Canon 550D - Fail to autofocus. Help please?

[bryan09]

Hi! I'm not really an expert so I'm seeking for some help. Yesterday when I brought my camera to take photos at a futsal event, I begin to realise my 18-55mm kit len is not autofocusing. I've set that the AF mode is switch to AF and not Manual. I've Google and found some articles about using the sensor cleaning function. But it didn't help. Sometimes I half-press, I can hear the len is trying to focus but very very very tiny bit. If I use the LCD screen to focus, the box turns green but it's still not in focus.

What should I do next? Is my camera body faulty? Lens faulty? Or simply dirty?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[SkillCraft]

Please check the following:
1. Did your camera show Err 01,99 or ?
2. If you have a second lens, change the lens and test if auto focusing still work.
3. Use a clean cloth to clean both the contacts of the camera and the lens.
4. Normally if a lens unable to auto focus, that means inside the lens one of the cable is damage, if the cable is damage, then the camera will show Err 01. Try the auto/manual switch a few time, check if is the switch.

 

[bryan09]

Please check the following:
1. Did your camera show Err 01,99 or ?
2. If you have a second lens, change the lens and test if auto focusing still work.
3. Use a clean cloth to clean both the contacts of the camera and the lens.
4. Normally if a lens unable to auto focus, that means inside the lens one of the cable is damage, if the cable is damage, then the camera will show Err 01. Try the auto/manual switch a few time, check if is the switch.

1) Nope
2) Nope
3) I did.
4) Tried.

Failed

 

[SkillCraft]

I tested one of my lens which had the similar problem like yours, which the lens flexible cable was damaged. Unable to focus at the tele side, but focusing at the wide side no problem, also do not show err 01. Manual focusing no problem for this lens. The err 01 will show only when you press the shutter and the lens do not response then the err 01 will show.

The repair cost will be higher than the cost of your existing lens.

The following option you might consider.
1. Buy another new/2nd hand kit lens 18-55mm.
2. Take this opportunity to buy another lens that you wish to have, if you are in landscape photographic then EF 17-40 f/4.0 L will be a good and sharp lens to have, and can last you for a long time.

I had own Canon 350D then 20D then 40D, current 5DII and still using EF 28-80mm f/2.8 L and EF 20-35mm f/2.8 L (which was 20 years old now) today. So invest into a good lens and it will last for a long time in the future.

 

[bryan09]

I tested one of my lens which had the similar problem like yours, which the lens flexible cable was damaged. Unable to focus at the tele side, but focusing at the wide side no problem, also do not show err 01. Manual focusing no problem for this lens. The err 01 will show only when you press the shutter and the lens do not response then the err 01 will show.

The repair cost will be higher than the cost of your existing lens.

The following option you might consider.
1. Buy another new/2nd hand kit lens 18-55mm.
2. Take this opportunity to buy another lens that you wish to have, if you are in landscape photographic then EF 17-40 f/4.0 L will be a good and sharp lens to have, and can last you for a long time.

I had own Canon 350D then 20D then 40D, current 5DII and still using EF 28-80mm f/2.8 L and EF 20-35mm f/2.8 L (which was 20 years old now) today. So invest into a good lens and it will last for a long time in the future.

Thanks for your reply! Very similar to what was recommended by ClubSNAP. To take this chance to upgrade. You have any lens to recommend for general use?

 

[SkillCraft]

Thanks for your reply! Very similar to what was recommended by ClubSNAP. To take this chance to upgrade. You have any lens to recommend for general use?

Not too sure about your shooting style (landscape, family, etc), and your budget, also your preference on the quality of the image.

An good quality of lens like L lens or prime lens will be expensive, but Canon also have general purposes lens like your kit lens will be much cheaper.

An 2nd hand EF 17-40mm f/4 will be in the range of $600-$700, your kit lens 18-55mm will be about $100. So the price gap is big.

 

[bryan09]

Not too sure about your shooting style (landscape, family, etc), and your budget, also your preference on the quality of the image.

An good quality of lens like L lens or prime lens will be expensive, but Canon also have general purposes lens like your kit lens will be much cheaper.

