The Canon EOS 5QD won't last 20 years - so Canon thought!

Robin Guymer · Feb 8, 2020

To get the Quartz Date back to imprint on the film (if that's your plan) requires a new button 3v battery in the film back. But don't bother. The genius who programmed the software decided to limit the maximum date to 2019. I guess because Canon never figured this camera would still be working, let alone still in use past that date. These were built between 1993 to 98. Built in obsolescence on the software side.

Luckless · Feb 8, 2020

You can cram date storage into a tiny [inexpensive and low power] 14 bits of storage and use very limited calculations to display the data if you're happy with only having about a 30 year range...

What's the lowest date you can set it to?

RalphLambrecht · Feb 8, 2020

Robin Guymer said:
To get the Quartz Date back to imprint on the film (if that's your plan) requires a new button 3v battery in the film back. But don't bother. The genius who programmed the software decided to limit the maximum date to 2019. I guess because Canon never figured this camera would still be working, let alone still in use past that date. These were built between 1993 to 98. Built-in obsolescence on the software side.

I wonder how long it will take for automobile manufacturers to sell an annual software update and force you to buy it (for safety reasons) of course. it will include updates to fuel economy, brake responses(ABS), and GPS.

blockend · Feb 8, 2020

I never understood the desire for data backs on domestic cameras. For commercial and security applications, sure, but I've known people whose albums are full of date printed photos. Each to their own..

Ray Morgenweck · Feb 8, 2020

Wow. Sounds like an untapped cash cow. Automobile software updates, $2300 annually at your dealer or the thing stops running. Brilliant. Glad I drive a ‘66 Studebaker. (BTW remember not too long ago all photo prints were date stamped on the back?)

GarageBoy · Feb 8, 2020

RalphLambrecht said:
I wonder how long it will take for automobile manufacturers to sell an annual software update and force you to buy it (for safety reasons) of course. it will include updates to fuel economy, brake responses(ABS), and GPS.

https://jalopnik.com/tesla-remotely-removes-autopilot-features-from-customer-1841472617

Wallendo · Feb 8, 2020

blockend said:
I never understood the desire for data backs on domestic cameras. For commercial and security applications, sure, but I've known people whose albums are full of date printed photos. Each to their own..

Date backs were great for casual photographers who would shoot a single roll over several months. It would help identify locations and events. I occasionally will activate a date back for one image at the start of a roll.

Wallendo · Feb 8, 2020

Robin Guymer said:
To get the Quartz Date back to imprint on the film (if that's your plan) requires a new button 3v battery in the film back. But don't bother. The genius who programmed the software decided to limit the maximum date to 2019. I guess because Canon never figured this camera would still be working, let alone still in use past that date. These were built between 1993 to 98. Built in obsolescence on the software side.

A similar limitation is built into the global GPS system. I had to update the firmware on my GPS tracker as a work around. Apparently, the system does give an actual time but a relative time which is on a loop.

this link has interesting information on time limitation problems: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_formatting_and_storage_bugs

CMoore · Feb 9, 2020

Ray Morgenweck said:
Wow. Sounds like an untapped cash cow. Automobile software updates, $2300 annually at your dealer or the thing stops running. Brilliant. Glad I drive a ‘66 Studebaker.........

BradS · Feb 9, 2020

RalphLambrecht said:
I wonder how long it will take for automobile manufacturers to sell an annual software update and force you to buy it (for safety reasons) of course. it will include updates to fuel economy, brake responses(ABS), and GPS.

"force you to buy it"? No. Not gonna happen....well, not under current federal law in the USofA.

However, companies like Tesla already "push" software updates and new features to their cars either for free or for an additional cost - customers seem to like this - there is no forcing the customer to pay for some thing they do not want.

The Canon EOS 5QD won't last 20 years - so Canon thought!

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency