topic Re: EOS 60D AF failure in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS 60D AF failure

Edward1064 — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 18:26:47 GMT

My old 60D, bought in late 2012 before we went on an African safari, and which I very occasionally used now as a backup camera, failed yesterday. The AF does not seem to work, and is associated with the camera body and not the lenses I tried. The camera's little lights work when I change the focus point, but when the shutter is pressed halfway no lights come on and no lens focusing occurs. And yes, the AF switches on the lenses were clicked on. The camera shows no failure codes.

Have I forgotten anything? It appears that the camera is a goner. 😢

Thank you for your thoughts!

SF Bay Area

Re: EOS 60D AF failure

kvbarkley — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:10:32 GMT

I suggest you send it to Canon for a cleaning. It could be that the AF chip in the mirror box is dirty.

I assume it focuses in Live View?

Re: EOS 60D AF failure

BurnUnit — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:49:49 GMT

Might you have somehow set the camera up to use Back Button Focus, maybe inadvertantly?

Re: EOS 60D AF failure

Edward1064 — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 20:50:23 GMT

kvbarkley,

In Live View [Live mode], it will focus when the AF-ON button is pushed, but will not when the shutter is pushed half-way. In Live View [Quick mode], in which the mirror comes down when the shutter is pressed half-way, it also does not focus.

This seems to say that it is not associated with anything in the mirror box, although I know nothing of the optical arrangement. Do you agree?

Re: EOS 60D AF failure

Edward1064 — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 00:22:15 GMT

I thank kvbarkley and "BurnUnit" for their thoughtful responses. Both had me searching the user manual for my old 60D, looking for my problem's solution. It was BurnUnit that got me close. While I had not intentionally programmed BB focusing, I had recently gone into Custon Controls and unprogrammed the half-pressed shutterbutton AF. So glad that I can now count on the trusty old 60D to still be there!

Thank you both again. Perhaps this misadventure of mine will help others.

SF Bay Area

Re: EOS 60D AF failure

BurnUnit — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:07:25 GMT

I figured there had to be a logical explanation for your problem. I think I bought my 60D around the same time you did and so far it's been a "rock" of a camera and I'll be disappointed if I don't get a lot more use from it. Actually, I'm still finding it to be capable of doing things I wasn't aware it could do.