topic Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

Ailish — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:45:44 GMT

Hi, the camera works perfectly using live view I can take pictures in all modes but it will not take in viewfinder. I got it second hand and it was sitting on a shelf for a few years. I tried to take the lens off and again it will capture in live view but not view finder. The battery is old and I plan on replacing, might this be the issue? I have a feeling it's the sensor but I am new to cameras. Any help would be appreciated 🙌🏼

#80D

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

shadowsports — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:27:59 GMT

Greetings,

The first thing you'll want to do after buying a second hand camera is to reset its its main and custom settings to defaults.

EOS 80D Manual:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0/0300022720/01/EOS_80D_Instruction_Manual_EN.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiY8_iwy7-OAxV-MzQIHX4-CwIQFnoECCQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2WXjhlH0Ct6TDTAz2oo2mp

At that point you'll be in a position too start troubleshooting.

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

Ailish — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:35:03 GMT

That was the first thing I did, thanks Rick

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

shadowsports — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:28:04 GMT

Greetings,

Please see the link I sent above. Visit page 27. Look at the live view switch and button. It's possible you have the switch toggled or need to press the button?

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

johnrmoyer — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:46:35 GMT

My EOS 80D will autofocus in live view with a lens that has a maximum aperture smaller than F/8. But using the viewfinder, F/8 is the minimum. I noticed this when using a lens that is F/5.6 with a 2x extender. I mention this because you did not say what lens your are using. One could test this by switching to manual focus and trying the viewfinder.

Live view places more demands on the battery than does the view finder.

If it were the sensor, there would be no image in live view. But, it might be the autofocus sensor which is separate from the main sensor, so far as I can remember. Or, it might be the mirror mechanism. I am just guessing.

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

Ailish — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:59:07 GMT

Thanks, the lens is the original that came with the camera so the EFS 18-55 f3.5/56 so from what I know it should work.

I have tried every setting in the camera, auto focus and manual, flash on and off.

Today I tried it on SCN mode and it took one photograph with flash on after I had switched from live view to viewfinder, after the one photo it didn't take anymore. It is very frustrating 🙈

I'm assuming it is not the lens because I took the lens off to try and it captured in live view but again not in viewfinder. If live view requires more battery than view finder, I assume it is not the battery either which seems to leave the sensor or the mirror. It's mind boggling because when I switch from either mode the mirror mechanism is working fine and I can look through the viewfinder, focus with half press, it just won't capture

Re: EOS 80D photo won't take in viewfinder

shadowsports — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 22:06:23 GMT

This is starting to sound like a hardware issue. If it were software related, the reset performed initially would have resolved it.