First D-SLR and autofocus nightmare

Squawk

Squawk

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James
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Hey guys.
I just took delivery of my first D-SLR, a canon 400D with kit lens.

After playing about with it for an hour so far I know that the learning curve is going to be steep. However, one problem right away. The auto-focus is terrible. I don't mean a little bit out, I mean miles out. Thus far I haven't been able to take a single shot with auto-focus, the little light flashes to tell me that auto-focus was not achieved.

I thought low light might be the issue, so I tried with shutter piority and set a low shutter speed to get more light into the camera. I tried in aperture priority mode.

I took hold of the camera for the first time after it got dark and so have been shooting inside, but the conditions are such that I have no problems with my point and shoot auto-focusing.

I cannot shoot any pictures at all in full auto, the camera simply refuses since it can't focus. I need pointers, could I be missing something obvious here or do I have a real problem?

Note that I can use manual focus to achieve perfect focus. I have not yet loaded any images onto the comptuer to check quality after manual focus, it seems a waste of time if I can't even get an exposure with auto-focus.
 
Have you got another lens you can try with it? Is there anything in the menu of the 400D that would stop autofocus or has focus been shifted to the back * button? I assume from you being able to manual focus that the lens is switched to auto.
Does it hunt for a focus or does nothing at all happen?
 
Have you checked that the lens is set to AF (not MF)? Do you have, or can you borrow another lens to try?
 
Is the camera second hand? If so it maybe that the focus point has been changed (I think you can do that on 400d but can't remember) - if so I'd reset the camera to default settings, that should resolve this and also save you potential further confusion!

Have you tried shooting on auto (the green square) - that should pop up the flash and may eliminate the light issues?
 
I don't remember my 450D flashing a light to indicate that focus was not achieved, it either focuses, or the lens bumps off the limiter (if i try and focus below the lenses minimum focus distance)
 
K guys, taking these one at a time.

1. Not sure about a low light sensor, I haven't seen mention of that.
2. No second lens to try, this is my first DSLR and came with kit lens.
3. I haven't engaged AE mode, I have tried chaning between the various auto-focus modes and have even tried selsecting each auto-focus point in turn, nothing helped.
4. Lens is switched to auto
5. It does hunt for focus. A little bit of testing has revealed that the lens first sets the focus to its minimum distance. It then re-focuses on infinity, passing through the real focus on the way there.
 
akr, camera was actually bought refurbed and supposedly checked over by canon technician, but I will look into setting back to defaults.

Blue eagle, the flashing light is right next to the number that tells you the maximum burst setting available. It's a solid sphere that flashes to indicate that focus was not achieved.
 
what are you trying to focus on?
the 400D is pretty bad in low light, you need to focus on an edge/change of some kind.
It will just cry if you point it at a flat wall in low light.
 
I've tried pointing at the base of a light that has lots of texture, aperture was 8.0 and shutter speed was 125 so not really low light. Couldn't focus. I tried on flowers in the same situation, couldn't focus. I've tried on golf clubs, on a cafatierre, a sink, a tiled wall, a newspaper and pretty much everything else in sight, I even tried the light bulb itself. I've tried books on a bookshelf. I've tried from varying distances to all of these objects, both hand held and tripod.

In each and every case the auto-focus ends up focused on infinity. I have now updated the firmware to version 1.1.1 and the problem persists. I'm gutted.
 
Squawk said:
I've tried pointing at the base of a light that has lots of texture, aperture was 8.0 and shutter speed was 125 so not really low light. Couldn't focus. I tried on flowers in the same situation, couldn't focus. I've tried on golf clubs, on a cafatierre, a sink, a tiled wall, a newspaper and pretty much everything else in sight, I even tried the light bulb itself. I've tried books on a bookshelf. I've tried from varying distances to all of these objects, both hand held and tripod.

In each and every case the auto-focus ends up focused on infinity. I have now updated the firmware to version 1.1.1 and the problem persists. I'm gutted.
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have you tried with the flash on \ forcing the flash?

also what lens are you using?
 
Forcing flash is of no use, the camera will not auto-focus and so refuses to allow an exposure. I can use the flash perfectly fine if I focus manually, indeed have thus far found nothing wrong other than the auto-focus.

