Why has my AF area mode button stopped working and upon startup the AF area mode screen shows up?

[tomshield]

My AF area mode button has stopped working on my 7D Mark II and now upon startup the AF area mode screen shows up. What is going on?

[SamanthaW]

Hi!

Welcome to the Canon Forums and thanks for your post!

To have a better understanding of your issue, please let everyone know what camera model you're using. That way, the community will be able to assist you with suggestions appropriate for your product.

If this is a time-sensitive matter, our US-based technical support team is standing by, ready to help 24/7 via Email at http://Canon.us/ContactCF or by phone at 1-800-OK-CANON (1-800-652-2666) weekdays between 10 AM and 10 PM ET (7 AM to 7 PM PT).

Thanks! 

[tomshield]

My AF area mode button (far right back button) stopped working - will not show screen allowing point selection and "focus points" but the screen I am looking for shows up each time I first turn on my 7D Mark II. Any ideas anyone? Is it possible to turn off that selection button?

[kvbarkley]

Sounds to me like the button is stuck.

[TCampbell]

Just to avoid confusion... you are calling this the "area mode" button, but I think you are referring to the AF point selection button.  The "mode" itself is typically swtiched by using the "M-Fn" button near the shutter button on the front.

Do you mean to say that the button in the upper right corner on the back of the camera isn't doing anything at all when you press it?

Does the button physially appear to be ok?  Is it damaged?  Does it press in and spring back easily?

The 7D II is "weather sealed" which means it has either gaskets, seals, or o-rings to seal the various body seams, buttons, and dials.  So "in theory" nothing should have been able to get to the innards of the camera (there are limits to this, it is possible to abuse it to the point that things get inside anyway... but it is a workhorse camera and is designed to take a bit of punishment.)

It's possible to customize or reassign some of the buttons, but I don't think the AF point selection button happens to be one of them.  In other words, I've seen situations where buttons didn't do what an owner thought it sould do and it turned out the button or function had been reassigned.  But in the case of the AF point selection button... I think this button always activates the AF point selection mode (and then you can use the 8-way navigator or the wheel to select the point once the function is activated.)

Have you installed any alternate firmware (e.g. Magic Lantern, etc.)?

You can try resetting the camera to factory default.  Also, pull the battery and then re-insert it (this "reboots" the camera because the power switch doesn't actually deprive the camera of power.)

[tomshield]

Thanks for your reply. After trying many suggestions, I took it to a Canon repair shop. I was told it had experienced an electronic failure and they would need to replace a board. Nothing caused by damage, just an electronic failure!

Thanks again for taking the time to answer!

[houjioa]

Factory reset your camera to fix the issue:

Turn the camera on. This is done by sliding the lever from a left to right direction, from the off position to the on position. The lever is located on the top left side of the camera, If this fails, check to make sure you have a charged battery in the camera.
S Press the [Menu] Button located in the back upper left area of the camera.
Scroll over to the third settings sub menu indicated by a wrench and three dots. To scroll; turn the dial located on the top front right of the camera.
Scroll down on the sub menu to [Clear all Camera Settings] using the Quick Control Dial. This looks like a large circle on the back of the camera to the right of the LCD screen. Once Clear all Camera Settings is highlighted press (SET) the button located in the center of the back Quick Control Dial.
 Using the Quick Control Dial scroll the setting to [OK]. Press (SET).

If this method doesn't work try another one from Canon 7d Manual- [link removed]

[Danny]

Hi, houjioa!

We had to remove the link you posted since it took users to the manual for a product with the model name "7D" that was not made by Canon.  If you need the official manual for the EOS 7D, you'll find it HERE, and you'll find the official manual for the EOS 7D Mark II right HERE.

Hope this helps!

[RobertTheFat]

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Danny wrote:

Hi, houjioa!

We had to remove the link you posted since it took users to the manual for a product with the model name "7D" that was not made by Canon.  If you need the official manual for the EOS 7D, you'll find it HERE, and you'll find the official manual for the EOS 7D Mark II right HERE.

Hope this helps!

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The Mark II manual you're pointing to is current, but the 7D manual is several revs out of date.