topic Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5 in EF & RF Lenses

Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 17:49:19 GMT

Hello!

My AF feature stopped working on my lens and ever since I turned 50, I absolutely rely on it to nail focus. (The whole glasses on to see camera buttons, glasses off to look through lens scenario drives me crazy, but I digress).

Steps I've taken to try to correct the problem: 1) make sure contacts are clean, 2) update camera firmware 3) re-install lens firmware (most current version is still 2022's 1.0.8), 4) fully charge and test both batteries.

I can only get AF to work on "continuous AF" but I don't want that unless I'm shooting fast action or video (in the latter case it's interviews, so I set to continuous and tracking eyes). 95% of the time I want to be able to focus on a center point by depressing the shutter halfway, then recompose and depress fully to trigger shutter. I use manual exposure mode (M) and daylight or custom WB.

Admittedly, the plethora of menu settings overwhelm me and I likely messed something up in that morass. I've watched enough YouTube videos to conclude my answer isn't there. Any and all help is appreciated.

Merci!

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

deebatman316 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:05:14 GMT

Hi @Albassa welcome to the forums. Does the camera report that the lens is set to AF or MF. Is the lens attempting to focus or not. The AF motor in newer lenses are quiet and you may not be able to hear it focus. So can you actually see the lens not focus through the EVF or LCD screen. Most newer lenses don't physically change size or move when the AF motor is active.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

jrhoffman75 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:09:02 GMT

@Albassa wrote:

Hello!

My AF feature stopped working on my lens and ever since I turned 50, I absolutely rely on it to nail focus. (The whole glasses on to see camera buttons, glasses off to look through lens scenario drives me crazy, but I digress).

Steps I've taken to try to correct the problem: 1) make sure contacts are clean, 2) update camera firmware 3) re-install lens firmware (most current version is still 2022's 1.0.8), 4) fully charge and test both batteries.

I can only get AF to work on "continuous AF" but I don't want that unless I'm shooting fast action or video (in the latter case it's interviews, so I set to continuous and tracking eyes). 95% of the time I want to be able to focus on a center point by depressing the shutter halfway, then recompose and depress fully to trigger shutter. I use manual exposure mode (M) and daylight or custom WB.

Admittedly, the plethora of menu settings overwhelm me and I likely messed something up in that morass. I've watched enough YouTube videos to conclude my answer isn't there. Any and all help is appreciated.

Merci!

Do you have special camera settings that you want to save? If not you could reset the camera; that would clear any setting that got inadvertently applied.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

stevet1 — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:20:53 GMT

Albassa,

You don't mention anything about it, but have you tried taking your AF focus off your shutter button and re-assigning your AF focus to your AF-ON button?

There are plenty of articles on how to do this with a Google search h on How to setup up BBF, or back button focus on an R5.

Here is one such article:

https://zsentry.com/how-to-set-back-button-focus-canon-r5-p61/

In your Custom Controls, you can assign AF to your AF-ON button, and your eye detect to your * button.

Steve Thomas

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

ebiggs1 — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:38:37 GMT

"Steps I've taken to try to correct the problem: 1) make sure contacts are clean, 2) update camera firmware 3) re-install lens firmware (most current version is still 2022's 1.0.8), ..."

As you have seen these rarely to never (very much more never) help or work. You can stop doing them. You can and should reset the camera back to factory default settings. Then set the mode to "P". Set ISO 200. Set WB daylight. Make sure the lens is set to AF. Use One shot not any servo focus modes. Now on a nice day go outside and take a dozen or more random shots. Try for vertical line and lots of contrast subjects. If it works, it works, joy. If it doesn't a trip to Canon may be in order.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Waddizzle — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:15:40 GMT

“ You don't mention anything about it, but have you tried taking your AF focus off your shutter button and re-assigning your AF focus to your AF-ON button? “

That just might be the problem. We have had numerous posts about the AF not working. More times than not, the user experimented with BBF and forgot about it.

I would suggest pressing the [AF-ON] button to see if the AF wakes up. The fix could be as simple as resetting custom controls.

You have to go into the custom controls menu to reset it. The easiest way to find the custom controls menu is to tap the camera icon in the [Q] menu screen.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:01:28 GMT

HI Demetrius and thank you for the reply. AF works when I set it to continuous in the menu, but not when I disable that feature. The switch on the lens is set to AF. I am always looking through the viewfinder to compose, so I can see focus achieved when using the settings I describe and not otherwise. I'm testing it by alternating between near, middle, and far subjects with sharp edges and high contrast so that I can clearly assess functionality. The diopter is properly adjusted to my vision.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:03:33 GMT

Appreciated, John. Thank you. I do have settings I'd like to save and as I find the menu overwhelming, I'd ideally like to just manually correct the ones relating to AF that may be causing my issue.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:05:29 GMT

Oooo! That's some creative thinking! Thank you, Steve. I have not tried that but have your article cued up for trial.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

deebatman316 — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:05:32 GMT

@Albassa is the camera setup for Back Button Focus (AF-ON). Try pressing the AF-ON button to see if the camera will focus. If it does then the AF start button has been remapped to the AF-ON button instead.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:06:50 GMT

Cheers and thank you, EB. Alas, a trip to Canon would be a very long one. I live rurally, on a farm. If I can't figure out another way, sounds like factory default is it.

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Albassa — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:08:04 GMT

Cheers! BBF?

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

Waddizzle — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 23:39:24 GMT

@Albassa wrote:

Cheers! BBF?

@Albassa wrote:

Cheers! BBF?

BBF means Back Button Focus. It is a popular camera configuration amon action photographers. It is sounding like BBF might not be the issue. But do check or reset the Custom Control menu.fa. Here is a link to a lengthy video about autofocus.

Back Button Focus.

https://youtu.be/sdfnvCWqb_A?si=T5X1xYKy3Xq_8yZa

Re: Auto Focus not working on RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens w/R5

ebiggs1 — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:33:18 GMT

"...a trip to Canon would be a very long one."

It is for almost all of us. You would need to ship it to them with a full description of the isse. I live in a semi-rural location too.