Issues with EFS 18-55 IS and Rebel XS

[acdii]

Hi all. I have this camera and lens, bought as a kit way back that also included a 75-300 AF lens.  The 75-300 works perfectly, in fact took some really great long distance shots with it today.

The problem I have is the 18-55 is not auto focusing at times, and when I have the camera in auto mode, in in direct sunlight the flash come up, there is a delay when I take a shot and have to wait until after taking a shot before I can take another. I found that is I rotate the focus ring a bit it will auto focus, but it is not working like it used to.  I havent used the camera much since 2012 (very surprised the batteries have held up), and took the camera out on a trip last year and had this issue crop up, forgot about it when we returned.  Went to use it again and rediscovered the issue.

This is with the auto focus.

This is with the telephoto with AF on.

[Waddizzle]

If you can turn the focus ring when the lens is in AF mode, then it sounds like the AF motors in your 18-55mm lens have become jammed.  That lens lacks manual focus override, and you should not be able to do that.  

If you remove the lens from the camera and shake it, does it rattle?

[ebiggs1]

Before you do anything, you need to try the lens on a friends camera. Or, try another 18-55mm on your camera.   If your 18-55mm is broken it is not a good candidate for repair.  You might want to upgrade to the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens anyway.  It is a much better lens than yours.

[RobertTheFat]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

Before you do anything, you need to try the lens on a friends camera. Or, try another 18-55mm on your camera.   If your 18-55mm is broken it is not a good candidate for repair.  You might want to upgrade to the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens anyway.  It is a much better lens than yours.

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When Ernie says your lens is not a good candidate for repair, he means that the lens isn't worth what Canon (or even another repair shop) will charge you to fix it. But there's a brutal, ad hoc method of unjamming the autofocus motor that sometimes works, It's been described two or three times in this forum. It has the potential to damage the lens further; but if it's already not worth the cost of professional repair, you have nothing to lose by trying it. Several people have reported restoring their lenses to working order.

[acdii]

Well it all moves freely, no noises when turning the zoom or focus. It's hit or miss on the AF, but it does move easily when in AF mode, unlike the telephoto lens.  What I found is if I flip to AF it will focus, and if I flip to MF I can take multiple pictures without having to focus. What bugs me most is that the flash pops up in bright sunlight with that lens, which tells me the sensor in the lens may be the issue, so looks like I may look into another lens instead of messing with this one.

Thanks guys.

[Waddizzle]

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@acdii wrote:

Well it all moves freely, no noises when turning the zoom or focus. ....... so looks like I may look into another lens instead of messing with this one.

Thanks guys.

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Didn't ask if it made noises when you turned the focus ring.  I asked does it rattle when you remove it from the camera and shake it.

I am going to suggest that you review the instruction manual, too, and pay attention to the details..  Turning the focus ring when that particular lens is in AF mode will usually jam the focusing motors, if not flat out ruin them.

[acdii]

Nope, no rattle.

Here's something interesting though, if I have it in MF, it wont pop up the flash, and will increase exposure time base on the amount of light, but in AF, even in direct sunlight, it pops the flash up. I thought I was doing something wrong, but the other lens works just fine in AF without popping up the flash unless I am indoors.

[Waddizzle]

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@acdii wrote:
Nope, no rattle.

Here's something interesting though, if I have it in MF, it wont pop up the flash, and will increase exposure time base on the amount of light, but in AF, even in direct sunlight, it pops the flash up. I thought I was doing something wrong, but the other lens works just fine in AF without popping up the flash unless I am indoors.

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I have suspected the aperture could be bad, too.  It's time for a new lens.

[ebiggs1]

"Before you do anything, you need to try the lens on a friends camera. Or, try another 18-55mm on your camera."

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"Before you do anything, you need to try the lens on a friends camera. Or, try another 18-55mm on your camera."

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The OP has already reported in the initial post that 75-300mm seems to function as it should.  The OP has also reported that the AF ring can freely, even when the lens is in AF mode.  Conclusion, that lens is probably shot.  

Besides, even if it does work on another camera, which I doubt, what good is it if the lens does not function on the OPs camera?