topic Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Rebel XT not giving sharp images

cgross — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:20:22 GMT

My Rebel XTis not giving me sharpen images lately. It's served me well for years. Do I throw it, or is there a way to refurbish, refresh it?

is it worth putting any money into it, or is it time to upgrade?

Is the Rebel still top of the line for personal photography? or is the EOS M50 a better option today?

I will appreciate any help I can get,

C Gross

Re: Rebel XT

Tronhard — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 08:01:10 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum:

Given that the Xt is an interchangeable lens camera, if you are not getting sharp images any more, and you want to keep the camera, it might be worthwhile seeing if you can try another lens attached to the same body.

If it turns out to be the lens, you could easily get a replacement, or much better unit as optics have come a long way in 19 years. What is the precise description of your lens - as you would read it from the front face of the lens?

The Rebel series was Canon's consumer brand, above which where the enthusiast cameras with an ID of ##D e.g. 60D, 70D, 80D; and then the prosumer and professional cameras with the #D designation: 1D, 5D, 7D. Given that the XT model was released in 2005, if it turns out the camera itself is the issue, you will not be able to get it fixed, nor would it be economical to do so. You can get a newer DSLR camera that will be far more powerful, but will feel much like your XT - new or refurbished, but that market is shrinking as Canon move to an other platform.

As far as the EOS M series is concerned, it was at the the consumer and enthusiast levels, but has been completely retired by Canon in favour of the new R-series Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras (MILCs). They have been around for about 5 years now and this is where the development is, and has an expanding range of bodies and lenses.

If you decide to go for a new camera and lens there is a trade-up program that Canon offers. If you were to choose a new camera, we can help you with advice on what models might be best for your purposes, but let's see how the measure of changing the lens works out first. Replacing the lens will be the cheapest solution. See if you can borrow another lens for even a short time to check if the lens or the body is at fault.

Re: Rebel XT

rs-eos — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:52:38 GMT

Can you provide example images?

Do you recall making any changes to settings? You can always reset the camera back to factory settings and see if that addresses the issue. See page 147 of the User Manual.

If you end up moving to a new camera, yes, avoid the M-series cameras as they were discontinued. Look at the R-series camera line which starts with the EOS R100.

Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images

Waddizzle — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:36:47 GMT

The camera is most likely not to blame. A camera will only record what it sees.

Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images

kvbarkley — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:55:09 GMT

Can you get a sharp image if you focus manually?

Re: Rebel XT

cgross — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:55:31 GMT

I will try out changing the lens. I don't have the camera with me now, but will get back to you with regard to which lens I have.

thank you for taking the time to write!

Re: Rebel XT

cgross — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:56:09 GMT

I hope I still have the user manual. Is it available online for such an old model?

Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images

cgross — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:56:33 GMT

That is a very good question and I will try it out!

Re: Rebel XT

rs-eos — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:34:38 GMT

You can click on the link to the User Manual I had provided in my earlier response.

Re: Rebel XT

Tronhard — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:56:53 GMT

Let's hope it's just the lens. There are lots of choices out there for your type of camera and an new one may open up many more photographic possibilities and seriously improve your images.

Re: Rebel XT

kvbarkley — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:31:46 GMT

It could be a dirty autofocus chip, too.

Re: Rebel XT

Tronhard — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:41:55 GMT

That's why I want the OP to test another lens. If it's just the lens that's one thing, if the autofocus, then it needs a service.
I actually still have an essentially brand-new Rebel Xti / 400D. sitting in a box at my place, it was one of the first DSLRs I ever got. If the OP is happy with it, I hope we can sort it out for them.

Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images

cgross — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 03:37:56 GMT

If my lens always had a filter on it, how likely is it that it's the lens?

Re: Rebel XT not giving Sharpe images

Tronhard — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 04:03:52 GMT

Well, first of all try taking an image without the filter - that could possibly be a factor.
Lenses wear out like anything else - and if your lens is the original one that came with the camera it could simply have worn out, or been subject to a knock. I didn't see a response from you to let us know what lens you do have, but if it's one of the earlier 18-55 kit lenses, and you attempted to manually focus it with the AF-MF set to AF, that will interfere with the focusing mechanism and definitely give you poor image quality.
The things I am getting you to test and establish or eliminate (i.e. lens issues) are the easy and cheap ones to resolve. If the body has an issue, then because of its age you are looking at a replacement - they don't fix cameras of that vintage.
So, if you want to save money or keep the camera, it's worthwhile going through these exercises to cut down the possibilities.