EOS M50 with Sigma 16mm on manual mode multiple failed images utilizing canon tether shooting

[russ31073]

Greetings all 🙂 The other night, I was trying to do a timelapse of the night sky with my EOS M50 and a Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens. I was utilizing the EOS utility to do tethered shooting. I had the camera set to manual focus mode instead of auto. But my struggle came when I set it up to do its imaging. It failed to take many of the pictures due to an error message saying it could not focus?! Is it possible I might have missed another setting on the camera? If I had it set to manual, it should have taken the images whether things were in focus or not right? Any input would be great! Thank you in advance!!

Russ

[Hazel_T]

Hi russ31073,

There are a couple things to check with an issue like this. The first is to check if the camera and lens can take manual focus photos without the EOS Utility. That way we can rule out if it is an issue with the equipment or the software.

If this is only happening when you are tethered shooting through the EOS Utility. When you want to do manual focused shots through the EOS Utility it is best to have the camera and lens set to Auto Focus. Then once you have the tethered shooting window open switch the AF/MF switch in the software shooting window to MF. Then you can use the focus increments in the software shooting window to adjust the lens. If you want to refer to the manual for the steps they are listed HERE in the Focusing Manually section.

One thing to note is that the EOS Utility is designed to work with Canon lenses and cameras, so it might not be able to read your Sigma lens. If the issue continues the next step would be to attach a Canon lens on the camera and check if the same thing is happening.

[russ31073]

Thank you Hazel! I will give these items a try. 

Russ

[stevet1]

russ31073,

On another forum, it was suggested that you take your camera out of One Shot and put your camera in AI Servo mode. In One Shot, the camera will not take a picture if it is out of focus.

Steve Thomas.

[russ31073]

Thank you Steve. I will try this out also. 

Russ

[ebiggs1]

... you take your camera out of One Shot and put your camera in AI Servo mode ..."

You should be in total manual mode, right?

I would definitely not use Ai-servo for this. No, no!  If you do I can guarantee you will have OOF pictures. Try changing the shoot without lens in the menu. Make sure the lens is set to MF. Be careful because the camera will not care if the shot is in focus or not. Now focus on a bright star or the Moon and put a small piece of gaffers tape on the focus ring to hold it there. In star shooting once anything up there is in focus everything is in focus. You can even focus the camera/lens in daylight on a very distant object and secure that with the gaffers tape. Set your exposure. Put it on your tripod and shoot away! 

[russ31073]

Thanks ebiggs1! The Sigma lens actually does not have a mf/af switch like many of the other lenses I own. It has to be done in the menu settings. I do also have the option "clicked" for shoot without lens. I have it set for that when I have it shooting through my Apertura scope for regular astrophotography. 

Russ

[Waddizzle]

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@russ31073 wrote:

Greetings all 🙂 The other night, I was trying to do a timelapse of the night sky with my EOS M50 and a Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens. I was utilizing the EOS utility to do tethered shooting. I had the camera set to manual focus mode instead of auto. But my struggle came when I set it up to do its imaging. It failed to take many of the pictures due to an error message saying it could not focus?! Is it possible I might have missed another setting on the camera? If I had it set to manual, it should have taken the images whether things were in focus or not right? Any input would be great! Thank you in advance!!

Russ

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The camera has a manual focus mode?  Some things are not sounding familiar.  

Can I assume that you have the EF-M mount version of the lens?  The lens should be able to auto focus on its own, without using the tether.  So, let’s test it by itself, without any connections to the computer.  Does it work?

Do you have another EF-M mount lens that you could test with remote shooting using the EOS Utility?  Is your camera set for BBF, back button focusing?  If so, disable it for remote shooting.

[russ31073]

Hi Wadizzle. Buried deep in the menu is the option to switch between af/mf. It is a Sigma lens created specifically for the ef-m mount. It does seem to work on it's own without the tether set-up. I do have the stock ef-m mount lens that came with it. I am going back out tomorrow night and Saturday to do some more astrophotography and will give all your ideas a try and report back! Thanks Wadizzle, I'll also check your back button focus recommendation.