remote kills canon 500D

[zalama]

Helicon Remote is killed my Canon 500D twice. Error 70, and it is totally death. First time reseller replace the camera to new one, because it was only one day old. Today I tested Helicon Remote with new camera, and same error again. I am very frustrated, how to fix the error ?

I think reseller don't want to replace the camera anymore, maybe I have to pay that repair by myself

Please, help

[image360]

Zalama,

I'm sorry to hear about your problem, always a pain when cameras fail. But I think it is impossible that Helicon remote is causing the problem. Helicon is NOT altering anything in the camera, just using the functions that already exist for remote control.

And it sounds like your supplier got a bad batch of cameras, I would return the second one to them too as it's not your fault, nor is it Helicon Remote.

On your next camera, try using the Canon remote function software first to see if that causes any issue, if it does then perhaps it's your computers USB connection, but I think the chance of that is extremely small.

Good Luck,

Robert

[zalama]

I am 100 % sure that connection with laptop caused that fault. Was it Helicon Remote, not sure.
I noticed that usb cable joint on side of camera was quite slack. Maybe that loose joint caused short circuit...
If anyone knows recipe of hard reset, let me know.

[Stas Yatsenko]

Zalama,

We sent you more details on email. We had similar problem with Canon 5D Mark II about a year ago. When we set SRAW2 quality, the camera was blocked with error 70. The same happened if when we set quality with the camera menu. So it was a bug in firmware. I hope our advices in the mail will help you to overcome it.

[zalama]

Any idea how to reset that error ? Camera is totally stuck.

[Stas Yatsenko]

As far as I remember our camera did not want to start when it was in P or other semiauto modes. But then I switched it to Auto, it started and I was able to reset image quality. That fixed the problem.

[yoyoxxxxx]

... i have bought helicon focus and helicon remote yesterday.

my camera works well.

i have tried to use helicon remote and ... my camera is completly stuck ... err 70.

it seems that this software has a problem OR increases the problem.

any idea ?


Yves.

[Stas Yatsenko]

We have only one similar report form 550D user. He says that he thinks it was a problem with the camera itself. Please send us the following files:

c:\Users\YOUR_NAME\AppData\Local\Helicon\Common\HeliconRemote.log

c:\Users\YOUR_NAME\AppData\Local\Helicon\Common\HeliconRemote2.ini

c:\Users\YOUR_NAME\AppData\Local\Helicon\Common\HeliconRemote_Prev.log

This will allow us to understand what happened before the camera got error.

If you are not satisfied with the program, we can do a refund any moment you ask about it.

[Stas Yatsenko]

We were just able to reproduce err 70 with Canon 550D. The camera can be recovered to normal state with the following actions:

1. Connect camera to computer.
2. Turn camera on.
3. Start Canon EOS utility and change image resolution to L.

[Bogi]

I'm italian user and me too have problems with Remote and Canon 500D.
When I start Remote, the application crashed and camera locked.
I must physically shot-down camera and I can't use Helicon remote control .
I use Windows 7 x64.

Thanks

[yoyoman]

Too late ...

i have given my camera to Canon Maintenance, and it cost me 155 € ...

I have found the same solution yesterday evening, after having retreived my camera i connect it to Helicon remote and err 70 again ...
I have changed the image resolution to L and it is now ok, but i have lost 155 € for nothing.


Yoyoman.

[Stas Yatsenko]

Happy customer is our top priority so we will discuss how to ease your sufferings via email.

[Traceologue]

I am the other 550D user who reported a crash of the camera by using Helicon Remote (Win 7 64): Err 70 more and more frequent and then the camera totally blocked even battery disconnected.

Sent to Canon Maintenance (Vilma Sud Ouest, in France), where the electronic board has been replaced under warranty, but they forgot to connect the liveview/video, despite “control of all functions” , and I had to send it again ; I am waiting for the final result.

According to my experience with two Canon 1000D and one Nikon D90 (in A or M mode, jpg or raw shooting), and to what I read in various forums about the failures of the 550D (and also 5D MkII), I feel that the origin of the problem is inside the camera, since it does not occur only with Helicon remote but also with others softwares, or just by using the video. There is probably an electronic weakness which is “stimulated” by the use of Helicon Focus. Canon cameras are cheaper than Nikon ones but not as much reliable; we get what we pay for…

Anyway, it will be helpful for all of us to have an overview of the frequency of this kind of trouble which occurs with high resolution Canon EOS cameras when using remote liveview, and to know which are the best solutions for avoiding them. Are such troubles systematic or limited to a bad line of production?

[Stas Yatsenko]

From our experience err 70 mostly means that camera firmware detected some wrong parameters for image shooting. For example, if we set RAW2 and LiveView On from the camera menu on our test Canon 5D MK II, it locked with err 70. After updating firmware this does not happen anymore.

When controlling camera remotely, computer software sends commands to change camera state very often. Sometimes the camera does not have enough time to react on the command and silently ignores it. Then comes the next command which tries to set new properties (image resolution, aperture, etc.). And this new state is treated as invalid by the camera and it locks up with err 70 message. It is clear that cameras are not designed to be foolproof in tethered mode so we need to be very cautious and add delays between commands to make it work.

Our general impression that upper lines of cameras are more stable. Maybe their processors are faster and they are quicker in handling commands, maybe firmware is different, only manufacturers know for sure.

[Traceologue]

Finally back from Canon Maintenance (more than one month for a complete repair under warranty ), where for the second time they changed the electronic board, and my Canon EOS 550D seems now to work fine with Helicon Remote (2.3.14.w / Win 7 64) as it should. I shall have to test it longer for being sure that the problem (ERR 70) will not come again, since it progressively appeared untill the definitive freezing of my camera. I am not completely convinced that the weakness was only on the software side. Anyway, thanks a lot to the Heliconsoft team for their incredible work!!