Loss of AF with 20D

[RGorrill]

Okay, this just happened tonight. My autofocus under all of the Creative Zones failed to operate no matter what lens was mounted on the 20D. It worked fine yesterday and every day since I received the camera 10 days ago. The AF works in all of the Basic Zones and I also checked all of the lenses on my 10D and AF works fine in all modes. The lenses include the 17-40mm L, 24mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.0 and 135mm 2.8 plus a Sigma 28-70 and Sigma 70-300.

The battery has been removed and replaced. All camera settings have been reset and still no AF in Creative Zones with the 20D. I have not, as yet, sent in my registration so if we can't figure it out then I guess the camera goes back to my dealer.

Bob :cry:

[Scottes]

You didn't happen to set the AF to * with C-FN.04, did you? Even if you didn't, try AFing by pressing the * button on the back of the camera, just to make sure that something whacky didn't happen.

If it AFs with * then set Custom Function 4 to 1 to get it back to normal.

Just a thought. I've seen it happen before - 4 of us were huddled over a "broken" 10D when a light bulb went off.

[drisley]

:idea: Great thinking.
Let us know if that works

[danphoto1]

My quesrtion is why are you changing lenses with the camera on and in the sleep mode? It is my understanding that you should turn the camera off becuawse of the is less staic charge to attract dirt to the sensor area with the camera off. this may solve two problems ast once

[cecilc]

It is my understanding that you should turn the camera off becuawse of the is less staic charge to attract dirt to the sensor area with the camera off.

Apparently, that belief is pretty widespread .....

Here's an article that touches on that belief: Pushing Pixels: Digital Myths (http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1215) on the SportShooter.com website.

The pertinent reading (at least, to this point) is in paragraph 7. But the whole article is good reading ....

[RGorrill]

You didn't happen to set the AF to * with C-FN.04, did you? Even if you didn't, try AFing by pressing the * button on the back of the camera, just to make sure that something whacky didn't happen.

If it AFs with * then set Custom Function 4 to 1 to get it back to normal.

Just a thought. I've seen it happen before - 4 of us were huddled over a "broken" 10D when a light bulb went off.

Many thanks for your insight. Apparently I did something in the dark of night and hit something that caused the change in the autofocus setting. I ran the suggested test by pressing the * button and the AF worked. I then went into Custom Functions and found that the setting had, indeed, been changed. I reset it back to the Default setting and it is all working as it should now.

BTW, PC Magazine just gave a great review to the 20D and made it their Editors Choice.

Bob :D

[drisley]

Uh, Rgorrill.... methinks you owe Scottes a beer! 8)

[RGorrill]

Uh, Rgorrill.... methinks you owe Scottes a beer! 8)

All Scottes has to do is to visit mid coastal Maine - Damariscotta - and not only will I treat him to a beer but would introduce him to my son who owns a microbrewery. :lol:

My dealer called me this afternoon and was making arrangements to have a new body ready for pickup on Monday afternoon in Portland, Maine. The store I dealt with is located in Massachusetts - Hunts Photo and Video and definitely Digital - which is where the camera was shipped from but to save on shipping costs they were going to transfer one to their Portland store and do a swap there. It is a great company to do business with and their prices are, at times, a little bit better than B&H but on average they are equal after figuring in shipping costs.

Bob