Watch those CF pins on your 5D3

[jthomson]

Yes, it can absolutely show up in the use of the camera. More generally if you use the burst mode, especially like sports and I think birders often will. According to Rob Galbraith's amazing table, with my 5d3 if I have the Lexar 1000x 32GB CF card in, I'll get around 73 shots in 30 seconds. With my Transcend 400x 32GB card (he only lists the 16GB card), I get around 36 shots in that same 30 seconds. HUGE difference. Es

Thanks for that table.  I guess none of my camera's has a high enough performance.

[dilbert]

The pin / socket arrangement on CF cards violates rule 101 of connector design. 
Sockets go on the power side, pins on the non powered side. 
It was designed by a total klutz.

That is total rubbish.

[Philco]

I had the CF reader replaced in a 5DII early this year, and my bill came to $38.00, which also included a new door for the CF slot. The cost of replacing another one doesn't scare me, but it would be a hassle I wouldn't expect with the 5DIII.

[JasonATL]

I've was bitten by this in the first month we had our 5D3. I put a CF card in and the camera wouldn't function. It would turn on, but then nothing could be set (e.g., ISO, aperature). Movie function wouldn't turn on. When I turned it off, it wouldn't come back on. Pulled battery and same thing. Called Canon. They were no help, but did issue an Repair ticket immediately. Just after hanging up with them, I pulled the CF card and battery. When I put only an SD card in, the camera operated fine (with battery, of course). When I looked into the CF slot, I could see the bent pin touching the side of the slot and, apparently causing a short.

Canon repaired it quickly under warranty. Total turn around, including shipping, was about a week.

Bottom line: I put CF cards in very gently now.

It seems that if the problem is so pervasive that Canon might consider a recall.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The pin / socket arrangement on CF cards violates rule 101 of connector design. 
Sockets go on the power side, pins on the non powered side. 
It was designed by a total klutz.

That is total rubbish.

Having spent 30 plus years desiging pin and socket interfaces for electronic equipment, including being a member of International design standards orginations, I can say that the industry experts and manufacturers agree with me. Problem is thats its too late to do anything about it, so manufacturers do the best they can to design a camera so that the cards and pins can be aligned without scooping.  Even so, I've had DSLR's with bent pins.  Its not frequent, but very expensive to repair if you can't straighten it.