EOS Rebel XS saying busy and won't take pictures

[mliz2486]

My camera worked fine the other day.  Now, it won't take pictures at all.  When I go to take a picture, it will act like it is focusing by flashing and such but it will never go through.  It always says busy.  I have tried all modes, and none will work not even without flash. 

I have also taken the battery out, taken the card out and reformatted it, and cleared all camera settings.  Can anyone help?  I have a newborn that I would really like to be able to capture. 🙂

Thank you ahead of time!

[Shrewdy]

This is the camera's built in flash.  I'm using a Canon Rebel XSi

[NashvilleSuz]

One possibility comes to mind...if your 50mm lens has a different maximum wide-open f-stop (i.e. 1.7 vs 3.5) than your 18-55 then the flash isn't firing because the lens is capable of opening up more and camera doesn't sense you even need the flash to fire.

[Shrewdy]

Thanks for your feedback. It doesn't even take a picture now if on AF mode.  

[NashvilleSuz]

I just read some articles about the XSi and there is an on going problem with the AF mode (Auto focus). Perhaps it is this since you said that now it doesn't work with either lense. Googled "canon xsi af problem".

Can you put this camera in Manual Focus mode and see if it works that way?

[singedfur]

My Rebel XS also will shoot in MF mode but not in AF.  I rotated/pulled out the front "auto focus" section of the lens, and then the camera would auto focus for 1 shot.  I have to pull/rotate the front portion of the lens all the way back out again for the camera to take a shot.  It will pull the lens back in to properly autofocus, but it doesn't seem to like to push it out.  Is this just lens failure with no way around it but a new lens, or is there a way to clean it out inside or something? I did wipe that front AF portion of the lens very clean when it was fully extended, but to no avail.

[5STARJMS]

So I'm having a problem with my rebel xs. First of all the screen will not come on for the love of love. No matter if I push the display botton it still stay off. Second off, the when I turn on the camera and look in the view finder it keep on saying busy. It will flash and focus but it keep saying busy no matter what mode it's on. Can someone please help me.

[Peter]

https://canonrepair.wordpress.com/2013/08/24/canon-1000d-busy-message-on-the-display/

[NashvilleSuz]

Fantastic link, Peter. I hope all the Rebel XS etc. users that are having problems have a look at your link.

[Peter]

In Digital Photo Professional or at http://regex.info/exif.cgi you can check your older pictures to check what firmware you have in the camera. If it is 1.0.5 or older, then maybe Canon service centre fixes it for free.

[tasetliff]

The youtube video are private so I can't see them.