The lens is the kit lens, 18-55 EFS.
 
My 400D does hunt for AF in low light but it's absolutely fine in a normally lit room so this sounds really strange!
If you know anyone near you (or can get to a camera shop) then it might be worth checking with another lens on to see if it's the lens or the body that's at fault.

Otherwise, it sounds like it might be worth a call to the person you bought it from?
 
I just bought a refurbed (by Canon) 1000D, and I'm sending it back in the morning, as mine is faulty. Is yours an Ebay jobbie, and does it come with warranty?

Sorry, I know it mightn't actually be faulty. I don't have any DSLR knowledge just yet! I just know mine is going straight back to the seller for a replacement. Good luck getting it sorted. :)
 
aligibbs said:
Where are you based squawk? Its probable there is a member nearby that could assist :)
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Think this is your best option, or take it to a knowledgeable store of some kind, ie probably not jessops.
 
Squawk said:
Forcing flash is of no use, the camera will not auto-focus and so refuses to allow an exposure. I can use the flash perfectly fine if I focus manually, indeed have thus far found nothing wrong other than the auto-focus.

The lens is the kit lens, 18-55 EFS.
Click to expand...

not sure if this is a lens or camera issue, if you are in London (near liv street)you're welcome to pop round lunchtime tomorrow to my work and try one of my lenses on your camera out to eliminate that - you'll have to let me know today though.
 
Squawk said:
I thought low light might be the issue, so I tried with shutter piority and set a low shutter speed to get more light into the camera. I tried in aperture priority mode.
Click to expand...

that will make no difference

full open aperture is used for setting up the shot, it only gets closed down when the shutter goes twang (that's why you have the button on the side of the body next to the 400D logo so you can force the aperture so that you can see the effect on depth of field, but makes it really dark through viewfinder)

try sticking the flash up, it uses flash bursts to provide enough light for focussing, also make sure its not switched off (I think there is a menu setting or custom function setting for flash focus assist on/off)

make sure you are not trying to focus on a plain surface, the focussing dots work on high contrast edges, try a bookcase. Check which focus points are enabled, the centre one senses both horizontal AND vertical edges, the rest are only one axis (depends which focus point). Also check which AF mode is being used, if trying test auto focus I'd suggest one shot, so you can see the red flash and get the beep.

right, got my 400D out
a few settings to check

AF (right arrow) - ONE SHOT
Menu page 1 - beep On
Menu Page 5 (tools 2) - Custom Functions - 05 AF Assist beam, set to 0: Emits

and MAKE SURE THE LENS SWITCH IS SET TO AF :LOL:

try it again
 
crumbs, the thread's been busy while I've been typing


also try making sure all focus points enabled (top right, right hand thumb button, press it once, focus display on LCD shows selected focus point shown in yellow, spin the thumbwheel next to shutter button until all focus points are lit together, then press right hand thumb button again)
 
another possibility is a dirty electrical contact on the lens base, or a bent or stuck contact pin on the body.

remove lens, visual check the pins and the contact patches on the lens

if nothing obvious wrong refit lens and try again,

refitting the lens may clear a dirty contact surface
 
Hey guys, thanks for all the interest here.

Just to answer the last few posts.

I have tried manually setting each AF point, using all together, using only the middle one etc.

I have tried focusing on just about everything in sight, angles and contrasts galore through to plane walls. Each and every time it focuses on infinity.

Images are exposed correctly with manual focus.

I have tried focusing on images that should be in focus (I think) at infinity, approximately 25 feet away, and still the camera refuses to accept that the image is in focus. I suspect the problem is the body not recognising the image is in focus.

I have restored all settings back to defaults, tried updating the firmware.
 
What area are you in? someone may have a lens you could try so ou can eliminate either the cmera or the lens.
 
I'm in Barnsley.

I just had a thought. If I put the auto-focus in servo mode, hold the shutter half way down and then point the camera at objects different distances apart it sould continue to refocus, right? Well, all that actually happens is that focus remains at infinity.
 
Squawk said:
I'm in Barnsley.

