Newbie cannot focus properly

Hi everyone,
Please be gentle with me as brand new to photography. I have a canon eos 550d with the kit lens, and prime 55mm 1.8. I have been really struggling getting pictures of my kids in focus with the prime, even with them standing remarkably still and using a tripod. I have since tried to take pictures of static objects and have been having the same trouble. In my more recent tries I have taken photos of a 45 degree line of battery, and no matter what I do when I focus on the middle battery using the viewfinder it is never in focus, in fact usually a battery 1 or 2 in front of it is in focus. However if I use the liveview to focus it is much much better. I cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I have uploaded some test files to flickr (brand new to flickr too so I hope this worked).
If anyone could look at the links below I would be most grateful as I want some nice pics of my kids whilst they are growing up.
Tests were done on tripod with timer. Subject 32" away. All focussed on middle of middle battery.
50mm lens with different apertures ;
Liveview :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xLXh
Viewfinder :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xGr3
Same test with kit lens (obviously doesn't go as wide as 1.8)
Liveview :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1pHrg
Viewfinder :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xtma
Thanks so much.

stitch123 wrote in post #18928556
Hi everyone,
Please be gentle with me as brand new to photography. I have a canon eos 550d with the kit lens, and prime 55mm 1.8. I have been really struggling getting pictures of my kids in focus with the prime, even with them standing remarkably still and using a tripod. I have since tried to take pictures of static objects and have been having the same trouble. In my more recent tries I have taken photos of a 45 degree line of battery, and no matter what I do when I focus on the middle battery using the viewfinder it is never in focus, in fact usually a battery 1 or 2 in front of it is in focus. However if I use the liveview to focus it is much much better. I cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I have uploaded some test files to flickr (brand new to flickr too so I hope this worked).
If anyone could look at the links below I would be most grateful as I want some nice pics of my kids whilst they are growing up.
Tests were done on tripod with timer. Subject 32" away. All focussed on middle of middle battery.
50mm lens with different apertures ;
Liveview :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xLXh
Viewfinder :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xGr3
Same test with kit lens (obviously doesn't go as wide as 1.8)
Liveview :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1pHrg
Viewfinder :
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm​H1xtma
Thanks so much.

It is not clear from your post if you are using AF or MF..

If MF, could you just check first if the diopter control for the view finder is positioned correctly for you? That is the little knurled knob next to the viewfinder. If it doesn’t have a plus and minus marking, just look through the viewfinder at a wall or something, and turn it left or right (if left doesn’t work, try right) until you you see all the shooting info sharply in focus - that should fix that.

It it is AF you are talking about, and the kit lens does focus well, it means the 50 F/1.8 requires micro adjustment. However, that is not possible with the 550D, which means you’d have to have it adjusted by Canon. Unfortunately, that would mean sending in all of your lenses, plus body, to Canon for them to adjust this, and that would mean that you can’t take a photograph for a couple of weeks or thereabouts, and set you back serious money (probably more than the lens costs new)

Alternatively, if the 50 F/1.8 is brand new, I’d suggest you go back to the store where you bought it, and exchange it for another, and actually try it out in the store until you find one that focuses well with your camera body.

Another alternative, if the lens was bought used, is to sell it on, and get another one, but do try it in-store until you have one that focuses well with your body.

HTH, kind regards, Wim

Is camera in full auto? My wife was in trouble to get pictures in auto with 500D.

Is camera or/and pictures showing where AF points are/were on the shot?

In DPP you can see which focus point was active when the image was made.

Hi, its in Av mode so I can slowly close it to show the dof. Yes the focus points are directly over the middle battery which is never in focus.

kf095 wrote in post #18928609
Is camera in full auto? My wife was in trouble to get pictures in auto with 500D.

Is camera or/and pictures showing where AF points are/were on the shot?

Hi, I am using autofocus, and the problem is there with both my kit lens and my 50mm lens. The kit lens only stops to 5.6 so its not as noticeable. Unfortunately the lens is a few years old, and the camera probably nearer 10. I never noticed before as I figured I was rubbish at photography and didn't use it for years and only recently got back into it after seeing some great results from my friend with a Sony a6400 of his children.

Gregsiem wrote in post #18928619
In DPP you can see which focus point was active when the image was made.

Thanks for the reply. The focus point was the middle one set in the middle battery. It is set to centre focus point only. The middle battery which always had the focus point on it is never in focus. When using liveview to focus it is in focus.

If you are using a single AF point and you have it on the middle battery and every time you are that it says it has focus, but after the shot, it is front focusing, you have a misalignment somewhere in the mirror box or AF sensor array. It could be a lens issue but if you have two lenses that both have this issue, it is more likely the body is to blame.

The 550D didn't have the AFMA function that would allow you to adjust for this, so like mentioned, you have to send in the gear to Canon to adjust like we all had to before they offered AFMA in some models.

It is probably not worth the cost or effort, and might be better to sell the 550D and get the equivalent but higher rated camera the 7d which has AFMA. If you are in the US, you have access to refurbished models from Canon which are usually new cameras but at lower prices, and you might consider the 80d or other models that do have AFMA.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18928801
If you are using a single AF point and you have it on the middle battery and every time you are that it says it has focus, but after the shot, it is front focusing, you have a misalignment somewhere in the mirror box or AF sensor array. It could be a lens issue but if you have two lenses that both have this issue, it is more likely the body is to blame.

The 550D didn't have the AFMA function that would allow you to adjust for this, so like mentioned, you have to send in the gear to Canon to adjust like we all had to before they offered AFMA in some models.

It is probably not worth the cost or effort, and might be better to sell the 550D and get the equivalent but higher rated camera the 7d which has AFMA. If you are in the US, you have access to refurbished models from Canon which are usually new cameras but at lower prices, and you might consider the 80d or other models that do have AFMA.

Thanks for the reply. I believe you are right and with the value of the 550d it is not worth repairing. I am just now having a look at equivalent Canons, or may even consider one of the newer Sony alpha series with eye AF etc. I only have 2 lenses for the canon (the kit and the 50mm) so I am not heavily invested in Canon.

You can also consider the M series from Canon, they will run circles around the 550D, and don't require AF adjustments.

Mirrorless, eye af (albeit Canon's version that they keep tweaking), many more AF points available, just as fast autofocus as the 550D or better, better IQ, better ISO, etc.