EOS Rebel T1i: Shutter button not working

[Danny_D]

I recently got a rebel T1i from someone off of facebook marketplace it looks good when I looked at it. When I got home I charged the batteries and put one in and it turns on but it doesn’t take pictures when I click the button. I would like to know if I can fix it at home or if I should take it to professional? Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[kvbarkley]

What lens?

Does it do anything when you turn it on?

Put it in green square mode and go out on a sunny day. Does it still not take pictures?

[Danny_D]

I messed around with the settings a bit so now it at least tries to take a pic. it came with 2 lenses . One is a 28-200 mm for that one it snaps a pic and gives an ERROR 1 message on the screen. I’ve looked it up and a solution says to clean the gold area on the lens and I’ve done that and still gives the error. The other lens is a 24 mm lens and its able to take a pic with that one i just need to press the button a little harder.

[stevet1]

Danny_D,

In the meantime, could you bypass the shutter button and use the RS-60E3 shutter release cable?

Steve Thomas

[jrhoffman75]

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@Danny_D wrote:

I messed around with the settings a bit so now it at least tries to take a pic. it came with 2 lenses . One is a 28-200 mm for that one it snaps a pic and gives an ERROR 1 message on the screen. I’ve looked it up and a solution says to clean the gold area on the lens and I’ve done that and still gives the error. The other lens is a 24 mm lens and its able to take a pic with that one i just need to press the button a little harder.

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The zoom lens may have an electrical fault. Sounds like it is not a Canon lens; I don't recall Canon having a zoom lens with that range. If you switch the lens to manual focus can you take a photo?

The shutter button does have a tw0-step travel. Half press to actuate camera and start auto focus. Press fully and fire shutter. What you describe sounds OK.

eosrti-eos500d-im2-en.pdf (c-wss.com)

[Danny_D]

So it sounds like the 28-200 mm lens isn’t compatible with the camera. I’ve put the 24 mm lens and I’ve half push and sometimes it focuses and then I press a little harder and it takes the pic but other times i have to press harder to the point my finger hurts a bit. 

[jrhoffman75]

It’s possible the button is sticking. Take a business card or a stick-note paper and insert between shutter button and body. Run it along the circumference of the button. I’ve seen situations where a piece of sand and even some splashed soda got in and gummed things up. 

[Danny_D]

Ok I’ve passed a thin business card I had and still having the same problem. Would I have to take it to a professional to take it apart and clean it?

[jrhoffman75]

You can get a excellent condition body from Keh camera for between $76 and $100. It would likely cost you as much if not more to have yours serviced, particularly if it needs to be sent somewhere.

Do you have a camera store or camera club near you where you could have someone look at it and see what they think? 

[Danny_D]

The closest thing to a camera club near me is a Best Buy