Error Code 243

[Jose]

Several times while on vacation this code started blinking on my 5D with a 16 GB card. The camera froze and the only way to make it work again was turning it off and removing and replacing the battery. This pattern was repeated but the camera would restart again.

Another item that I became aware of is that these cameras "shots reminding" indicator in the top LCD Panel only have 3 digits so when using a large card the total number of shots available is not know; the indicator starts working when the number of shots is less than 999.

[swampler]

I don't know anything about the error code, but even with a 4 GB file, I see 999 for shots remaining in all modes except RAW until I get below 999 remaining.

[Eero Makela]

Has the camera ever been tested with your brand and size of Flash Card?

Does it ever occur with smaller cards?

Me I do not like to put all my shots in 1 large card for safety reason and to avoid the loss of all photos if the 16gb fails for some reason. I have remained below 4gb on my D300 and had to stay below 2gb on my D50.

[Jose]

My oversigh; I only shoot RAW. With a 8 GB card I get about 864 shots in RAW. Big cards give me a full day of shooting and not having to worry about carrying additional cards. I had never had a problem with Compact Flash cards since I went digital in 2003.

[Kosherpaparazzi]

Who's the card manufacturer? What do you mean by camera froze?

[Jose]

A 16 Gb Transcend 133X. The camera will not operate at all, just a blinking "243". Brand new camera, just purchased last month.

[afterburn]

Originally Posted by ecto69

Has the camera ever been tested with your brand and size of Flash Card?

Does it ever occur with smaller cards?

Me I do not like to put all my shots in 1 large card for safety reason and to avoid the loss of all photos if the 16gb fails for some reason. I have remained below 4gb on my D300 and had to stay below 2gb on my D300.

That's the same argument people used in the days of 386/486 computers when buying memory. They'd prefer 4 * 1MB sticks over 1 * 4MB in case one went bad. It was rediculous then, and it is rediculous now.

Jose, how do you get 864 shots in RAW on 8GB? Are you using a 5D? I only get 495 shots in RAW on a 8gig card.

[Jose]

I checked the number of shots/card that I can get from the 5D and the 40D set to RAW.

Camera----- Card Size----- Shots/Card
5D------------- 16 Gb----------- 955
5D--------------- 8 Gb---------- 493
40D------------ 16 Gb---------- 999+ LCD reads only to that #
40D------------- 8 Gb---------- 592 A slight higher # than when used in the 5D due size of files

While doing this test I found that same brand and size cards will deliver different # of shots. As an example I got 592 and 605 shots from 2 Ridata 8 Gbs cards respectively in the same camera.

I had seen cards as high as 48 GB and assume that in the next 18 months 128 Gbs may become available. I do welcome the bigger cards since these may allow me not to have to carry portable hard drives in the field to download the cards for reuse. Currently I am using an average of 150 GBs for a two weeks of shooting in the field.

[aam1234]

Does this happen with other cards.

[Jose]

Yes.

[aam1234]

Last question.

Do you have the latest firmware installed.

[Jose]

Yes.

[aam1234]

Ok, I can't help it, and sorry for breaking the "last question" promise.

Where did you format the card last. Cam or PC.

[Jose]

I format the card)s) before each use...the problem may not be related to the card since turning it off and removing the battery restored it to normality. I will be using the extensively again for the next 3 weeks with the 16 Gb card. I will see it happens again, but I can tell you that the card was about 1/2 full when it happened. This a new 5D just 5 weeks old and with about 3500 actuations.

[Kosherpaparazzi]

Weird, I did a massive online search for that error code & all I can find is this thread.

Did you call Canon about this? It sounds strange since the highest error code I know about is 99.

[aam1234]

Read somewhere that, for some cards, if you delete some pics and continue using the card you will have problems. Not sure if this is applicable here but it's something to look into.

[Jose]

Did not call Canon; I have very poor responses from them on the past. It appears that it depends on who you talk what response one helps. As long as the camera restarts again, I will not bother to send it back.

[obtr32]

Don't think it has anything to do with the card...

[Jose]

Ok, I had been using the camera heavily again and now the code is 693; again the camera continues to work after remiving and replacing the battery. Interesting annoyance but not fatal.