40D shooting issue?

Hey, I was having trouble with the search function, so ill ask anyway, I am having an issue with my 40d. When I attempt to shoot a picture, no matter what mode I am in, it takes up to several times pushing the button before it shoots the pic, sometimes it shoots on the first attempt, sometimes it doesn't. Forgive me if its a noob question, because, well, I am a noob . My ex girlfriend and I bought it a little over a year and a half ago, the camera was mainly purchased for her to start a business, so yadda yadda I ended up with the camera, and dont have much experience with it. Does it sound like something is wrong with the camera? or is it on a setting I don't know about? My manual is missing as well. Thanks guys!

My guess is the camera is having trouble focusing.

Try it in bright light, and focus on an area with high contrast.

What lens are you using, and is it only in AF or MF that this happens?
When I owned a 40D, it had the same issue only when I used the 50mm 1.8. The "AF/MF" switch didn't always disengage the auto focus when i switched to manual. What would happen, is my 50 would try to cycle through the entire focusing range a few times before it would stop and allow me to do anything. a qick toggle of the af/mf switch always fixed it.

Not saying that this is what's wrong with it...but i'm just saying to not overlook something as small as that.

agc1019 wrote in post #7822072
My guess is the camera is having trouble focusing.

Try it in bright light, and focus on an area with high contrast.

Gonna try this tomorrow.. ill post up results

Bukka wrote in post #7822456
What lens are you using, and is it only in AF or MF that this happens?
When I owned a 40D, it had the same issue only when I used the 50mm 1.8. The "AF/MF" switch didn't always disengage the auto focus when i switched to manual. What would happen, is my 50 would try to cycle through the entire focusing range a few times before it would stop and allow me to do anything. a qick toggle of the af/mf switch always fixed it.

Not saying that this is what's wrong with it...but i'm just saying to not overlook something as small as that.

the lens is a 72mm Canon 28-135 it came with the camera. It has been doing it mainly in AF, it doesnt seem to have the problem in MF.

If you still have your auto-focus set to half-shutter depress, it won't shoot without focus confirmation.

Project22a wrote in post #7823203
If you still have your auto-focus set to half-shutter depress, it won't shoot without focus confirmation.

Yep. I discovered the same thing on my 50D - first camera I've owned with that "feature", and it took me a couple times to figure out what was going on! If you switch AF off on the lens and focus manually, it will allow you to shoot.

Put it in AI Servo and try it. It will then fire whether it's in focus or not. My bet is it's a bad shutter button, not the first 40D with button problems.