I can find a pencil erraser.

Buy the same lens, sell it when you get back?

Otara

Can't find the same lens... but didn't even think about the selling it when I get back thing.

going to sipidan??? see if you can find a fisheye lens, it should work in your port. sigma 15mm or tokina 10-17mm. sell it when you get back if you want

glamourpuss,

I am wondering how underwater you get an AF lock with the Canon 17-85mm lens (that only focusses to like 16" or something) WITHOUT a +4 diopter unless you are shooting 5' away (???) Customers I know who didnt' get a diopter (as is specified for this lens and a dome port UNDERWATER) have the lens endlessly rack back and forth UNDERWATER as it tries to focus on the dome apparent image only 12" in front of the lens.

Whatever......

The Sigma 17-70mm is a big fat lens and I'd bet since it doesn't show your #5503.90 port isn't the specified port for it the hard rubber on the INSIDE front of your port would prevent the 17-70mm from sliding in. I guess if you find one in a camera store take your port and side the lens in to see if it'll fit.

No guarantees it'll focus underwater though as it may be too close to the inside of the dome......And you wouldn't know this until you GOT IT UNDERWATER Unless you can fill a bucket and put some pennies on the bottom and see if it'll focus while installed in your housing.

This is the same reason you can't use any of the Canon 18-55mm "kit" lenses as their zoom ring is back further towards the camera body. They might focus but you won't have zoom control with your #5503.90 lens specific port. Although one of the NEW Canon 18-55mm IS lenses might be your most economical choice to save your trip.

Short stubby Fisheye lens choices like the fine Sigma 15mm or Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye will be so far back in your #5503.90 extended dome port they will vignette If you want to get shots with a round circle you could crop out that's fine. But physical lens length is why there are so many different dome port choices. Unfortunately it's not one size fits all......

The correct 6" dome port (shown in the first column on their web site's port chart) for either of those is #5503.

The Tokina at 10mm will vignette a teensy bit in the 6" #5503 port so you can either zoom to 12mm (not much of a difference IMHO) or take the shade off.

I am so lazy these days with my Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye lens I set it at either 12mm, 15mm or 17mm and don't use the zoom clamp and ring. Go dive and concentrate on the "field of view" for a complete dive(s). The Sigma 15mm is practically a perfect match for the #5503 and sharpness in the 6" port is pretty impressive too.

Or for best results with either of those Fisheye lenses get Ikelite's 8" port and the proper extension.

Finally, if this is happening above water intermittently I'd say your lens is goofed up. Maybe the IS or salt air intrusion or ????????? While the 17-85mm when I owned was a nice lens I never liked the hard rubber front end zoom on the required port for it.

Hence for a mid-range zoom my migration back to Canon's lowly little 18-55mm IS (newest version requiring a #5503.50 port) as it focusses to 10" negating the need for a diopter.

YMMV,

dhaas

I am wondering how underwater you get an AF lock with the Canon 17-85mm lens (that only focusses to like 16" or something) WITHOUT a +4 diopter unless you are shooting 5' away (???) Customers I know who didnt' get a diopter (as is specified for this lens and a dome port UNDERWATER) have the lens endlessly rack back and forth UNDERWATER as it tries to focus on the dome apparent image only 12" in front of the lens.

I'm kind of a beginner and don't really know. I never read anywhere that a diopter was recommended, but sounds like it would help. Will look into it, but don't think it's gonna happen before I go to Sipadan. (you can see some of my pic here: http://tinyurl.com/krzdmt)

Finally, if this is happening above water intermittently I'd say your lens is goofed up. Maybe the IS or salt air intrusion or ????????? While the 17-85mm when I owned was a nice lens I never liked the hard rubber front end zoom on the required port for it.

I've done a bunch of google-ing and it actually seems to be a common problem for the 40D. Came across several post of people who have had the exact same problem and seems the only fix is to send it back to canon. Again, unfortunately that wont happen before Sipadan.

