topic Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Squiddib — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 16:08:11 GMT

Hi Guys, my old 60D workhorse camera has developed an issue. Looking through the viewfinder everything is out of focus, settings and view. The Diopoter does nothing to correct it, I tried cycling one click at a time through each of the diopters magnifications and it seems to make no difference.

This poor camera has taken well over 1 mil photos but its a good model for taking on holiday for widlife shots so I would like to get it resolved. It was working correctly 2 weeks ago and has been stored in a padded camera bag since, so its a mystery why it should suddenly drop the focus. All photos taken come out perfectly but its very hard chasing a bird in flight when its out of focus in the viewfinder. Tried multipul lenses, not sure if anyone has any ideas or has heard of similar issues.

Many Thanks

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

ezpop — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 21:49:41 GMT

Did you check the focusing screen ?

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Squiddib — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 22:51:07 GMT

Erm no, lol never even thought of it. I will have to see if I have one of those tools laying about to check it, maybe just a reseat will help. Thanks for the reply,

I will post an update once I have finished rummaging through boxes of camera bits to find that tool thingy-me-bob.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Squiddib — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 13:19:53 GMT

Hi, I checked that focussing screen and its fine, I removed the screen and re-inserted it. Looking through the viewfinder without the focussing screen the image is exactly the same, all of the camera settings are blurred to the point they are unreadable, re-inserting the focussing screen made no difference.

Starting to wonder if the viewfinder has died. Not sure if I can buy the viewfinder parts myself and install them, I am due to be heading away to Africa soon and would like it resolved before I go as all of my long lenses are callibrated to this camera.

Any other ideas would be very welcome. Thank you

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 14:09:43 GMT

"This poor camera has taken well over 1 mil photos but its a good model ..."

If that statement is true, which I am almost in unbelief , it is probably time to consider a new camera. This would truly be a rarity. I would not take it on a serious trip without a newer back-up camera.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 14:11:29 GMT

"Not sure if I can buy the viewfinder parts myself and install them, ..."

The viewfinder is optical so what would you replace? Seriously consider a new replacement camera.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

RobertTheFat — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 14:54:25 GMT

@Squiddib wrote:
Hi, I checked that focussing screen and its fine, I removed the screen and re-inserted it. Looking through the viewfinder without the focussing screen the image is exactly the same, all of the camera settings are blurred to the point they are unreadable, re-inserting the focussing screen made no difference.

Starting to wonder if the viewfinder has died. Not sure if I can buy the viewfinder parts myself and install them, I am due to be heading away to Africa soon and would like it resolved before I go as all of my long lenses are callibrated to this camera.

Any other ideas would be very welcome. Thank you

If you replace anything that involves the autofocus mechanism (and I guess the viewfinder does), you're going to have to recalibrate the lenses. So I don't see that as an issue.

And I agree with Ernie. For what your Africa trip is going to cost, the price of a 60D falls within roundoff error. Treat yourself to a new 70D or 7D2.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Waddizzle — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 16:18:01 GMT

How long is your Africa trip? Push come to shove, try renting a camera, so that you can try it out.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 18:59:40 GMT

As recommedned, new/rental should be a serious consideration for what is possibly a once in a lifetime trip.

Even if the photo count is 1/10 of what you estimate thats over the Canon rated life for the shutter.

You can get a refurb 70D from Canon for $730; any sort of repair to your camera would probably be close to half that, and its still a high-mileage camera when repaired.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 20:46:57 GMT

"Even if the photo count is 1/10 of what you estimate thats over the Canon rated life for the shutter."

To be honest it is unbelievable to the max! I know of just a couple 1 series that made that number of actuation's. 300 to 400 thousand gets the best of them. I know that is meaningless. 150 would be a high number for a xxD, IMHO. But what do I know?

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Squiddib — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 22:05:07 GMT

Sadly it is true, I average 18,000 photos per trip and do 5 trips overseas per year. The rest of the year the camera is used for work in the local bogland for recording insects for various insect recording schemes for biodiversity Ireland. One trip to Portugal resulted in 23,700 photos alone in a ten day period, what can I say I really like wildlife lol, sorting through the photos afterwards is by far the biggest issue.

I might just send the camera in to see what a repair would cost, but I will heed the good advice here and buy a new camera, it seems my old 60D may have to finally be retired. It has outlasted 3 Sigma 50-500mm Lenses which have all died due to IS issues so I cant complain about the camera body 🙂

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 22:12:55 GMT

You are one lucky dude. You must have callouses on your finger! Since the 60D has only been out for five or six years, that is a lot of finger snapping.

Get a new camera..............................

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Waddizzle — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:39:14 GMT

While looking for information about something else, I ran across an article that had an excellent illustration of the inner workings of the viewfinders.

The pentaprism in your 60D could be the hollow type, and it could simply be damaged in some way.

Re: Canon 60D out of focus through Viewfinder

Squiddib — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 11:27:41 GMT

Many thanks I am sending it off to see if it can be repaired, if only for posterity as a camera that took that many shots 🙂 I have burnt out every one of my previous cameras through over-use as well... My poor little Sony Bridge camera is having to shoulder the load until my new 7D arrives.