40D acting a little weird

OK I have a 40D so yes it getting a little old, but it has served me extremely well until now. I am having a issue with the shutter button and wanted to know if anyone has experienced this before.

When going to take a shot, I half press the shutter the camera focuses, and i get the conformation beep, then i full press to take the shot just like your supposed to. Recently I half press, it focuses and beeps, then i full press and sometime i get nothing. So my issue is it is focusing and beeping, but randomly when I full press on the shutter it wont do anything, and I will have to re-focus and try again.

I have reset all of my setting to make sure it was not some custom function issue. What makes this even more strange is if I use the "AF lock" button to focus instead of half pressing the shutter it will take the photo every time. This issue has caused me to miss some key photos because the shutter did not go off when I needed it to. Has anyone experienced this or hear of it before?

Thank you

Also I am planning on getting a 70D soon, but I was hoping on keeping the 40D for backup so I hope nothing is wrong with it.

Sounds like the second stage of the button has poor contact for some reason. Could be worn or dirty.

This is a very common problem with the contacts on a 40D, I've had it on both of mine, more so on one than the other. Clean with I think it is called 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (not 70%) which is commonly available at the drug store. Cost about $2 or so.

Remove your batteries and turn upside down and aim towards the shutter button. Pour in the alcohol and work the shutter button several times. Drain well and let dry overnight. This is a common cleaning method that may help you. I did both of mine, helped one much more than the other.

Other threads exist on the site concerning this issue, review them prior to cleaning. Shutter button can be replaced, but cost may not be competitive. I love my two 40D's. Vertical grip is a helpful addition.

Here is a video illustrating the procedure described above.

Had the same issue with my 50d

https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17627418

Probably 2 months/1500+ actuations later and I do think it is starting to come back (I asked myself "Did I press the shutter button hard enough 2 or 3 times last week, whale watching)

If you are inclined, the best method seems to be disassembly and cleaning the contacts manually.

i can also vouch for the alcohol in the battery slot...i had the same issue with my 40D, i had to apply the alcohol twice to get it to work as good as new, but it worked fine...it's simple to do too

sounds like the classic "shutter switch dirty" problem... either isopropyl down the battery compartment in measured doses, or send it off to Canon for a switch replacement.
Another DIY fix could include taping a remote shutter release to the side of the body if you can't stomach either of the earlier suggestions.

A Battery Grip gives you a second shutter button. I will use mine sometimes on the lesser of 2 40 D's on a bad day. A Mieke might be just $30-50, a Canon BE-E2 or -E2N around $75 or so??? Adds a 2nd Battery and looks good!

CanonCameraFan wrote in post #17665310
A Battery Grip gives you a second shutter button. I will use mine sometimes on the lesser of 2 40 D's on a bad day. A Mieke might be just $30-50, a Canon BE-E2 or -E2N around $75 or so??? Adds a 2nd Battery and looks good!

But the button on the grip isn't too convenient for landscape shots, is it?

At what point did Canon change the shutter button construction? I'm asking because I don't think I've ever read about this problem on any camera that was released after the 50d...

from the parts manuals, 40D / 50D & 60D shutter release switch all look very similar... maybe they've just sourced a more reliable switch.
Having said that, the 50D parts diagram looks to have been edited so the dial assembly isn't the same quality diagram as the rest of the catalog, and a couple of items have been added/deleted so maybe that's a pointer...

e.g.

My 50D did the same, alcohol trick fixed it.

No it's not. Still cheap though. And on the other hand, the original isn't too good for portraits either.

As the old saying goes (which really has begun influencing me to shoot more portrait orientation the past year), "You'll never get a magazine Cover shot by shooting landscape"!

^ say what?

Orientation. Most magazine cover shots are in Portrait orientation, not Landscape.