I was really hoping there might be a easy work around that wont cost me an arm and a leg, but looks like it's not that simple. Dhaas... I totally appreciate you taking the time to respond. I've always been a little confused by the port system (i'm just an amateur) and assumed that there wasn't much difference between all the #5503 variations.

Anyway... I've been playing around with my camera and seems like the error happens most often at high apertures. It works best at F4... which isn't really ideal. At F8 i can get about 3-5 shots before the error shows up. The good news is, that turning it off and then back on again temporarily fixes things, which is easy to do underwater. Looks like it'll be a bit of a hassle diving with it this way, but it's better than no pictures at all.

Kelly,

(Who I assume is using the camera system based on your web BLOG

Sounds to me like the aperture blades in your lens are slowly dying. If it doesn't happen at f4 (a wider aperture) but DOES when the lens closes down to f8 at he moment of exposure (this is how lenses work so they stay open for clear viewing until the moment of exposure) I'd bet that's it......

The Ikelite web site on the dedicated port for your Canon 17-85mm IS lens has a footnote that to have FULL ZOOM underwater you will need a +4 diopter with the Canon 17-85mm IS lens.

As I stated I think you're lucking out getting in focus shots from maybe 3' + away or just by the depth of field at F8. With the +4 diopter you could focus right down to the minimum specified 14" the lens can focus.

Come to think of it maybe that's how you're actually getting SOME in focus shots. Many mid-range zooms only focus to like 16" - 18" and there's no way they'll focus UNDERWATER if at all on the dome's apparent image closer than say, 5' without a diopter.

I even wonder if between salt air maybe your lens struggling to focus without a diopter has caused it to start failing (???????)

If you can find an Ikelite dealer over there and get a different port you could then get a different lens.

If you want to try using your port and for pre-setting one focal length (without the special out front zoom control of your existing #5503.90) I'd recommend picking up one of little Canon 18-55mm IS NEW kit lenses.

Even if it vignettes due to being a shorter physical lens you could zoom it to like 24 on the barrel and get some pics

Good luck!

dhaas

Thanks so much for explaining about the diopter... I had no idea, but this would probably explain why I was having so much trouble focusing on Manta Ray's in Bali. I thought it was just the light. Will definitely try and find a diopter here in Penang.

Sorry to be such a pain... but just want be sure I know what I'm doing before I spend additional money.

The 18-55mm was one of the lenses I was able to find here in Penang (also the cheapest)... just to be clear, if I bought this and used it in my #5503.90 port I might get some vignetting if zoomed all the way out. But I can try different lengths and see what works. Also I wont be able to use the zoom while underwater (which is actually ok cause I don't really use it to begin with - like you I hate that knob system). Is this correct?

Do I need a diopter for this lens?

Thanks again for your patients!

Kelly,

No problem

Either of Canon's "kit" 18-55mm lenses will work enough in your port pre-set to one focal length. If you can get the newest 18-55m IS lens it IS a bit sharper than the old one even at comparable apertures of f8 and smaller. Here in the US they are selling for about $125.00 - $150.00 when sold separately.

You shouldn't need a diopter with either model of Canon 18-55mm lens as it can focus to 10" and will be able to "see" the apparent image a dome port creates UNDERWATER.

If you get any vignetting at the 18mm setting it will be due to the fact that either model 18-55mm lens is physically shorter than your 17-85mm lens and farther away from the dome inside the port.

So you'll just have to try it in the water and see if you need to zoom in slightly to make it go away, or crop it out if it's minimal during your post processing.

Based on your long term travel situation and need to keep shooting I'd buy the 18-55mm and not spend a nickel on the diopter

Good luck!

dhaas

Awesome... thanks so much for humoring me! I have a lot to learn and this forum is great!

Picked up the 18-55mm IS, for RM399 (apx $112USD). Seems to be good so far, haven't tried it in the water yet, but on land in the housing there isn't any vignetting even at 18mm! Will try it in the water next week. Thanks again for the help.