580ex II with my 10-22

msowsun wrote in post #6070274
That doesn't sound good.

There is no point checking the custom functions if the camera is focusing with the shutter button.

You may have a camera problem from what you describe. But sometimes these "problems" turn out to be user error.

It is strange that the lens focuses perfectly sharp and then stops at a blurry position. Watch the focus distance scale on the lens as this happens and see if you can tell what is happening. Does it stop close to the actual distance? or is it way off?

check out the pics i posted...the blurry one is where it stops

That just means that all your custom functions (1-7) are set to Zero. That is good.

ok guys....this has to be a low light problem...

i have my camera in my office, i just pointed it to 3 things and each time it focused perfect with a half press of the shutter button.

with the 10-22 btw.

msowsun wrote in post #6070302
That just means that all your custom functions (1-7) are set to Zero. That is good.

ok, that's good, but what is the 1 or 2 golf nut was talking about?

obviously, there doesn't seem to be any issues with the Cfn IV settings, but i'm still curious

Each Custom Function has different options. As you scroll the wheel, you can see the options for each "operation".

C.Fn IV 1 is "Shutter button/AF-ON button" It has 5 options: 0 or 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5

The reason one of the images you posted, the one shot in manual mode, is out of focus is because the camera was in AI Servo mode and there probably wasn't enough light for the camera to acquire focus without the focus assist beam from the flash (it's turned off when shooting in AI Servo mode). You should have been the focus confirmation light blinking when focus acquisition failed.

When you switched the camera to Auto mode, the camera automatically changed the AF mode to AI Focus. In that mode, the flash emits the focus assist light which allows the camera to easily acquire focus.

PacAce wrote in post #6070528
The reason one of the images you posted, the one shot in manual mode, is out of focus is because the camera was in AI Servo mode and there probably wasn't enough light for the camera to acquire focus without the focus assist beam from the flash (it's turned off when shooting in AI Servo mode). You should have been the focus confirmation light blinking when focus acquisition failed.

When you switched the camera to Auto mode, the camera automatically changed the AF mode to AI Focus. In that mode, the flash emits the focus assist light which allows the camera to easily acquire focus.

that's why i want to try to do the same shot tonight in AI mode...

thank you!

ok, it was the AI focus mode...on servo it kept trying to focus....on AI focus, it focuses once, accurate and sharp!!! and snaps the pic!

thanks...

now, since i have some flash guys in here....

i noticed the lcd on my flash flashes after the flash fires, what does this mean?

it just keeps flashing/blinking....

Probably means your "wide panel" is not pushed all the way in.

msowsun wrote in post #6073199
Probably means your "wide panel" is not pushed all the way in.

wow....good call....that is exactly what it was....