I keep getting the bc blinking when using a Sigma lens. It does when using BPE1 but same problem if I use 2CR5. This happens after 20-30 shots or so. When it blinks if I press the shutter I can hear the film advance to the next frame or even the mirror coming back down and then I can take the next shot. If I put a Canon lens on its ok and then if I put the Sigma back on the problem is still there.

The Sigma lens is at Sigma at the moment but they say they cant find anything wrong with it as yet.

Surely this is the lens at fault, not the body. I have another Sigma that does the same thing (3 years old) and a Sigma Macro that seems ok.

Anyone got a definite answer to this.

-- michael johnson (mickjohnson1@lineone.net), May 28, 2002

Answers

This is a classic symptom of a lens that needs to be rechipped because it's not compatible with a newer body.

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), May 28, 2002.

Steve,

I agree it is but this lens is only 5 months old (70-300 apo)and I think it came out after the EOS3 so it should work ok.

-- Michael Johnson (mickjohnson1@lineone.net), May 28, 2002.

Hmm ... lenses often sit in transit and in warehouses and on store shelves for a while, but since the EOS 3 has been around for quite some time (hmm - 3.5 years?), it doesn't seem too likely that this is the case.

Still, since it doesn't happen with the Canon lens, it still sounds like a compatibility problem ...

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), May 28, 2002.

I don't think this is a compatability problem, if it was it would occur all the time - not after '20-30' shots. The lens will not be 'compatable' for the first half of the roll and then change it's mind.

Two things I would look at would be the contacts between the lens and body, make sure they are clean. Second, although less likely, look at andclean the contacts for the BPE1/2CR5. Either of these is more likely to be the cause of the problem versus a lens compatability issue.

-- Richard 'Dick' Tope (RTope@yahoo.com), May 28, 2002.

At this point, no one knows for sure, but it does sound most like a lens incompatibility issue. Others have reported Sigma lenses that have worked for a while and then locked up the camera intermittently. Sometimes there have been problems only when the camera was put into continuous shooting mode, or they could take ten good shots & then it would freeze, stuff like that. So it could be a lens problem.

But I would check & clean all the lens and battery contacts to eliminate that possibility.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), May 28, 2002.

Since Sigma uses a different electronic chip setup from Canon, each Canon will react differently, some will have no problem, many will not work at all, and your case is not the only one I have heard of sporatic problems well into the roll. If you were an isolated case it would most likely be a bad contact or defective lens, but it appears you may need to return it to Sigma for re-chipping. Make shure that you detail the problem so they don't use the same chip setup. JC

-- joe cap (joemocap@yahoo.com), May 28, 2002.