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EOS Rebel T3 not focusing or taking pictures

moma
Apprentice

I have had my camera for 2 years and have had no problems.  Now it won't focus properly when using the LCD screen.  It also says it is busy when I try to take a picture. Help!! It will take pictures when I use the viewfinder.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

If the camera is in "One Shot" mode (it's default mode) then it also uses something called "Focus Priority".  This means that it _must_ confirm that it was able to achieve focus before it will take a photo.

 

The other mode is called "AI Servo" which uses something called "Release Priority".  In that mode the camera _will_ take a photo when you completely press the shutter button even if it was not able to focus (usually this is not a behavior you want unless you know how to watch for it to confirm focus, but sports photographers like this mode.)

 

There is a focus mode called "AI Focus" -- it's not truely a new mode... it really just means it will try to evalutate if a subject is moving or not and then try to use either "One Shot" mode or "AI Servo" mode depending on if the subject was stationary or moving.

 

ALSO... the camera will only attempt to auto-focus is the AF/MF switch on your lens is in the AF (auto-focus) position.  If you switch it to MF (manual focus) then the camera should take a photo immediately (even if it's not focused).

 

Anyway... the camera can struggle to focus if the lighting is poor and/or if the subject lacks contrast (e.g. if you simply point the camera at a clear blue sky then it will actually struggle to focus -- even a starry night sky is a problem because the individual stars just aren't big enough and bright enough.  

 

If your camera is having a problem AND you are taking a photo in poor lighting or of a subject that lacks contrast (or both) then this isn't actually a problem with the camera (even a perfect working camera would have problems in those situations).

 

It might help if we could eliminate the possibility that the reason the camera is struggling to focus is due to inadequate lighting.

 

Can you take the camera on on a nice birght sunny day and try to focus on a well-illuminated subject?  This would allow you to either confirm or eliminate the possibility that lighting is to blame.

 

There is also the possibility that the lens is a problem.  What lens are you using and do you have more than one lens?

 

If you have the standard "kit" lens that usually comes with a T3, it should be an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II.  This lens does _not_ allow for "full time" manual focus.  This means you should not attempt to focus the lens if the lens is in "AF" mode.  Switch the lens to "MF" mode.  Turn the focus ring at the front of the lens all the way in one direction (it doesn't matter which way) until you have run the focus either all the way "out" or all the way "in".   Then switch the focus mode switch back to "AF".  Point the camera at a subject and attempt to focus.  You *should* hear the focus motors on the lens as it attempts to focus.  If you do not hear the focus motors, then it could indicate a problem with the lens.   If, by some chance, you happen to own either a "USM" lens or the new "STM" lens, these lenses have focusing motors which are extremely quiet (espeically the "STM" lenses) so you likely would not hear the lens focus.  But the "STM" version of the EF-S 18-55mm lens is extremely new and as it sounds like your camera is a few years old, you probably do not have the "STM" version.


Usually if the camera or lens has a malfunction then the camera would display an error message code.  It doesn't sound like it's displaying a code, which makes me suspect it's not taking a photo because it's unable to lock focus (but the focusing mechanism is correctly attempting to focus).   This is why I am wonderng if the reason it is not locking focus is due to inadequate light or due to a subject with inadequate contrast.

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da

View solution in original post

35 REPLIES 35

If put it in green square, hold it to your eye and look through the viewfinder, it is pretty obvious where the shutter button is.

 

A DSLR *is* a complicated beast. The whole point is to give you enough options to get images when the auto modes fail, and to allow you to realize your vision - which might not be what the makers of the camera bake into the auto modes.


@SimaraM27 wrote:

I just figured out how to snap. Thank you for your feedback. There are two possible buttons that you can take a picture with which is confusing all around. I am learning but I have another camera and iphone that i could just click and take a picture. No need to go searchig for information or tutorials. I personally feel it is overly complicated. 


A camera to a photographer, is like a musical instrument to a musician.

 

Like any musical instrument, you just don't pick one [up] and suddenly you're virtuoso. It takes lots of time and practice to learn how to play a musical instrument.  But first, before you can begin to play the musical instrument, you must first learn about the fundamentals of music theory.

 

[EDIT] Photography is no different.  You must learn the basics of photography, which is entirely separate from learning how to use the camera.  Learning how the camera works is just the first step.

 

Just like with motor vehicles, the basic operation of all cameras is pretty much the same.  But, if you do not know the rules of the road, or how to read a road map, then you will not be able to drive from Point A to Point B.

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"The right mouse button is your friend."


@SimaraM27 wrote:

It shouldnt be rocket science to take a picture. That is beyond crazy that I have to watch a video of something as simple as taking a picture. For that i can use my iPhone they are better quality photos nowadays. Taking a picture should be at a click of a button. Not need to watch a tutorial. This is purposely done so people believe their is a science behind these cameras and you need to be smart to use them, in reality it is idiotic to make something as little as taking a picture so complicated. Beyond frustrating!


The manual that comes with your camera covers taking a picture in the beginning section of the book..

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, LR Classic

"The manual that comes with your camera covers taking a picture in the beginning section of the book.."

You are proving his point. No one needs to read the manual to take a picture with a cellphone.

In other words, he is just complaining, he is not looking for answers.


@kvbarkley wrote:

"The manual that comes with your camera covers taking a picture in the beginning section of the book.."

You are proving his point. No one needs to read the manual to take a picture with a cellphone.

In other words, he is just complaining, he is not looking for answers.


I wonder how he learned the gestures to use Apple products.  If you have no desire to learn how a DSLR camera works, then why did you buy it?  

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"The right mouse button is your friend."

I don't know, like I said, I think he just wants to complain.

have the same problen please help model canon eos 500d

have the same problem please help model canon eos 500D

KevinDo
Apprentice
I'm having the same issue described above with my T3i. Coincidentally perhaps after taking several longer videos a few weeks ago I can't shoot in liveview. Works fine using the optical viewfinder but shooting the same scene with liveview I only hear a shutter sound with a half or full press of the shutter release, but no photo is captured. That is to say half and full press of the shutter release yield identical behaviour, which is unusual. There is no attempt by the camera to focus and not image is captured. Tried a variety of environments, so contrast isn't the issue. Tried multiple lens too.

robinfeist
Apprentice
Kevin....I have the same issue....did you ever get it fixed? If so, how did you do it?
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