hey, other cameras could read the CF cards, I also tanked in via the card reader.

thanks,

I found a bunch of silicone bags (like the one you find in shoe boxes) I'll put it in a plastic bag with that, lens off and battery and CF card slots open.

Users of the Flash XDR and nanoFlash were having the same "dead" CF cards in certain brands when using the Safe method of removing the CF cards from readers on a Mac. It had something to do with these cards being susceptable to voltage still going thru their controller or something. The card brands were Transcend and Kingston.

The resolution was to do as previously suggested - just not use the "Safe" removal method - merely remove and get the warning about Safe removal.

thanks john, the CF cards I'm using are Sandisk at 60mbs

The Sandisk cards may have come from the same source, different brand?? I could be sending you on a goosechase but hopefully helping eliminate one possibility.

You mention reformatting the cards with the computer--I've read that it's a good idea to always format the card in the camera. But if it won't read any card, that's a problem. From what you describe it appears there's some kind of issue with the camera, since the same cards work with other devices. The bent pen theory is worth checking, and maybe there could be gunk on the contacts?

I was sort of wondering if formatting the cards in a non-Mac computer will result in a card the camera will not write to but just might render the card to a state where the camera itself will see it and then can do another format in-camera to get it right again.

Chris,

How did it all turn out? Did you get the camera & cards working again?

Hey Roger, thanks for asking.

Upon further inspection, I am starting to think that it might be a bent pin after all. It's so strange because I inserted the cards correctly (no resistance and it's sort of hard to put them in the wrong way)

It's not very bent but I don't dare to go in there and straighten it myself in case I do anymore damage. I might see if there is some sort of warranty for this because, like I said, I never did anything out of the ordinary.

We'll see what it is when I return, it's a shame though, the maldives have some of the best colors in the world, amazing sunsets/sunrises, surfing over clear waters and so on, I was really hoping to use the 7d instead of my HDV camera for this job, but my clients are happy and I am surfed out so it's all good!

Anyone here have any experience on what it might cost to fix a bent pin?

not sure what it cost's.. they have to replace the whole connector... very easy though, they are
on a ribbon cable assembly.

The times that I have seen " bent pins " on these camera's the pin is either bent all the way
over and laying flat against the connector face... even touching other pins and causing shorts
or the pin gets bent over so bad that it has broken off at the connector face. The reason is,
the memory card goes all the way to the face of the connector when installed... I don't think
you can get a slightly bent pin... its either squished flat or broken off. having said this, its also
possible to have a broken pin and it not affect the camera at all... some of the pins are redundant
grounds....

So you should look very deep into the camera and at the face of the conector to see any pin issue.