Green/Red Focus Box Missing and Flicker/Flash on LCD

[mut]

Greetings:

1) I recently reset my T3i and can't figure out why the center focus box that turns green or red isn't performing as it used to. When I depress the shutter button for AF the box is there but doesn't turn green or red. It also used to stay on the LCD as green as I took the picture which isn't anylonger as well.

What happens now is it does its focus thing without turning colors and then snaps.

2) Also, all info on the screen disappears when I snap. All info meaning the grid I have up, the focus box and all other info ie. histogram and settings that are on the left side of the LCD. If I recall correctly, all info stayed on screen including the focus box green or red.

3) Lastly, the focus box will flash green when I snap the shot but that only happens "sometimes" and not always.

4) One other thing I noticed too is as I depress the shutter button or snap the shot I get a pink flicker on the LCD which wasn't happening before.

Any ideas how to fix these issues?

Thanks in advance.

[TCampbell]

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@mut wrote:

Diopter was adjusted, the image is clear, the focus point squares are clear, the little red led lights aren't. I actually did focus on a white wall and many other things to test it.  

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I'm a bit confused... when you say "littel red lights" are you referring to the black AF points that light up red when they're active or blink when they lock focus?

[RobertTheFat]

TCampbell wrote:

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I don't shoot video, but I have a good friend who does.  He uses a Rode VideoMic mounted in the hot-shoe (it's a shotgun type mic).  It's mounted on a spring suspension system and it doesn't pick up camera sounds. 

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Last year I had occasion to photograph an event that was well covered by the media. The room wasn't laid out to accommodate commercial TV cameras, so the videographers were using still cameras. Most (all?) of them appeared to be using Rode mikes.

[mut]

Yes..that's what I am referring to. Those red lights don't seem to be operating as they used to also. If I recall correctly they were sharp/very clear red dots. They are now larger and soft. So soft they are barely visible.

This is in addition to the other display related issues on the LCD where the focus box that turns red/green doesn't stay on the screen once it focuses nor does it turn green or red when it's done focusing. When it's done focusing all overlays disappear/turn off. The only way I know if it is focused or not is by depressing the shutter button...it will or won't take the shot. 

If I recall correctly all info stayed on the screen throughout except when the shutter activated and took the shot which a quick black flash would happen.

[ezpop]

Now if diapter is adjusted and solved some of the problems and images are clear and looks focusing right, I need you to check one more thing.

Check the focus screen - have you ever messed with it and is it now installed properly on the mount. This may be the cause of the blurry AF points(red led lights as you have described) Check the manual for details. There may be some Youtube tutorials about focus screen installation. It won't solve the AF box in LV problem though.

I still believe that screen flicker is an indication of electronic failure. (or nearing end of life cycle)

If anything cannot help to resolve the problems, you either have o live with it as it or send to canon service center to diagnose the cause. Now they take a flat rate for service/repair. I guess it costs around $200 plus shipping and more $$ if the parts cost more than the flat rate.

I used to have one but sold it 2 years ago. My older 40D still survived. Rebels seem to be less durable to me. (just to me, there are still surviving XT and XTi of course)

[mut]

I think it might be the focus screen too for the eye viewfinder issue.

Re: end of life...hope not but if it is I guess there isn't much that can be done.

I can live with the viewfinder issue as it's taking clear images still.

Re: repair...I'll spend that money on getting another one and just add to inventory for video needs.

I'll continue to look into getting the problems solved.

Thanks much.

[ezpop]

Then the final step is to update/re-install the firmware.

Hope that it will get back to normal.

Good luck.

[mut]

By chance would you know where to get the software to connect it to a PPC Mac running 10.5.8 (not Intel). I've scoured the net/Canon and cannot find it anywhere and my discs (if it's on one) are packed away deep and far and away...

The way I did it before was putting the card in the Canon handycam I have which is and shows on the mac as a drive. The T3i doesn't the only software that connects to it is Apples Image Capture which doesn't allow me to put anything on the card or see the cam.

Thanks in advance.

[TCampbell]

Canon has only recently started providing the original software available for download.  Back when your camera would have been new, the original software came in the box (on CD) and the "updates" were available for download.  The catch is that the installer can't apply the update unless the base version is already on the computer.

That means if you can find your original media, you could get the last update that ran on PPC here:  http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_rebel_t3i_18_55mm_is_ii_lens...

But I am not aware of a location to download the original software.  

The software would provide you with the EOS Utility, Digital Photo Professional, and the Image Browser, but you can use any photo management and photo editing program on the images.  EOS Utility would let you update the firmware, but it turns out you can update firmware without it (when you download new firmware, one of the options is to simply copy the firmware file to the camera SD and use the camera menu to ask it to apply the update.

The only thing I do not know how to do without EOS Utility is edit things like the "Owner Name", etc. (there's a menu in the utility that lets you specify those things and it writes it to the camera.  I do not know of an in-camera way to edit that information.)

So you're not losing very much (just a little) without that software.  The larger issue is that nobody makes software that runs on that computer anymore, so at some point you may have to get a newer computer. 

[mut]

Thanks for the info...I'll have to dig out my discs I guess.

Re: a newer system...It's unfortunate that a less than 10 year old system that works like a charm was completely left behind. The only major issue I have is browsing the web as more sites switch. A newer system will not only cost a few $1,000 but will require spending on cross grades to get my PPC software on an intel which might not be offered and might require purchasing the software as a first time purchaser...all combined costing a very large sum.

Some systems (ie. video editing/production) are sometimes $10-$15-$20k+ with all the top end software/HD I/O's and display cards...huge huge loss. 

Aside from that, I can't justify spending that amount of money to browse the web...I'd go PC net book connected to an ext monitor for that.

But thanks again!

[ScottyP]

The red focus reticle not lighting Actually sounds like exactly what happens when I accidentally flip The switch on the lens barrel from AF to MF, turning autofocus off. Did that this again this last weekend actually