cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

EOS 60D will not focus in AF mode.

buf727
Apprentice

EOS 60D will not work in AF Mode looking through the viewfinder.  It will autofocus in live view and you can use the camera with lens set to M Mode.  I have reset factoty settings, reloaded firmware, and tried three different lens.

7 REPLIES 7

cicopo
Elite

Are you sure it's the lens & not that the diopter has lost it's adjustment?

"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."

Skirball
Authority

@buf727 wrote:

... you can use the camera with lens set to M Mode. 


I'm not sure what this means.  Make sure the switch on the lens is on AF, not MF.  I'm fairly certain it is, because it wouldn't focus in Live View either, if it was in manual focus.  But check anyway.

 

The main reason, that I can think of, that a camera would focus in LV and not through the viewfinder, is if it was a dark and/or fairly blank scene and the AF points (when looking through the viewfinder) weren't focused on anything with contrast.  Try it in good light and make sure the AF points align with something with contrast (not a wall or something blank).  Double check that you're using all AF points, and that you're in "One Shot" mode.

TCampbell
Elite
Elite

By "M" mode, I presume you mean Manual Focus (MF).  

 

In viewfinder mode, which AF selection are you using (e.g. 9 point auto-select, or are you selecting a specific af point?)

 

I'm wondering if the issue is isolated to a specific AF point.

 

If it works in live-view and swapping lenses makes no difference, then it's not the lens nor the communication between camera and body.  It would seem to be isolated to the AF sensors or possibly to one specific AF point.

 

The AF sensors are on the floor of the camera.  When the reflex mirror is in the down position, there is a "secondary mirror" which is very tiny mirror and hides behind the main reflex mirror (you can't see the secondary mirro.)  The center of the main reflex mirror is semi-transparent (like one-way glass... the AF sensors can see "through" the reflex mirror even though when you look in, it looks like a non-transparent mirror.)  This allows some light to be bounced down onto those AF sensors which are located on the floor of the mirror chamber.

 

If the interior is dirty, then it's possible something may be obscuring one or more AF sensors.  

 

You can put your camera into manual sensor cleaning mode and this will cause the mirror assembly to swing up and you'd be able to see the very tiny holes at the bottom of the mirror chamber where the AF sensors hide.  Just look to see if there's any dust, a hair, etc. that might be obscuring them.  Large particles capable of doing this usually can't get into the camera unless you leave the lens and body cap off - but I suppose it could happen.  (Incidentally, do not use canned compressed air to clean out dust because compressed air blows a fluid that leaves a residue behind -- which fogs up the optics rendering them unusable until cleaned.  While it's possible to clean that off of the main sensor using a sensor swab and wet cleaning solutions, it's not possible to get down into the AF sensors without disassembly and you definititely don't want to have to do that.  Don't use anything other than a hand-squeezed air-bulb type blower.

 

If it's not that, then I suspect you'll want to call Canon service and likely will need to send it in to Canon for evaluation. 

 

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

ezpop
Rising Star

Do you mean the lens will just hunt and cannot get on the focus properly or by half press the shutter button, the lens will not respond at all ?

Did you set the focusing to the rear AF-on button ?

 

 

 

buf727
Apprentice

Thank you for all the replies.

 

It's not the diopter I can see through the view finder fine. 

 

With the camera set to any mode and the lens set to AF.  Looking through the view finder and half pressing the shutter release button.  The lens will not even try to focus.  I can switch to live view and it will focus and release the shutter.  With the lens set to MF every thing appears to work correctly.  I have tried three lens that work on my XTi.  I have tried inside, outside, moving and every other lighting condition you can think of.  The auto focus points do not even show up in the view finder when I half press in AF mode.

 

I recleaned the camera last night and it was very clean.  Could not see any dust or any thing.

 

And yes the lens will not respond at all while looking through the viewfinder.  It works fine in live view.

 

 

Very strange. It seems that you have done everything possible but the problem is still there.

 

Please try pressing the focus point selection button to see how it respond.

 

Also, clear all custom Func. and clear all camera settings. In the camera menu for one more time, check the setting in the menu Auto focus/Drive

 

or may be assign AF to AF on button at the back. (the one next to AEL *) Then you use the rear AF on button to replace half press shutter as auto focusing. If things go well you may reset it back.

 

Good luck.

 

dawnvaljean
Apprentice

 I had the same issue. The repair technician said I somehow managed to change my Autofocus/Drive setting. I had mine on 1 and the default is 0. I would think a factory reset would have helped if you had the same problem. $65 dollars to be told to change my settings seems like a small price when I was ready to sleadge hammer my camera!  From 60D manual, page 255. Canon! If your reading this, it should be in the troubleshooting info!!!

 

60D issue.png

Announcements