EOS Rebel T3 won’t shoot

[_ella_819]

I have a Canon EOS Rebel T3 and it won’t take photos in AF mode. Sometimes it will make a weird shuttering sound, the flash will blink, but then it will say it’s busy. Now it just won’t do anything. The battery is fully charged and when I switch lenses it worked perfectly fine in AF and MF

[deebatman316]

The "Busy" message means your built-in flash is recharging. The camera uses the built-in flash for AF Assist. How dark is it in the area. The camera needs contrast to lock focus. What lenses are you using. Please post the full name of the lens this is in important. Your camera won't take a picture unless it's in focus. Your camera isn't locking focus. So it's using the built-in flash to assist the AF system. By using Intermittent Flash Firing. 

[_ella_819]

I am using the EF- S 18-55mm lens. It’s light in the room with LED yellowish lighting. I switched to the EF 75-300mm camera and it works in AF and MF mode.

[deebatman316]

We need to know the full name of the lens that's not functioning correctly. Canon has made multiple EF-S 18-55mm lenses over the years. The current version is the EF-S 18-55mm F/4-5.6 IS STM lens. If you remove the lens cap the full name is on the outer ring. There can be plenty of light but is there enough contrast. Your camera uses contrast to lock focus. For instance a camera can't focus on a clear blue sky. This is because it lacks contrast.

[_ella_819]

The lens says CANON ZOOM LENS EF-S 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS II. I twisted the cap on it and it clicked and then rotated it back. It seems to work now, could that have been the problem?

[_ella_819]

But now it’s back to making the clicking noises 

[deebatman316]

Your lens uses gears to change focus. Your lens uses a lens motor called "Micro Motor". Its very likely that the gears are broken. This lens will cost more to repair than replacing it. Do you have a budget in mind for a replacement lens.

Edit: It sounds like a filter is attached to the front of the lens. What happens if you remove the lens filter.

[_ella_819]

I didn’t plan on getting a replacement lens but I am getting a new camera soon and just wanted to use this in the mean time. If the other lens still works I can use that in the mean time. Thank you for your help 

[deebatman316]

If you're looking into a new camera I wouldn't look into any DSLR lenses anymore. DSLR cameras are being replaced by mirrorless cameras now. While DSLR (EF & EF-S) lenses can be adapted. Older lenses will have limitations such as your EF-S 18-55mm and EF 75-300mm lenses. For a new camera look into the EOS R series cameras. The EOS M system/ EF-M Mount has been discontinued and replaced by RF Mount APS-C cameras. DSLRs lenses and cameras are being discontinued. In favor of EOS R series RF Mount cameras. Do you have a budget in mind for a new camera. For APS-C R series cameras Canon has the R100, R50, R10 & R7. For Full Frame cameras they offer the R8, R, R6 Mark II, R5 & R3. I have listed them from entry level to advanced. None of Canon's full frame cameras and the APS-C EOS R7 offer a builtin flash. For flash photography you will need to look into an external speedlite (flash) instead.