I was shooting a session today when my 5D died. I was using a 16 - 35mm lens. I turned the camera off to switch to a 70 - 200mm. When I tried turning it back on, nothing happened. So, I switched batteries several times...nothing. I tried every lens in my bag...nothing. Now that I am rethinking the session, I felt like lens didn't come off correctly. It felt like it turned too far. Would that cause the entire camera to stop working? Any suggestions to try before I send it in to Canon? And, does anyone know the turn around time for Canon...I haven't ever had to send anything in as of yet. Any help would be wonderful! Thanks in advance.

Did you turn off the camera before you loosened and put on the next lens? Don't quote me but I think I read somewhere that you should turn the camera off before you take a lens off, something to do with the contacts. Have you tried cleaning the contacts (carefully)? As recent as about 2 weeks ago the turn around for canon service was about 7 days for me but hubby hand delivered it in since the service center was only about 1 hour away.

Hope that helps.

Yes, I did turn it off before I took the lens off. I am usually really careful about that. I haven't tried cleaning the contacts. I think I will take it to the local camera store before I try that on my own. I wasn't sure if it was a lens issue since the camera won't turn on at all anymore. I just don't know. I am reading fast and furiously to see if there is anything small that will fix it before I have to send it in. Thanks!

My best friend magically fixed my 20D back in April with a little known secret that sometimes works: take the batteries out and turn the camera on (with the batteries out) and then turn it off and put the batteries back in. It worked for me twice! =)

Oooh, I'll try it. Thanks!

He knows nothing about cameras, but a LOT about electronics - computers specifically. How he knew that would work is beyond me!

Try taking out the internal battery Shan. Keep it off for a minute or two. I did this with a 20D when we had them in the studio.

Shan.... Had something similar happen with my 20D during a session... I was secretly freaking out when I realized that my battery grip had gotten a little loose. Do you have a grip on this camera? If so, did you check it as well?

Hope its something silly, bc those are usually much better on the wallet....

Also, I just sent one of my 5Ds in last week. They quoted me 7 business days.

No, I don't have a battery grip. Thanks though!

I stand corrected. I don't see an internal battery compartment. Sorry.

I turned the lens the wrong way on work's 1Ds (I'm used to my Nikon which is the opposite to Canon!) and totally messed up the camera's thread (is that what it's called? where the lens fits in?) I can't remember if it effected the entire camera although I know it caused some serious problems! Maybe what's happened to you does have something to do with the lens not coming off correctly.

Do you have CPS (Canon Professional Services) in America & are you a member? See if you have the criteria to join. Their turnaround on repairs is faster than repairs for the average Joe Bloggs.

oh shannn sorry you are going thru this.. hope it works out. do become a CPS member as mentioned above. turn around in superfast. most likely you'll get it back the same wk!

let us know what the problem was

Send it to Canon - you probably blew a board in the camera.

I did the same thing with a 15mm lens last year. It turned too far as I was changing lenses, and then the cam died on me.

Canon will fix it up for you nice and quick I am sure.
I overnighted my 5D to them, and got it back in a week.

Yeah, it sounds like you killed it by turning it too far. I've heard of this happening a couple times, and Canon has fixed it in each instance that I've heard of

Good luck!

I contacted CPS this past week, got my application ready and the rep gave me the option to turn my camera in for a one time quick repair, pending my approval for CPS. It was great. I got my camera back in like 3 days and my CPS approval came in the next day. They were really fast with all of it.

Godd luck!