Canon EOS 1300D DSLR Camera - Help Needed!

FortMorris · Feb 5, 2018

Hi,

Bought myself a camera I thought would be simple, as I'm an amateur.
Taken out of the box and charged the battery overnight. Put it all together with a newish Sandisk SD card, and I can't get any power to the viewfinder. Not even as far as setting the time and date.

When I look through the eyepiece, there are numbers at the bottom when the camera is ON, so there is some power coming through.

Please help - I'm waiting to hear back from Canon but I bought this for my holiday this Friday!

Thanks
Scott

Cortian · Feb 5, 2018

(Almost afraid to ask...)

User's Manual offers no guidance?

ac12 · Feb 5, 2018

Today's dslrs are anything but simple.
Read the manual with the camera next to you.
And as you read, look at those functions/buttons/etc on the camera, and try to follow along.
If you are running out of time, read the basic/quick start section, then read the index for specific stuff.

You should NEVER get a new device, immediately before a vacation or event.
You usually need time to learn the device, and get used to how it works.

Bring the manual with you on vacation, or a PDF of the manual on your smart-phone.
Because odds are you WILL do something that you don't know how to get out of. And the only solution is to read the manual. Been there, done that, TWICE.

john.margetts · Feb 5, 2018

FortMorris said:
Hi,

Bought myself a camera I thought would be simple, as I'm an amateur.
Taken out of the box and charged the battery overnight. Put it all together with a newish Sandisk SD card, and I can't get any power to the viewfinder. Not even as far as setting the time and date.

When I look through the eyepiece, there are numbers at the bottom when the camera is ON, so there is some power coming through.

Please help - I'm waiting to hear back from Canon but I bought this for my holiday this Friday!

Thanks
Scott

What are you expecting in the viewfinder? It is an optical viewfinder so the only info you will get there is the row of numbers at the bottom. Setting of date and time is done on the rear screen not the viewfinder.

If you want to use the rear screen as a viewfinder, you need to press the live view button first - see manual or download the manual from Canon.

FortMorris · Feb 6, 2018

Ok so Yeah i checked the manual which offered nothing really, but I found a forum where older canon models had the same issue (albeit after months of use). Basically i had to reformat the sd card and leave off for 10 mins and it then booted up.

Surprised as it was a pretty new card, but seems to do the trick. Panic over.

Thanks for the help all.

PJcam · Feb 6, 2018

@FortMorris

Welcome to the forum Scott, I am new also, to the forum, to photography and to the camera.

Search Google for Canon T6 Rebel DSLR 1300D PDF Manual, download the manual, save it, then open it.

Read from the start then go to page 26 & 27 and familiarise yourself with all parts of the camera, what each button, dial etc are. Then read the rest of the manual, the manual tells you about the camera and what all the buttons and dials are, it doesn't tell you how to take pictures.

On page 27 you will see a button top rear called... Live View Shooting. With the lens cap Off, this button will allow you to toggle between seeing camera controls and seeing what you view through the view finder. Note, as it toggles, it will only allow you to view through one or the other.

It is a great camera, I purchased mine 5 weeks ago, but there is a lot to learn, one day at a time.

Here is a good video to help you use your Canon T6 1300D camera, 53 minutes but it will definitely help you.

TCampbell · Feb 8, 2018

There's one question I have and it may seem silly... but I've seen people make this mistake -- so I thought it's at least worth asking.

Just occasionally, someone will insert the battery into the camera, connect the USB cable... and assume that the battery is charging via that USB cable. The camera battery cannot be charged via the USB cable. The only way to charge it is to remove the battery from the camera and insert it into the wall-charger that came with the new camera.

The USB port is only for performing file transfers or for using a computer to remotely control the camera.

A few other things...

There's a sensor (micro-switch) on the battery compartment door and another on the SD card slot door. If either door is open (if the switch isn't engaged) then the camera wont power up. (make sure both battery and card doors are closed).

Lastly, it is possible to put the display into a mode where it stays dark even though the camera is powered on. The "Disp" (display) button on the back of the camera will cycle through various display options (what the camera will display on the rear LCD screen) and one of the choices is for the screen to just remain dark. HOWEVER... certain things will cause the display to light up (even if it's in the dark mode) ... such as pressing the Menu button (that should always display the menu as long as the camera is powered on.)

If the menu button can summon up the menu then the camera is on and the display works. If the menu button cannot summon the camera menu then the camera isn't really on (the battery may be dead) OR the camera is defective.