Canon T6 Rebel & 18-55 Lens will not focus or take pics. Help!

[JABrazer]

I am not sure if its the lens or camera or both. Its very blurry and will not take pics. I have tried everything I can think of. HELP! The camera is only 2 days old!!!

[jrhoffman75]

If you switch to MF on lens can you take a photo ? Don't worry about focusing. 

[Waddizzle]

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@JABrazer wrote:
Do you think it's the lens or the camera?

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Make sure you have sufficient light. 

Be aware of which AF, auto focus, point is the active one.

Make sure there is sufficient contrast at the active AF point.

I suggest using "One Shot" mode, not "AI Servo" or "AI Focus".  Turn the mode dial on the top of the camera to the green square with an "A" mode, if it is set to any other mode, and try to take a picture outdoors in bright sunlight.

The lens focuses when you half press the shutter.  Immediately pressing it all the way down may not give the lens a time to acquire a target, and lock focus on the target.  Pressing the shutter halfway should cause the lens to focus, and make a quick, short and soft, whirring sound as the lens acquires and locks focus on a target.

Finally, make sure that you do not turn the focusing ring on the lens when the AF/MF switch is in the AF position.  I know that it is very easy to mean to turn the zoom ring, but you turn the focus ring, instead.  I've done it before, and doing so can damage inexpensive lenses that do not have what is known as "manual focus override."

[JABrazer]

I called tech support. Apparently I had put a macro lens on top it and didn't know. I bought it on eBay and it had quite a few screw on lens including a wide angle. Tech support says they will mess up the 18-55 lens. Do you know that to be true?

[Waddizzle]

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@JABrazer wrote:
I called tech support. Apparently I had put a macro lens on top it and didn't know. I bought it on eBay and it had quite a few screw on lens including a wide angle. Tech support says they will mess up the 18-55 lens. Do you know that to be true?

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Yes, a macro filter, or close up filter, alters the focusing behavior of a lens.  By allowing you to focus on subjects very close to the lens, you forfeit the ability to focus on subjects more than a couple of feet away, or focusing to distant objects [infinity].

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Take off the macro and try it. That will quickly answer the question. But it sounds right. 

[JABrazer]

Would attaching a wide angle lens on top of my 18-55 mess up my 18-55??

[jrhoffman75]

They're not messing up your lens but they could be affecting focus range. Less of a problem with WA adapter. But all those adapters affect image quality. 

[JABrazer]

It solved it and I felt dumb. Lol

[jrhoffman75]

We all learn. Best advice is when something worked and then doesn't try to back step any changes. 

[JABrazer]

So it would be better to buy a canon wide angle lens to keep my image quality.