Rebel XS - error 99 and messed up colors

[ShatteredPieces]

Here's the story. My Rebel XS (less than a year old) has been working perfectly up until today. This afternoon I turned it on to take pictures only to find it was completely screwed up.

First of all, the autofocus didn't work even though the lens was set to autofocus. (That issue seems to have cleared up since clearing all the camera settings. I'm not sure if it will become a problem again though.)

I received some Error 99 messages. I turned it off, removed the battery, and put it back in and it allowed me to take a few pictures before it stopped working again.

When I did take pictures, they were greyscale/monochrome with neon green lining. (a few were completely pink and blue). I was going to post a picture as an example BUT after uploading the photos they look totally normal on my computer. It must be a problem with the display or something. By removing the battery I managed to get a few normal colored shots in between the wacky ones (so my display screen isn't busted!), but the problem returned in a few minutes.

I haven't changed any settings or removed the lens or done anything out of the ordinary that might have caused this, but I should add that I used a third party shutter release remote recently. I don't get how it could have internally screwed up my camera so badly but it's the only thing I can think of. Does anyone have any input on what's wrong? Was the shutter release remote the culprit?

[WVCoalMiner]

See if this helps: Canon Error 99 Help

[ShatteredPieces]

Haha that's the exact site I found and I did everything listed. I haven't gotten any more error 99 messages so far so that's good. I'm more worried about the colors. Full auto and the preset settings all work fine but the custom ones are so messed up. I hope this isn't the end of my relationship with this camera.

[sybren]

Try cleaning your lens contacts (you probably did that already) then try resetting your camera to factory defaults. Perhaps a setting got whacky somewhere.

[WVCoalMiner]

I would say 99.9% it is your lens causing the problems. I had a bad lens and was getting Err 99 and since I stopped using that lens all has been fine. But it did cause some crazy stuff to happen to my XSi while I was using it.

[spencer28n]

How old is the camera? Is it under warrenty?
=( Hope it works out for the best.

[ShatteredPieces]

I tried 2 lenses and the problem happened with both. And if it were a lens issue wouldn't the pictures have looked strange on my computer as well? They just looked freaky on my camera screen (except for the pink and blue ones. They showed up on the computer as well. odd)

I hope I can get it fixed.

[WVCoalMiner]

The Err 99 is definitely a camera/lens communication problem but the screen color issue, well I just don't know. I have searched and searched to try and find something on the net but it seems as if you are the only person this may have happened to. Sorry I wasn't able to offer any more help. It has got me stumped?????
I might suggest sending it in to a Canon authorized repair center just to have it checked out even if it doesn't do it again just to be safe.

[ShatteredPieces]

After an eternity of googling, I ended up on a site telling me I should upload my firmware so I did and err99 has not been a problem since. One down, one to go.

Even if they do repair it, I'm still stumped as to why this happened. I would be apprehensive to use the shutter release remote again lest it happen again, just in case. Argh regarding the distorted colors, apparently nobody on the internet has the same problem as me because I came up with zilch.

[WVCoalMiner]

I use a remote shutter release on both my XS and XSi and have never had an issue like yours so I doubt very seriouslt it was the remote that caused the problem.