Camera won't autofocus. Is this an issue with the lens or camera itself? Will a new lens fix this?

[sm1432]

I'm new to this camera. When we got it the guy told us up front that the autofocus is broken.  Is this an issue with the lens or camera itself? Will a new lens fix this? Manual focus works just fine.

[PhotoMark]

I'm having that problem also. My primary 18mm - 55mm lens won't auto focus, my other lens works fine. But not the primary.

I take good care of my gear, so I hope it's a simple fix. It works in manual focus only

[RealJohnS]

I love love love Canon. I never was able to find a camera like my old Kodak Z12ZS that was able to capture stuff like the Intetnational Space Station in live movies oh well. Now my two main cameras to do B-Roll for a major new movie are the SX410IS which is really great for close-up's on thr Moon or Jupiter or the Rebel SL-1 which is really great for everything else especially 30-second shots of the night sky. But I have the same problem so many others do. The camera won't focus anywhere but in the widest zoom turning the focus right. I have removed the lens the EF 18-55Mmm as suggested and twisted the barrell and now can't see anything in focus but the crap that attached itself to the lens. I must now consider my (otherwise great) Rebel SL-1 a total loss so don't believe everything you see on these boards. Signed: a Canon-loving movie producer.

[RobertTheFat]

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@RealJohnS wrote:
I love love love Canon. I never was able to find a camera like my old Kodak Z12ZS that was able to capture stuff like the Intetnational Space Station in live movies oh well. Now my two main cameras to do B-Roll for a major new movie are the SX410IS which is really great for close-up's on thr Moon or Jupiter or the Rebel SL-1 which is really great for everything else especially 30-second shots of the night sky. But I have the same problem so many others do. The camera won't focus anywhere but in the widest zoom turning the focus right. I have removed the lens the EF 18-55Mmm as suggested and twisted the barrell and now can't see anything in focus but the crap that attached itself to the lens. I must now consider my (otherwise great) Rebel SL-1 a total loss so don't believe everything you see on these boards. Signed: a Canon-loving movie producer.

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I think it's time for a reality check. The 18-55 mm kit lens is not supposed to be manually focused while in autofocus mode. Doing so can damage the lens. Sometimes the damage is reversible, and sometimes not. The widely publicized trick of twisting the focus ring to un-jam the mechanism was a desparation effort that happened to work for its discoverer. It's not guaranteed to work in all cases. If it works for you, then you're one of the lucky ones. If it doesn't, you need a new lens. Lenses that cheap are not worth the cost of a professional repair.

So that's how it is, and nothing I've seen "on these boards" has ever suggested otherwise.