T3 will not focus.

[jenette]

My Rebel T3 will not focus in manual or auto it just won't lock on, any suggestions before I send it to Canon...

[MikeSowsun]

Do you mean when you switch the lens to Manual Focus, it will not focus at all?

Or are you talking about Manual and Auto modes on the camera? 

[jenette]

It won't focus is Auto or Manual.. I have tried 4 different lenses..

[hsbn]

In manual focus mode you have to tturn the focus ring on the lens to focus. In auto mode, your lens is hunting, is your subject high contrast? Is there enough light? And what lens are you using and what focus point are you using?

[ebiggs1]

"... any suggestions before I send it to Canon... ..."

Yes!  Go out side on a sunny day and see if it will focus on something especially with vertical subjects in it. Like a picket fence for instance. Try it on several patterns.

Make sure the lens in in the AF position. It will not focus in the MF position. 

Oh, and while you are at it, set all camera functions back to factory defaults before you do anything.

[jenette]

I have tried four different lenses, outside and inside. I set the camera back to factory defaults.. Nothing..... focus just won't lock.. strange that it won't focus in mannual either..

[TCampbell]

Hi Jenette,

Hopefully we can help get you sorted out.  But I confess I'm a bit susicious that this is a case of not understanding how to control the camera when you say it wont focus in manual.

The camera does not focus in manual.  If you use manual then you have to use the focus ring on the lens to focus it yourself.  The only factors that can control focus in manual mode are you... and the lens (if the lens was somehow jammed then it could be conceivable that the lens would refuse to come to focus even if you are operating it correcty.)  But you mentioned you tried a number of different lenses and it's extremely unlikely that all of them are broken -- and since it can't be the camera when focusing manually) I'm wondering how you are trying to control focus.

The focus motor is in the lens -- on a Canon auto-focus system it's always in the lens (Nikon has some models where the focusing motor is in the camera body but Canon has always put the motor in the lens).    When the camera is being used normally with you looking through the viewfinder there is a tiny wheel in the upper-right corner of the viewfinder which controls adjustment for myopia.  You can adjust this wheel to correct for the need to wear perscription eyeglasses -- it will only correct for being near-sighted or far-sighted and will not correct for astigmatism.  HOWEVER... if this wheel is mis-adjusted it can appear that the camera is out of focus even when it's perfectly focused.

The camera actually has two different focusing systems.  One uses "phase detect" auto-focus sensors and is only used when you look through the viewfinder (the typical way to use a DSLR camera).  The second uses "contrast detect" auto-focus and is only used when you put the camera into "Live view" mode.

The camera DOES need adequate light to focus.  If you are in a location with fairly low lighting the camera will not have enough light to adequately focus - this is normal and not a defect.   Take the camera to a location with plenty of light -- such as outdoors... during the daytime.  The focus system SHOULD work fine if there is plenty of light.

[jenette]

Thanks Tim,,

I have taken the camera outside... autofocus will not work it just keeps zooming in and out,,, and when I try to use manual the AF points will not lock in either, I thought about the myopia but that does not seam to be the problem either.. I even set the camera back to factory default thinking maybe there was something I missed.... Still nothing!   I sent the camera to canon...

[ebiggs1]

Have you tried the little wheel with the + and - next to it? It is right by the view finder window.  Lens in the AF position.

Go outside again and press the shutter button half way.  Don't touch anything else except move that little wheel both ways. Does it suddenly come into focus?  

[jrhoffman75]

With the lens switch in Auto, when you press the shutter button half way, do the red focus squares in the viewfinder light? Then, does the camera beep and the green dot in lower right hand of viewfinder light?

If so, the camera is focusing correctly. If not there is a problem with camera.