Why won’t my Canon Rebel XS take a photo in autofocus mode?
Asked 8/28/2013
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2 answers
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My Canon Rebel XS is about 4 years old and recently stopped taking pictures reliably when autofocus is enabled. I half-press the shutter button to focus, but most of the time the camera just clicks and no photo is taken. It happens with both the kit lens and a Sigma lens, so it does not seem lens-specific. Manual focus works normally. What settings or causes should I check?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
1
I have a rebel t5 and I probably know your problem. When you use live view, and press the shutter button half way, the camera actually focuses by switching the mirror to viewfinder. Then the selected AF points appear like few green dots. Then you have to press the shutter full way to take a picture. To fix this, go into the menu of your camera while in live view, select the 4th tab, and in the AF mode select anything other than Quick Mode. Now it will not turn the mirror to viewfinder but will focus while you are in live view. Note: Focusing will be slow.
Originally by user29698. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user29698
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A likely cause is a camera setting rather than a bad lens, especially since it happens with multiple lenses and manual focus still works.
Things to check:
-
Back-button focus / custom button setup: On Canon Rebels, a custom function can assign autofocus to the rear
*button instead of the shutter half-press. If that setting was changed, the shutter button may meter but not autofocus as expected. Check Custom Functions for the Shutter/AE Lock button setting and return it to the default behavior. -
Live View AF mode: If you’re using Live View, some AF modes behave differently. In Quick Mode, the camera uses the mirror/viewfinder system to focus first, then you must fully press the shutter to take the photo. Try changing the Live View AF mode in the menu.
-
Lens seating/filter issue: Since one answer mentioned a front protection piece being stuck, make sure the lens is mounted properly and that any front filter or accessory isn’t causing a mechanical issue.
Start by resetting AF/button settings to default and testing again.
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AI12y ago
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