New to DSLR with Canon 60D but have a question

[acr_scout]

Hello,

I just picked up a Canon 60D for the wife today. Sometime when trying to take a picture in a dark room all the camera does is work the auto focus but never fires. If you turn off the auto focus it fires right away with the flash.

I have tried it in auto mode and in portrait mode. One thing my wife pointed out is that the picture we were taking had a light behind the subject.

The lens is 18-200mm Canon.

Thank you,
Fred

 

[MLeeK]

Your focus depends upon contrast to lock. In a dark room it's not going to find focus to lock onto. When you turn off the auto focus it fires because it doesn't need to be focused properly to fire. You can turn on the AF assist beam. It's in the custom function menus and I can't tell you off hand what menu it's in right now.

 

[BastiaanImages]

The camera can't focus on darkness. If you're in auto mode then it will fire pre-flashes to focus but when something is back-lit, it maybe so that the camera still sees black in the focus area. Turn the lights on in the room, press the shutter button halfway to make the camera focus, put it on manual focus, lights out and take your picture.

 

[PhillOS]

You're right, im sorry, i was bitching because i couldn't afford a nice camera like that when i first started out. And thus i had to upgrade 3 times once i got a taste for the hobby

Bare with me

 

[iresq]

See page 79 of your manual. The AF assist should be automatic but is precluded from certain shooting modes.

PhillOS - really? I didn't know there was a knowledge requirement before spending/buying.

 

[analog.universe]

A 60D for your wife, and none of you know **** about photography..

Maybe a point&shoot would've sufficed?

Anyway, enjoy the camera, and im sorry about my little rant up there!

Goodness, I hate this argument.... better to learn on the ****tiest equipment and then upgrade 10 times right?

/end of rant about rant


To the OP, the issue you're experiencing is also related to the focus mode. In "one-shot" focus mode, which it sounds like you're in, the shutter won't release until focus is locked. If you switch to "ai-servo", the camera will continually hunt focus as the scene changes, but it will let you snap whenever, regardless of whether or not focus is locked. Focusing in the dark is always a challenge for a camera, but the 18-200 lens makes it even more difficult. This lens is not really designed for low light, so it doesn't have a large maximum aperture. This means that less light is making it not only to the capture sensor, but also to the autofocus system. The AF assist as mentioned will help in certain situations, but if you're going to be doing a lot of shooting in low light, I'd suggest picking up a faster lens, 50mm 1.8 or some such.

 

[Big Mike]

Yes, as analog.universe said, it comes down to the focus mode.

Basically, the only time that your camera will not take a photo when you're pressing the button (all the way down) is when you're in 'one shot' and it can't achieve focus.