THE CAMERA DOESN'T READ THE CF CARD. i BOUGHT A NEW ONE BUT THE DISPLAY STILL SAYS CF CARD ERROR (OR SOMETHING SIMILAR)

check for bent CF pins

Check pins where goes CF card they might be bent or broken

Nope, this is not card anymore.

As you know CF is card failure, sometimes this cause to start error 99 , that is lens error , even if there is no problem with the lens.

This happens because the built in software in the camera can get messed up after an error CF.

You fix the problem calling Canon, they will guide through upgrading the firmware in your camera.

First ensure that you are using the camera menu and command to format the new card, and that new cards are properly inserted into the machine.

Call Canon support to get a firmware upgrade.

I've had the same problem. No pins are bent and I bought the new cards as well. Write protection is off. Hmm... Olypus wants $190.00 for a flat rate repair at one of their facilities.

Had 1.5 years of good use out of the camera. Do I do the repair or buy the 510?

Have you tried formatting these cards in your camera? You will find the setting in the menu as per page 26 of the manual. Also check that the correct card type is set for xD or CF as appropriate. You can download the manual from the link below: http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/EVOLT%20E-500%20Advanced%20Manual.pdf Please update the question & let us know if the information given was useful to you - Good Luck!

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.

Buy or borrow a new Cf card. These cards, even when all the pins etc. are fine, often fail internally. They are not, as many people believe, a totally foolproof way to store data. If you get a similar problem with a different NEW card then you have to get the camera repaired professionally. Also to try would be reading your suspect card in a card reader on a pc or in another similar camera to see if you have similar problems - confirming if the card is the problem. However if the card seems to work fine in other appliances, it is probably the camera that is the problem, although Cf cards can be temperamental like that especially when they get a little old.

The "E50" error code indicates formatting a CF card has failed. Solution To clear the "E50" error, try performing the following procedure. 1. Try using another CF card. If you have another CF card, try loading it in the camera. If the error code is not displayed when the other CF card is loaded, there may be something wrong with the first one rather than with the camera. 2. Use your computer's ScanDisk utility to check the CF card for errors. Use ScanDisk to check the CF card for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your operating system or Windows Help for further instructions. (If you are using a Macintosh, use the "Disk First Aid" program to check for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your Macintosh OS for further information.) Be sure to back up the data on the CF card on the computer before you check the CF card. If a card error or card failure occurs when you use your computer's ScanDisk, there is something wrong with the CF card. Follow ScanDisk's on-screen instructions to solve the problem.

The "E30" error code is displayed when reading/writing data on a CF card has failed. Especially, the error code "E30" may appears when you tried to remove a CF card while the camera was processing data. Solution To clear the "E30" error, try performing the following procedure. 1. Try using another CF card. If you have another CF card, try loading it in the camera. If the error code is not displayed when the other CF card is loaded, there may be something wrong with the first one rather than with the camera. 2. Use your computer's ScanDisk utility to check the CF card for errors. Use ScanDisk to check the CF card for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your operating system or Windows Help for further instructions. (If you are using a Macintosh, use the "Disk First Aid" program to check for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your Macintosh OS for further information.) Be sure to back up the data on the CF card on the computer before you check the CF card. If a card error or card failure occurs when you use your computer's ScanDisk, there is something wrong with the CF card. Follow ScanDisk's on-screen instructions to solve the problem. 3. Format the CF card with your camera Try to format the CF card with your camera. Please refer to the "Camera User Guide" for your camera for instructions on formatting CF cards. Also, please note that formatting a CF card will erase all data on the card. Once the CF card is formatted, follow the procedure described in step 2 above and use your computer's ScanDisk on your computer to check the CF card for errors. If a card error or card failure occurs when you are using computer's ScanDisk, there is something wrong with the CF card.

Error Code "E50" (CF card formatting error) When a camera error occurs, an error code like "Exx" will be displayed, where the x's represent numbers. The "E50" error code indicates formatting a CF card has failed. Solution To clear the "E50" error, try performing the following procedure. 1. Try using another CF card. If you have another CF card, try loading it in the camera. If the error code is not displayed when the other CF card is loaded, there may be something wrong with the first one rather than with the camera. 2. Use your computer's ScanDisk utility to check the CF card for errors. Use ScanDisk to check the CF card for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your operating system or Windows Help for further instructions. (If you are using a Macintosh, use the "Disk First Aid" program to check for card error or card failure. Refer to the instruction manual for your Macintosh OS for further information.) Be sure to back up the data on the CF card on the computer before you check the CF card. If a card error or card failure occurs when you use your computer's ScanDisk, there is something wrong with the CF card. Follow ScanDisk's on-screen instructions to solve the problem. If the same error occurs when you are using the CF card supplied with the camera, please contact the retailer where you purchased the camera or the nearest Canon service center. If the error code is displayed right after you took a picture, the image may not have been recorded. Switch the camera to playback mode to check if it was recorded. Precautions for handling a CF card: - Do not remove a CF card or disconnect the camera's power source while the camera is recording, loading, or erasing data on a CF card. - CF cards are high-precision electronic devices. Do not bend, force, or subject them to shocks or vibration. - Do not attempt to disassemble or alter a CF card. - Place the CF card in the supplied case for storage. - Moving a CF card rapidly between temperature extremes may cause condensation in the card, leading to potential malfunctions. To avoid condensation, place the CF card in a sealed plastic bag before moving it into a different temperature area and allow it to adjust slowly to the new temperature. If condensation forms on the CF card, put it aside until the water droplets have evaporated completely. - Do not use or store CF cards in the locations subject to dust or sand, high humidity, or high temperatures.