A chap at work has offered to sell me (for a nominal fee) a Sigma 70-300mm 1.4f to 5.6f auto focus macro lens. Brilliant...!!! Except when I got it home and tried it with my Canon 400D I got an Error 99 message which read "Shooting is not possible. Turn the power switch OFF and ON again or re-install the battery", I've tried both suggestions but the message says the same thing. The chap assured me this lens would be compatible with the Canon EOS range, but I'm beginning to think that it may not.
Does anyone know what Error 99 means? Has any other Canon users experienced this message before? Does it mean the lens will have to go back...???
Hi Tracey, I have had an error 99 message on my 400d. I had purchased a Canon 24-105mm lens and taken about a dozen shots and then the error came up and would not clear. Fortunatley I was in the presence of other Canon user with different spec'd cameras. We tried the lens on several bodies 40d, 5d and 20d) and got the same error message. My camera worked fine with other lenses.
The conclusion we came to was error 99 is a lens error.
However i found this snippet on the net "“The “Error 99″ is generic in nature as the exact cause of the error is undetermined until examined by a Canon Factory technician. This error condition may be caused by several different factors."
I think, so long a your camera still works with the lens/lenses you already had it is a lens fault or incompatability problem.
As Lee says clean the contacts on the lens, how old is it I take it its an f/4.0-5.6. If its really old it may not auto-focus but taping a few of the contacts up can make it work manually if its an old lens.
If its newish then if its not the contacts it's probably the software inside, some can be updated, some not. I've an old Sigma 500mm which doesn't even bring up the 99 error, but it will work by the taping up method, but cant remember which pins now, however autofocus and exposure is all guess work, not very convenient.
When attaching my old Sigma lens to my new Canon digital camera, an Error99 message appears.
This could either be due to the lens’ iris or the lens’ circuit which may need upgrading. Please contact us for further details. To speed up you enquiry, please have to hand the exact model number and serial number of your lens.
I have an old Sigma 70-300mm lens which I gather needs ‘re-chipping’ to work on my new Canon digital SLR. Can this be done?
The majority of lenses we can rechip. However there are a few older lenses which we are unable to re-chip due to parts no longer being available. In order to answer your question, we need to determine which 70-300mm lens you have. If you look at the lens, is the Macro switch held on by two screws? Or does it state 'Super' on the unit?
Looks like a call to Sigma UK is in order (01707 329999) I suggest you check the cost.
When independent manufacturers make lenses they pay a licence fee to the OEM to gain access to the necessary technical information.
Sigma do not do this, but instead reverse engineer their products. This means that they pay no fee but instead take apart products to see how they work and then make their lenses to work as well. The consequence is that lenses which work with current kit may not work with bodies released next year...and may need re-chipping.
Hi
Thank you to everyone who has replied to this query. Phil Okeycokey has had a look at the lens and he confirms it's a very old lens, originaly designed for film cameras. It can sort of be modified by taping up the sensors but then you would lose control over other aspects of it so on the whole, I've decided it's not worth it. I'm going to give it back to the chap at work.
Thanks again everyone.
Best Wishes
Tracey
