# Canon Rebel XS: error 99

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821 "2009-06-24T12:56:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MTRG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@MTRG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTRG)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/1 "2009-06-24T12:56:16Z")

</div>

I get the feeling that there are more than one Canon Rebel users out there.

Error 99 seems pretty common; I found some good info after a quick Google search:

[http://www.richardsnotes.org/archives/2005/04/29/50mm-lens-contact-points/](http://www.richardsnotes.org/archives/2005/04/29/50mm-lens-contact-points/)

Has any doper had a similar experience?

How did you fix it?

I liked the systematic approach suggested in the link, attempting to narrow down the problem. My SO is a bit stressed by this, but if we don’t solve this soon, we will end up sending it back to Canon.

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/2 "2009-06-24T13:37:47Z")

</div>

Err99 is a catchall error code, and as the blog post you linked to states, it can be one of many problems.

Have you tried cleaning the contacts? Taking out BOTH batteries? (There’s a button cell as well as the main battery.)

Finally, have you got the latest firmware version? The XS is currently at version 1.0.5, which was released in April of this year. You can download it [here.](http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=DownloadDetailTabAct&fcategoryid=314&modelid=17316)

(FTR, I shoot with a 20D, 30D, 5D and an infrared-modified 300D.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/3 "2009-06-24T13:44:39Z")

</div>

Err 99 is a pretty generic error for the Canon DSLRs. It could mean all sorts of things and is pretty hard to pin down.

On preview - beaten to the punch.

Reseat the lens, the batteries, the memory card, clean all the contact points, and update the firmware.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/4 "2009-06-24T14:09:44Z")

</div>

I had this error with a 20D with a lens that worked perfectly on my Rebel and EOS 5 film cameras. It turned out to be an incompatability with the lens at the electronics level.

However, as mentioned, it could be lots of things.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/5 "2009-06-24T14:36:57Z")

</div>

I have had the XT for a couple of years, and I’ve occasionally got an “Error 99”. In my case, taking the lens off ad putting it back on fixed the problem.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/6 "2009-06-24T17:06:37Z")

</div>

**MTRG** : What lens are you using?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MTRG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@MTRG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTRG)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canon-rebel-xs-error-99/500821/7 "2009-06-24T17:49:06Z")

</div>

I bought the kit that included a 18-55mm lens
