HELP! 50D busy signal when connected via USB

wh1ppet · Dec 12, 2009

I recently started shooting in RAW, and have 240 images on a Sandisk Extreme 3 CF card. When connecting to a computer, I'm getting a flashing "busy" message on the camera's top screen!

I waited for about 10 minutes and nothing's happening. Any advice would be helpful!

NateWagner · Dec 12, 2009

yeah, whenever you're connected to the USB it will flash busy... the only way it won't do this is if you're set up to tether.

Otherwise, it flashes busy to tell you that you can't take images, however you can still transfer images off the camera while it's flashing busy. All you have to do is go to the file browser and find your camera, and then transfer the image files to another place on your computer.

wh1ppet · Dec 12, 2009

Never had to do it that way before. Usually a window would pop up on the camera asking if I want to transfer images.
How do you take it off tether mode?

I also tried to find the camera, but it will not allow images to be opened for some reason.

KmH · Dec 12, 2009

Wouldn't that be somewhere in the cameras users manual?

NateWagner · Dec 12, 2009

well, yeah, but if you look at the top of your camera even when the little thing box pops up to let you upload the images it will say busy.

In tethering mode I don't believe it would be flashing busy. Any time it is not in tethering mode and is connected to the computer it will be flashing busy. Thus, what is going on is perfectly normal. For tethering you need to use the tethering software included with the camera. The manual should explain it.

Gaerek · Dec 12, 2009

I'd invest in a decent card reader. It'll be quicker than your camera, and you can still use it (assuming you have a spare card handy) to take pictures while images are being transfered. I'd recommend getting a reader that supports a wide range of card types. They're a little more expensive, but if you get a new camera down the road that uses a different type of card, you don't have to buy a new reader.

wh1ppet · Dec 12, 2009

What's going on can not be normal. I'm unable to load my pictures to the computer, and it freezes up my desktop. It used to be a simple easy process, which is no longer the case.

My battery is kinda low now. Maybe that's the problem. I'll re-charge it & see.

Gaerek · Dec 12, 2009

wh1ppet said:
What's going on can not be normal. I'm unable to load my pictures to the computer, and it freezes up my desktop. It used to be a simple easy process, which is no longer the case.

My battery is kinda low now. Maybe that's the problem. I'll re-charge it & see.

I'm pretty sure that my camera won't let me transfer images when the battery is low. I bet that's the culprit. I suggested the card reader in my first post. Now I'll suggest something else to buy, a spare battery.

That was one of the best (and cheapest!) purchases I ever made for my camera.

NateWagner · Dec 12, 2009

as far as it flashing busy... yes that is normal.

so it won't let you upload the images the way I suggested either?

As Garek suggested it could be the batteries. I would also agree with him that getting a card reader can be worthwhile. It is much faster, often more convenient and not that expensive.