I just had a thought. If I put the auto-focus in servo mode, hold the shutter half way down and then point the camera at objects different distances apart it sould continue to refocus, right? Well, all that actually happens is that focus remains at infinity.
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That doesn't sound good, have you got another lens you could try? Or you could even be cheeky and go to a local camera shop and try out one of their display lenses (with the intention of buying, in the future of course ;) ) to see if it's the body or the lens?
 
One quick question. I just took a long exposure outside to test manual focus, and I noticed that the lens can actually focus beyond infinity. That is, I can't twist the focus manually all the way to the stop if I want the image to be in focus, it goes beyond where it should. Would this indicate a problem with the lens, or is that typical of canon DSLR lenses? If it is typical, how do you focus at night for distant objects that require a long exposure?
 
Squawk said:
One quick question. I just took a long exposure outside to test manual focus, and I noticed that the lens can actually focus beyond infinity. That is, I can't twist the focus manually all the way to the stop if I want the image to be in focus, it goes beyond where it should. Would this indicate a problem with the lens, or is that typical of canon DSLR lenses? If it is typical, how do you focus at night for distant objects that require a long exposure?
Click to expand...

All camera lenses do that (y)
 
Ok, then does anyone disagree with me that this has to be a body issue? The lens would have no control on auto-focus, surely all auto-focus means is that the camera rotates the moving parts of the lens and the body determines when focus is achieved.

If I hadn't updated the firmware I would have suspected some algorithm wasn't picking up the in focus image.
 
Squawk said:
I'm in Barnsley.

I just had a thought. If I put the auto-focus in servo mode, hold the shutter half way down and then point the camera at objects different distances apart it sould continue to refocus, right? Well, all that actually happens is that focus remains at infinity.
Click to expand...
I am just outside Barnsley, so if you want to try a 50 1.8 that I know works drop me a pm and we can arrange to meet up and try to see where the problem is :)
 
Squawk said:
Ok, then does anyone disagree with me that this has to be a body issue? The lens would have no control on auto-focus, surely all auto-focus means is that the camera rotates the moving parts of the lens and the body determines when focus is achieved.

If I hadn't updated the firmware I would have suspected some algorithm wasn't picking up the in focus image.
Click to expand...

Noone can say for sure, given your lack of experience and the fact this is the internet we can only really guess.
 
fezzr said:
Noone can say for sure, given your lack of experience and the fact this is the internet we can only really guess.
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Yeah I appreciate that, that's part of the reason for all the questions. I'm painfully aware of my own limitations here at the minute.
 
(y) I'm about 20 mins away, we could have had an answer by now if I had known!!
 
Guys and gals of the forum, Susie is officially the nicest person on the internet.

The problem is with my camera, and I now have a loaner to take to the wedding tomorrow.
 
Good to be able to help, I have learnt a lot and had help from people on here, and its nice to be able to help someone else.
Have a good time at the wedding :)
 
Me again.

I have been in touch with canon and digital river, canons reseller on ebay for refurbished goods. Apparently I have two choices, I can either have the camera repaired under warranty or I can return it for a refund.

I wonder has anyone here got experience with canon repairing items under warranty? Will it get looked at quickly or am I likely to be waiting a long time? I am hopeful that they will pay for my postage costs, they will have to pay for postage if I return the item so they might as well pick it up for repair.

If anyone has been in the same situation then please let me know what experience you had.

Squawk
 
Think I would take the refund and buy elsewhere, this is nearly a carbon copy of a recent thread about the same retailer.
Don't think I would want a repair if its up to the same standard as their refurbishments.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Think I would take the refund and buy elsewhere, this is nearly a carbon copy of a recent thread about the same retailer.
Don't think I would want a repair if its up to the same standard as their refurbishments.
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Yeah I can see that point of view. I am inclined to think that by refurbished what they actually mean is "thrown in a box and shipped out to a new mug". They can't possibly have tested the unit.

That being the case shipping it off for a repair should get it properly looked at. To all intents and purposes it should come back as a refurbished item, maybe with parts replaced but still with the 1 year warranty. It's the warranty I like the idea of and is the reason I bought refurb. I can't afford the equivalent/updated new model in the range (450D). Pity the canon service centers are all so far away.
 
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