An 2nd hand EF 17-40mm f/4 will be in the range of $600-$700, your kit lens 18-55mm will be about $100. So the price gap is big.

Okay thank you much!

 

[epos]

Most likely the AF motor is damaged, mine also can only MF after a few years, normal for cheap kit lens.

If you only need a budget replacement, the newer version--Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM--is both optically superior(only slightly though) and faster AF, the most significant advantage is the near silent STM motor. 550D can take good 1080p30 video but non-ring USM lens is so noisy when auto-fousing, its a nuisance. The STM lens is very quiet, not silence but the sound will not bother you much.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM has the same quiet AF if you need longer reach. alternatively, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is an great all purpose lens that offer both great(for its price) IQ and most focal length average user would need. Canon also has 18-200mm but optically, its less than any of the above, a price to pay for 11x focal length.

The price for 18-55 STM is less than $200, 55-250 STM is about $300; the all purpose 18-135 STM, a great walk around lens, is ~$500, etc. prices were from shop quote, just an info, not a definite guide.

 

[bryan09]

Most likely the AF motor is damaged, mine also can only MF after a few years, normal for cheap kit lens.

If you only need a budget replacement, the newer version--Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM--is both optically superior(only slightly though) and faster AF, the most significant advantage is the near silent STM motor. 550D can take good 1080p30 video but non-ring USM lens is so noisy when auto-fousing, its a nuisance. The STM lens is very quiet, not silence but the sound will not bother you much.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM has the same quiet AF if you need longer reach. alternatively, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is an great all purpose lens that offer both great(for its price) IQ and most focal length average user would need. Canon also has 18-200mm but optically, its less than any of the above, a price to pay for 11x focal length.

The price for 18-55 STM is less than $200, 55-250 STM is about $300; the all purpose 18-135 STM, a great walk around lens, is ~$500, etc. prices were from shop quote, just an info, not a definite guide.

How much will a Canon EF-S 18-135mm cost?

 

[epos]

How much will a Canon EF-S 18-135mm cost?

Stated in the last few lines of my previous post, ~$500. used one is less than $400, the lens was introduce in Jun 2012 so a used isn't too old.

If want more focal length, the Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is about the same price but almost 2x the tele end. The sharpness is of course not as good as the STMs and no silent AF too. with nearly 14x focal length, the distortion is higher than other shorter zooms. read the Amazon reviews for real world user feedback.

One thing about 3rd party lens is the compatibility, it may not work on future Canon DSLR body. happened to my old Sigma zoom that I bought in 1990, now just left collecting dust/fungus. not really a problem in digital age, the body get obsolete way before the lens get fungus. by then you would have upgraded to newer model with newer lens or even another format.

Anyway, Superzoom more of a convenient. the sharpness is OK at the center, the main issues are the aperture size and distortion.

 

[bryan09]

Stated in the last few lines of my previous post, ~$500. used one is less than $400, the lens was introduce in Jun 2012 so a used isn't too old.

If want more focal length, the Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is about the same price but almost 2x the tele end. The sharpness is of course not as good as the STMs and no silent AF too. with nearly 14x focal length, the distortion is higher than other shorter zooms. read the Amazon reviews for real world user feedback.

One thing about 3rd party lens is the compatibility, it may not work on future Canon DSLR body. happened to my old Sigma zoom that I bought in 1990, now just left collecting dust/fungus. not really a problem in digital age, the body get obsolete way before the lens get fungus. by then you would have upgraded to newer model with newer lens or even another format.

Anyway, Superzoom more of a convenient. the sharpness is OK at the center, the main issues are the aperture size and distortion.

I'll probably will want to buy a Canon one if I really want to buy. So I'm thinking of Canon 18-135mm.

 

[SkillCraft]

I'll probably will want to buy a Canon one if I really want to buy. So I'm thinking of Canon 18-135mm.

Is a good choice of lens with a reasonable sharpness from wide to tele.

 

[bryan09]

Is a good choice of lens with a reasonable sharpness from wide to tele.

Yeah so I'm thinking of that already. Looking around Carousell.