350D won't shoot

[vandecarr]

Here is what happened.

I took my daughter to a father daughter dance at her school last night. I took out the Rebel xt using a Canon 50mm f1/8 lens and had a flash on the hot shoe.

The gym was lit just enough to see using a few DJ lights.

I had it set to manual, the lens apeture wide open flash on the hotshoe and got ready to shoot.

The lens was trying to focus but couldn't.

I pushed the button all the way down and it wouldn't take any pictures.

THEN, I aimed the camera in the distance and snapped a shot and it worked, but it wouldn't work when I tryed shooting my daughter.

Next, I went further and set it to manual focus as well and it worked but obviously not in focus because I could hardly see to get it in focus.

anyway....is the reason it didn't take the shot because the cameras auto focus couldn't focus? AND, is there a way around it?

Next how can I take photos when its that dark?


Thanks,
Mike

 

[Digital Matt]

Change your AF button to the star button on the back, by your thumb. This way AF and shutter are seperate. In manual mode, you can take a picture regardless of focus, but it will give you problems when both functions are linked to the same button.

 

[250Gimp]

Were you too close to your daughter for the lense to focus? I think the 50mm has a minimum distance of about 20 inches. I have noticed with mine that it sometimes has trouble focussing in really low light. Does your flash have the capability to strobe the subject to help with focus?

This probably doesn't help, but I thought I would put it out there.

Cheers