Beginner Is my Camera / lens faulty?

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mrmcox

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Mark
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Hey guys.
Noob here. I've just got my first dSLR camera, a canon Eos 600d, that a friend was kind enough to gift me. It came with the ef-s 18-55mm IS II lens.

I'm not sure if the camera or lens is faulty, or I'm just doing something wrong. I started out by putting it in full auto mode, just to test it, and set the lens to AF.

When shooting, and pressing the shutter halfway to autofocus, I can hear a motor clicking and the camera beeps and displays Err 05 and says it can't activate the pop up flash, even when shooting in bright outdoors (I guess this is possibly dust or dirt preventing the flash from popping up?)

In modes where the flash is disabled, and I try to autofocus, it only works intermittently, and very rarely, it just won't bring the subject into focus. It either does nothing, or flashes a red square in the viewfinder. The manual focus works fine.

Any advice greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance
 
Have you tried to clean around the inside of the pop up flash?

Press the flash button and give the flash a very gentle wiggle and this should help it come up, then just give the unit a wipe around and check for any dirt around the hinge.
 
Hi Mark,

If manual focus works fine I'd suspect an issue with the lens. Those kit lenses are notoriously damage prone. I managed to break two over various camera ownership(s). One I dropped and it literally exploded, and the second just kept showing errors on the camera body. The good news is that they're relatively cheap to replace, and can be had for very reasonable prices second hand.

The easy way to prove it would be to borrow a known working lens from another Canon user (perhaps your friend?) If that lens works fine, you can be sure it's just a case of a lens replacement.
 
I have done exactly that on the flash. When it's up it works fine, and once it been released and put back down, it will pop back up intermittently when needed a few times before it stops working again.
 
The flash sounds like you need to scrape/shave/cut a sliver off the part of the flash where the catch holds, had a couple like that.

Have you tried cleaning the contacts on the lens and body (google how to)? That could the the intermittent focus problem. It is possible the problem is in the lens, but as aready stated they are not expensive, so not worth repairing. (if you do have to replace it, ask advice on here first, as there are quite a few versions)
 
The 18-55 had a well know issues with the focus motor and the aperture sticking as Ian says. Not come across a flash sticking but as others have said try cleaning and dirt off it.
 
Thanks guys for all the advice. Sadly I didn't have another lens to try, or another camera body I could use to try the lens.

I was in a local charity shop and noticed they had a couple of canon cameras and a lens sat in a cabinet. The lens was the canon ef-s 55-250 which I got for a measly £30 . Money well spent I think as everything now seems to work perfectly
 
Gav. said:
Enjoy the new lens (y)
Click to expand...
I certainly will. It's a slightly longer focal length than I really wanted, but for the price it was a no brainer, and now I know it's not the camera that is at fault.

I would like to get a general purpose everyday lens, preferably with a nice zoom range, not too bothered about prime lenses for the time being.

I've looked at maybe replacing the 18-55 with another one the same, but have seen there is an 18-135mm available. Which would you guys recommend for general everyday photography, and which version? (It's a crop sensor camera) Or is there a different lens you'd advise? I wouldn't be looking at new, I'd prefer 2nd hand.
 
I think 18-55 is a nice range for walk about, fairly small and light too.

The new 18-135mm with nano usm is a fast focusing lens, I've not used the older one.

Really depends on your style of photography with focal lengths :)
 
The 18-135 is a better lens, better range and less problems than the 18-55. And sharper IMHO. The 55-250 was a failry decent lens as well
 
mrmcox said:
I certainly will. It's a slightly longer focal length than I really wanted, but for the price it was a no brainer, and now I know it's not the camera that is at fault.

I would like to get a general purpose everyday lens, preferably with a nice zoom range, not too bothered about prime lenses for the time being.

I've looked at maybe replacing the 18-55 with another one the same, but have seen there is an 18-135mm available. Which would you guys recommend for general everyday photography, and which version? (It's a crop sensor camera) Or is there a different lens you'd advise? I wouldn't be looking at new, I'd prefer 2nd hand.
Click to expand...
The 18-135 is a lovely everyday lens, and quite good too.
It is the one I usually had on the camera.

There is also an 18-200, but it is not as sharp. I have one but don't use it much.

The 18-135 is one of the lenses I kept with the only Canon I kept :)
 
If it was me I'd go the 18-135. 80mm more than the 18-55. If ya don't need it no big thing but if you do, it's there! I had the 18-140 Nikon and it was really nice. That one went to my son by way of my grand daughter and now I have a Tamron 18-200. Still a small light lens and with a bit extra reach just in case I could use it!
 
18-135 is my walk-around lens on a crop body. I have a faster 18-55 in the same fit but the extra versatility of the longer lens sees it on the camera.
 
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