Compact flash connector pins bend/pushed inside

Digital Camera: How to Fix Compact Flash Memory Cards ErrorIt is not very typical for compact flash memory cards to give you an error. If you do receive an error, it most likely means that a pin within your CF card slot is bent, or your CF card has become corrupted. Unfortunately, if your CF card has become corrupted, you will need to reformat the memory card, which means that you may lose any pictures that were located on the card.
Fixing Your Flash Memory Card

You will want to remove your CF card and the batteries. Take a look inside the CF card slot to see if there is a bent pin. If you find a bent pin, you can correct this problem using a very small and skinny flat screwdriver. Moving very slowly, use the screwdriver to bend the pin back into place. You do not want to use enough force to make the pin back in one shot.
The pin does not have to be perfectly straight, but get it as close to straight as possible. Insert your CF card back into the slow very slowly. You should see the in align itself with the card. You can turn your digital camera on to verify that the compact flash memory card is now working.

It's unusual that an A95 would report "card locked" as it uses a compact flash card which is incapable of being locked. Please verify the model of your camera, and the card that it uses.
In the mean time, I'll assume that actually own a different camera that uses SD cards. If so, please see this link for troubleshooting tips for SD card locked problems.
But if you indeed own an A95 with compact flash, the problem may possibly be caused by bent flash card pins inside the camera card slot (take a look inside using a flashlight). If bent pins are found, then see this link for a possible home fix.

For #1:
http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/06/fixing-compact-flash-memory-card-error.html
For #2: http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/canon-digital-cameras-showing-black.html

It can be done, but it's not easy and requires patience and a good invetory of parts and screws. Replacement card reader can be salvaged from a broken ebay camera (A75 and A85 readers are interchangeable). Here's a disassembly of a very similar A70:

http://blog.thustra.com/2007/03/canon-a70-ir-modification.html

Now are the pins actually broken or just bent. If just bent, you can actually and easily unbend them, but it requires patience:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/06/fixing-compact-flash-memory-card-error.html

Take a look inside your camera's CF card slot. I suspect that you may have a bent pin in there. If so, remove batteries and card. Use a small/skinny jeweler's flat screwdriver to bend the pin back as close as possible. The jeweler's screwdrivers that you see at the dollar store will work fine. Another tool that I sometimes use is a stiff wire with a bent hook on the end to get very flattened pins started. Take your time and use as much patience as you can muster (take a breather in between if needed). Just keep nudging it upward/straighter a "tiny bit at a time". Whatever you do, don't try to unbend it with one push/nudge, you won't be able to do it.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just as close as you can get it. When it's the best that you can get it, take your flash card and "SLOWLY" insert it. The card itself should fine-align the pin. Remove the card, and verify that the pin is still straightened. If so, reinsert the card and try it out.

STOP! You have just bent a few pins. Your camera has a male connection. Meaning it has pins sticking out. If you are unable to insert a memory card, that means a pin is bent and is not going into the holes in your memory card. This is a common problem with cameras that accept a compact flash card. This can be an easy fix or it can be a very hard fix.

Ive fixed a couple of cameras like this with a pair of tweezers. flash light (or some big source of light) and a magnifying glass. You need to look into the slot on the camera under light and look at all the pins sticking out. Look for the bent pins and use the tweezers to bend them back. Be careful not to keep bending the pin back and forth, as this will break the pin off. Ive seen cameras work without certain pins, but this is not something you want to do.

To have an SLR fixed is a minimum $160 dollars depending on where you take it too. The D70 is a good camera.

Please do not stick the memory card back in. Check the memory card to make sure all the holes are clear and have nothing blocking the holes or make sure a hole has gotten bigger and merged into one. I would use a different card once the pins are are sticking straight.

Hope this helps you.

Of course you have tried to format the CF card ? That can solve the problem.

If you get err 99 when trying to format the memory card, the problem is probably in CF (Compact Flash) connector. One common reason is bent pin. You can see it when looking into card slot.

Another possibility could be the CF connector terminations inside the camera. I repaired one EOS 350D where solder joint in one of the pins (23rd) was broken. And that looked like manufacturing failure in the printed circuit board (see the picture). The solder pad for that pin was far too small. There can be also other such cases in the market. The disassembly of the camera is rather difficult but if you have some experience on that kind of work, it is worth trying when you have no other option. Some guidance for disassembly can be found for example here: http://astro.ai-software.com/articles/mod_350D/mod_350D.html

Look in the card slot with a flashlight to see if there are any bent / misaligned pins. If so, remove batteries and card and Use a small/skinny jeweler's flat screwdriver to bend the pin back as close as possible. Take your time and use as much patience as you can muster (take a breather in between if needed). It doesn't have to be perfect, just as close as you can get it. When it's there, take your flash card and "SLOWLY" insert it. The card itself should fine-align the pin. Remove the card, and verify that the pin is still straightened. If so, reinsert the card and try it out.

So as not to spoil your vacation, go buy yourself a new compact flash card locally. They should sell them anywhere electronics are sold, including WalMart, etc. See if you can get this new card to work in your camera. If so, then you can work on trying to get your current CF to work, by trying to format it in the camera. If you can't get a new CF to work in the camera, then you likely damaged either the pins in the CF socket in the camera, or some switch that is pushed when the card is inserted (to tell the camera there is a card in it). It is unlikely you will be able to have this fixed during your vacation, unfortunately.

Most likely one of the pins on the compact flash connector is bent, not allowing the card to be recongnized correctly - Am now fixing such a problem for a friend