My first error message

[Speedway]

I was out shooting some harvesters working in the paddocks yesterday and had taken about 8 shots when the camera (7D) froze and the aperture blades stayed closed, I went back to the car and found I had an error 01 message on the screen telling me to clean the lens contacts. I did this with a pencil eraser then refitted the lens took about 4 more shots and up pops the message again. I fitted my 150-500 and finished the shots I wanted and returned home to be out of the worst dust. I tried cleaning the contacts again to no avail. I tried the lens on my 400D and immediately got an error 99 message; I tried all my other lenses on both cameras with no problems. I also changed batteries twice.
It looks like the 18-250 Sigma has died after only about 35000+ shots :-). I emailed C R Kennedy this afternoon re repairs if possible (still waiting on a reply). This has been my main lens over the last 3 1/2 years and I will be lost without it. I have been trying to save enough to get either a 70-200 F4 IS canon or 70-200 F2.8 OS sigma (F2.8 canon is way out of budget) to take over the motorsport shooting but that will have to go on the back burner now, (again). Has anyone had similar problems and found a simpler (cheaper) solution.
Keith.

[Clubmanmc]

nope...

my old 100-400 LIS after a drop kinda used to do it all the time... after turning off the IS it seems to work fine...

M

[Speedway]

After talking to the tech at Kennedy's this morning I sent the lens off to them today for a quote. Hopefully I will have it back before Christmas when I will be in Melbourne to see my Daughter and grandsons also my Sister and her family. As this is my main walkabout lens, if not economicaly repairable I may have to bite the bullet and use all my savings to replace it.
Keith.

[bricat]

It would be interesting to know the cause of this as well. That is you maybe able to take steps to avoid future like problems.

[kiwi]

Interesting really, 35000 shots on a prosumer lens might be all they are built for....for most "amateurs" that might last 20 years

If you rae taking that many shots....and selling them...might need to bite the bullet

[Speedway]

I'm with you there Darren I have been saving for and trying to decide between either a Canon 70-200 f4L IS or the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 OS for my sports lens but every time I get close something else comes up, the fridge died a couple of months ago then a couple of weeks ago a water pipe under the house burst and I had to get the whole lot replaced as about all that was left of the old gal pipes was rust.
Keith.
Ps the attached shot shows what happened when the error occurred.

[Speedway]

I am not happy with C R Kennedy. See here.
Keith.