Need help...new lens and won't focus

[Christa]

I bought a new 50mm f/1.8 lens and recieved it today. It will not focus though. Am I doing something wrong? I took it off and put it on again, changed some settings, and still pics come out blurry. I am not sure what to do to fix.

Also, I am just a beginner, so maybe there is something I don't know. Please help....I'd love to take some closeups of my 3 babies!!!

[forno]

What settings are you using, what f stop and what focus point and what shutter speed

[mmahoney]

I bought a new 50mm f/1.8 lens and recieved it today. It will not focus though. Am I doing something wrong? I took it off and put it on again, changed some settings, and still pics come out blurry. I am not sure what to do to fix.

Also, I am just a beginner, so maybe there is something I don't know. Please help....I'd love to take some closeups of my 3 babies!!!

There could be several things amiss here but since it's a new lens giving you the trouble have you made sure the AF / MF switch is set to AF?
Mike

[Skraap]

set the MF/AF switch on the lens to AF ;)

[Christa]

It is on AF....I double/triple checked. I am not sure of the settings. I will have to grab it from the other room.

[runninmann]

Close distances? All distances?

[lmnop88]

Close distances? All distances?

Yea, how close are you to the subject? The min. focus distance on that lens is pretty far... :evil:

[JackProton]

See if this procedure gives you a sharp image:

(1) Set the camera to use 'one-shot' focusing.
(2) Put the camera in auto 'P' (program) mode rather than any of the pic modes (like green box).
(3) Switch the lens to 'AF' mode.
(4) Select the center focus point.
(5) Aim at a brightly lit subject and half press the shutter release.
(6) The center focus point should light up red and the camera should beep.
(7) Fully press the shutter release.

By the way, if the 50mm f1.8 is used wide open ( f1.8 ), the background and near foreground in your images will be very blurry - only the thing you focused on itself will be sharp.

[jra]

Could you post us a couple of examples of your pics? Can you hear the lens trying to focus? Are you getting the focus confirmation beep?