topic autofocus not working properly with body in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

autofocus not working properly with body

edmunds8119 — Mon, 26 May 2014 18:49:18 GMT

Hello everyone, I am having trouble with the autofocus on my 100-400mm lens with the canon 7D body. I went to shoot the surf as I do every morning today and it wouldn't focus right on the surfer. First I thought the calibration or something was wrong or the AF has broken but I tried it on my friends 7D and it was right, quick and sharp like mine used to be. I do not understand our settings appear to be the same?!? Any ideas people, PLEASE! Thanks

Re: autofocus not working properly with body

cale_kat — Mon, 26 May 2014 23:27:04 GMT

I was going to suggest that your settings might have moved. You say "appear to be the same" when mentioning the settings but that doesn't sound as certain as "are the same". What autofocus setting do you use?

Re: autofocus not working properly with body

amfoto1 — Tue, 27 May 2014 00:47:06 GMT

Try cleaning the contacts between body and lens. Use isopropyl alcohol and a clean rag to wipe them. Also check the corresponding "pins" in the camera, which are spring loaded and should give a little but pop right back into place under light pressure. Of course, be careful to keep off the lens optics and camera mirror when working around them.

You also might do a reset of the custom functions and factory reset of the camera, so see if you've overlooked something that's set incorrectly. You'll lose all your personal settings doing this, of course.

Finally, if neither of the above help, you might "reboot" the camera. To do that...

1. Turn the camera off.

2. Remove all the batteries, including the smaller date/time battery that's in a drawer on one side of the main battery compartment.

3. Turn the camera on.

4. press the shutter release button once. The shutter won't fire, but this should immediately drain any remaining power in the camera's circuitry, forcing it to do a complete reboot.

5. Turn the camera off, reinstall all the batteries, and then turn the camera back on.

6. Check the date/time... if it needs to be reset, you got a proper reboot. If not, repeat the process. If this still doesn't reboot the camera, repeat but instead of pressing the shutter release button let the camera sit for about an hour, to allow remaining power to drain off slowlly.

If you get a proper reboot and the camera still doesn't focus the lens properly, you might try reinstalling the firmware. Download a fresh copy from the Canon website and follow the instructions carefully.

If none of this works, and it's not guaranteed it will (but all are things you can easily try yourself and are free to do), I'm afraid you'll need to have the camera looked at.

Keep us posted.

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM

Re: autofocus not working properly with body

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 May 2014 14:57:18 GMT

"... I tried it on my friends 7D and it was right, quick and sharp like mine used to be."

This tells you that it is something in your camera. A cleaning of the contacts on the 'camera' is warranted. But not the lens.

Also, I prefer denatured alcohol as a cleaning agent.

A reset of the cmaera is also a good idea.

Firmware malfunction is unlikely. A better idea would be to try other lenses. Do they work OK on your body? Or, is it just the 100-400mm?

Surfing = salt and spray!