Is something wrong with my lens or me?

Im a rookie so Im not sure what if anything is wrong with my lens. I have a 17-85 and this is how it acts. This happens when Im zooming in for a close up and I have the lens set to Af. After setting the zoom I press the shutter button 1/2 way to focus my lens, it acts like it cannot get a lock on focus. Is my lens AF broken?

How close is the "close up", are you inside the minimum focusing distance? If you get too close it won't focus.

According to the specs at Canon the closest you can get with that lens is 1.15 ft or about 14 inches.

BTW, is the lens you are referring to a Canon lens?

Its a canon 17-85. Ok if Im shooting a landscape and I want to use the zoom all the way, this is when I cant get a lock.

all the time or only in certain circumstances?

if there isn't enough contrast in what you are trying to focus on or if the lighting is bad it can give you fits.

You should post some resulting pictures. "Acts like it cannot get a lock on focus" is rather imprecise a description. For all we know you set your camera to servo AF so the AF is always on when you half press.

I have set to One Shot Af.

Sounds like the AF sensors can't see anything to lock on. Try rotating the camera about 45 degrees and then perhaps 90 degrees and see if it can lock. It's far better to put the camera in a more manual mode like AV/TV/M than leaving it in one of the auto modes. Put it in a more manual mode- and select which AF point is active. Don't let the camera select- select one.

Which camera are you using ?

Using a 60D and also in M 100%. Is setting to One Shot Af not right? I never change from One Shot AF.

stevigee wrote in post #14493318
Using a 60D and also in M 100%. Is setting to One Shot Af not right? I never change from One Shot AF.

That setting should be just fine. Have you tried other lens on the camera and see if it also suffers from the same problem?

I have a 28-105 and it doesnt seem to do it. surfing maybe a good way to discribe, or maybe feels like moving in and out in small increments inside the lens.

^ "Hunting" is the term.

Hunting is the term Im looking for..if I could say that when I press for focus the lens constantly hunts for a focus on the subject and than when it stops Im not focused.

So far the descriptions indicate the problem comes from the lens. Do u have friends with EOS DSLR that you can try this lens on? That would definitely confirms whether or not the lens is faulty.

Ill see if I can get a hold of a friend and try it on his camera. We dont have a shop here so thats out of the question. This gives me a reason to get a new lens...now which one. 15-85 ( wish it was a 2.8) or maybe 17-55 (would like it longer). Thanks Guys for the help.