MY EOS 30D works just fine until I put it on a tripod, then it won't take pictures. Any ideas?

[jimocarroll]

I have had my 30D for some time now, and it has worked flawlessly.  Today, I tried mounting it to a tripod to take some pictures.  It will not release the shutter.  If I press the shutter release button, the indicators in the viewfinder all light up as usual, but the shutter will not release.  If I activate the built in flash, pressing and holding the shutter release eventually causes the flash to blink as though in red-eye prevention mode, but the shutter will not release at all.  Pressing the * button results in the flash firing.

The tripod is a Manfrotto model, which I have also had for some time and am using for the first time.  The lens is a zoom tnat came with the camera.  The camera is mounted mechanically to the tripod using a quick-release adaptor, also a Manfrotto product.  The quick release adaptor has been on the cemera for some time, and it has operated flawlessly until I mounted it on the tripod today.

There are no electrical connections that I am aware of between the tripod and the camera, unless there's some hidden feature of which I am unaware.  I have no remote shutter release, but planned to use the timed shutter release setting.  Both the timed and normal modes work flawlessly when the camera is hand-held, both modes work flawlessly, but when the camera is on the tripod, it won't take a picture.  I am flummoxed by this.  Neither the camera manual nor the Manfrotto tripod manual are any help.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Jim Carroll

[jrhoffman75]

You should have a viewfinder cover that came with the camera, but in a pinch just hang a ball cap on the camera. You can also switch to manual focus/manual exposure. It may be a poorly focused/poorly exposed shot but at least the camera will fire. Then you can start working up from there.

[ebiggs1]

Yes "bad advice" is. the correct phrase.  "We just wanted to let you know that we don't recommend do-it-yourself repairs."

That is Canon's and my admonishment.

Telling someone you have no idea about to tear into his camera is no less than bad advice.  It is of little help to the OP how much experience you have.  How much does he have?

To the OP, anyway it isn't the tripod socket and it isn't the eye piece. There is something else going on.

[RobertTheFat]

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@jimocarroll wrote:

>I think we may have lost the OP by now.

I am still on here.  I am still following the ideas you guys are putting forth and I appreciate the help.  I should have mentioned that I am alone, and right now I have been running back and forth from the self-timer to a chair where I have been trying to take an ID photo for myself.  One thing I noticed is that, when I finally got the thing to take a picture by changing the AF to a "servo" mode, the resultant photo was not in focus.  I've been screwing around, disabled autofocus and image stabilization, and finally got an acceptable shot.  Suspecting that there may be some fault in the lens (original equipment zoom lens), I am going to rig up a remote shutter release and then try another lens -- maybe a 100 mm portrait lens I have.

I am still not sure why it wouldn't work the same on a tripod as it did in a hand-held mode, and I found nothing in the manual that shed much light on the issue..  Speaking of shedding light, excess ambient light through the viewfinder is another good lead to follow.  I'll try to eliminate that as a source of error.

I do some troubleshooting and electronic work -- I'm an Extra class amateur radio operator and comfortable around voltages, but, as a medical person myself with hands that require size 9 surgical gloves, the very idea of frogging around inside this piece of Japanese craftsmanship (and miniaturization) does give me pause.

Thanks for a lot of good troubleshooting ideas.

jim

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At the risk of wandering slightly OT ....

Does your 30D have an IR receiver? (Not all members of the EOS x0D series did.) If so, the best way to take selfies is with a remote IR trigger, not a self-timer.

[Waddizzle]

"To the OP, anyway it isn't the tripod socket and it isn't the eye piece. There is something else going on." 

I agree with that observation.  Have you tried turning off the lens Image Stabilization, if it has it? 

I think there is something you could be overlooking, and taking for granted.  If you can shoot handheld without any issues, what difference would sitting still on a tripod make?  It shouldn't make any difference.  Take a slow and careful, detailed look at what're doing.

[jimocarroll]

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>> Take a slow and careful, detailed look at what're doing.

Always good advice.  I have ordered an IR remote to use instead of the self-timer.  It's not here yet.

Work intervened, but I am going to resume troubleshooting when the IR remote gets here.

Thanks.

jim