t2i shutter fire problem - no response

[vannessa]

Hello!

Yesterday I found myself trying to use my trusty T2i, turned it on, tapped lightly on the shutter button to auto focus- no response.

I pressed fully to take a photo- no response.

The camera turns on fine, the display screen lights up, and the camera makes a sound like it's TRYING to focus.  It sounds like it's coming from the lens.  I don't have another lens to check if that's the problem.  It's a little almost click-ey sound that I have to put up close to my ear to hear.

It hasn't been dropped, there's no water damage.  I pulled it out of a drawer I have it in for safe keeping, walked over to take my photo, and was incredibly disappointed.

Any suggestions are welcome, as I'm completely at a loss what to do, and the nearest camera shop is an hour away from where I live.

[Waddizzle]

What lens is it?  Look at the front of the lens for the extended model number. 

If you remove the lens from the camera, and gently shake it, does it rattle?  If you have one of the versions of the EF-S 18-55mm lens that comes in the Rebel camera kits, then it is easy to jam the AF motors.  Those lenses do not have what is known as manual focus override, which allows you to turn the focus ring when AF, despite the AF switch being "ON".  It is very easy to be looking through the viewfinder, reach up to adjust the zoom, but you turn the focus ring instead, jamming the AF moters.

[vannessa]

The lens is just the stock 18-55mm that came with it.  
If I did jam it, is that easy to fix...? 

The lens doesn't rattle when I shake it, but the body of the camera has a little bit of a rattle sound I guess...

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

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@vannessa wrote:

The lens is just the stock 18-55mm that came with it.  
If I did jam it, is that easy to fix...? 

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It's apparently not difficult, but let's just say it's not for the squeamish. After all, we've all been taught to be gentle with our cameras and lenses, so as to not risk damaging them. But in this case if the mechanism has gotten jammed, the cure is to grab the lens firmly and physically unjam it. The precise procedure, which I believe was invented by one of the Canon people who take turns moderating this forum, is documented in one of the conversations. I'm not sure exactly where, but I'm sure one of the regulars will be able to come up with a link if it looks as though it might work in your case. It's not guaranteed to succeed, but we've heard from two or three people who say it saved their lenses. And if the lens isn't usable anyway, what do you have to lose?

[vannessa]

YOU ARE MY SAVIOR.

That was the most nerve wracking experience.  I held firmly to the end of the lens, and tried to force it to turn.  Heard an almost crack-sound, and suddenly it worked.

Thank you so much.

[Waddizzle]

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@vannessa wrote:

YOU ARE MY SAVIOR.

That was the most nerve wracking experience.  I held firmly to the end of the lens, and tried to force it to turn.  Heard an almost crack-sound, and suddenly it worked.

Thank you so much.

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REMEMBER.

It is very easy to be looking through the viewfinder, reach up to adjust the zoom, but you turn the focus ring instead, jamming the AF moters.

[Waddizzle]

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@vannessa wrote:

The lens is just the stock 18-55mm that came with it.  
If I did jam it, is that easy to fix...? 

The lens doesn't rattle when I shake it, but the body of the camera has a little bit of a rattle sound I guess...

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No rattle from the lens, but a possible rattle from the body.  Hmm.  Bodies shouldn't rattle, not for any reason.

Put the camera into  "P" mode, set the lens AF/MF switch to MF/  Can you turn the focus ring, achieve focus, and taka a picture?

[jrhoffman75]

There is an orientaion sensor in the camera that tells the camera whether its horizontal orvertical. That will make a very faint sound if you shake camera.

If you look at the front of the lens, the part that moves in and out when you focus, does it look slightly crooked with respect to the rear part of the lens that attaches to the body?  If the front of the lens was hit it sometimes knocks the moveable part out of alignment. If so, you can try and gently push the crooked part to snap it back straight. that frequently works.

[diverhank]

It appears that for whatever reason, the camera is not in focus.  When the camera thinks it's not in-focus, it will not take a picture.

You can do a quick test - if you switched to manual M on the lens, then you should be able to take a picture.

It would be helpful if you'd describe all of the settings you currently have - for example what mode A, P, Av, Tv, etc, live view?  The more description, the better

[ebiggs1]

vannessa,

No friends with a Canon camera and lens?  How about a close Best Buy or local camera store?  Go ask if they will let you try a lens.  Otherwise call Canon Support.  They will guide you on how to precede.