EF 50mm f/1.4 Auto Focus Problem, Pls Enlighten

cqrv · 18th February 2004

Recently purchased a 50 1.4. Got the shock of my life when mounted it on a D60 & found the combo to be not focussing in the AF mode at all!!

The lens barrell would just stay stuck & made some whirring noise when the shutter release was half depressed. I tried the MF mode (of the lens) & everything seemed to be fine. Upon switching back to the AF mode, however this time now everything seemed OK & the lens worked like a charm.

But the same problem came back the next day. Went thru the above exercise: AF > MF > AF to make the lens AF work properly

(BTW the body just works fine with other primes).

Not willing to put up with such whims & fancies of a new lens I returned it back.

I am missing the lens for its good optical quality & now shopping for another one although I am just too scared having been thru this problem.

Pls enlighten if this is the norm for this lens to behave this way!

I hope my fears are unfounded & I can go ahead & buy again.

Thanks.

sehsuan · 18th February 2004

let someone else try it on the camera body first.

if there is no problem, you might want to bring your set down to canon service centre and highlight this.

kiwi2 · 18th February 2004

Originally Posted by cqrv

Recently purchased a 50 1.4. Got the shock of my life when mounted it on a D60 & found the combo to be not focussing in the AF mode at all!!

The lens barrell would just stay stuck & made some whirring noise when the shutter release was half depressed. I tried the MF mode (of the lens) & everything seemed to be fine. Upon switching back to the AF mode, however this time now everything seemed OK & the lens worked like a charm.

But the same problem came back the next day. Went thru the above exercise: AF > MF > AF to make the lens AF work properly

(BTW the body just works fine with other primes).

Not willing to put up with such whims & fancies of a new lens I returned it back.

I am missing the lens for its good optical quality & now shopping for another one although I am just too scared having been thru this problem.

Pls enlighten if this is the norm for this lens to behave this way!

I hope my fears are unfounded & I can go ahead & buy again.

Thanks.

Try it on a different body/bodies and see if this happens. Hmm, beats me why it could do that on your D60. This is an excellent lens and it works well on my Canon digital and film SLRs. Don't let this experience deter you!

cqrv · 18th February 2004

Originally Posted by sehsuan

let someone else try it on the camera body first.

if there is no problem, you might want to bring your set down to canon service centre and highlight this.

I have already returned the lens back to the dealer. Actually first went to Canon Service who recommended it doing it this way.

Wondering if I should again buy the same lens & not have to face the same problem.

West_ray · 18th February 2004

Originally Posted by cqrv

I have already returned the lens back to the dealer. Actually first went to Canon Service who recommended it doing it this way.

Wondering if I should again buy the same lens & not have to face the same problem.

hmmm i think the lens u bought might be defected, so if u wanna buy the same lens, just go ahead. just remember to bring ur body when u purchase the lens, so u can try on the spot ...

rty · 18th February 2004

Canon 50mm F1.4 has been around in the market for quite sometime already. If you like a fast focusing F1.4 lens, go ahead and buy it again. I am sure the problem was with that particular lens only. I bought mine several months ago and I have never encountered any problem with it on my 10D.

cqrv · 18th February 2004

I am also of the same opinion. It was probably a defective one.

Sure I will go ahead & buy it again, as the optics of the lens is very good.

Thanks everybody!

xmen1977 · 19th February 2004

Originally Posted by cqrv

I have already returned the lens back to the dealer. Actually first went to Canon Service who recommended it doing it this way.

Wondering if I should again buy the same lens & not have to face the same problem.

glad that u met the right dealer

u brought the camera to the service centre to test too?

cqrv · 19th February 2004

Originally Posted by xmen1977

glad that u met the right dealer

u brought the camera to the service centre to test too?

Right dealer, well......

Actually just took the entire lens package to Canon Service. They took quite a while (to test?) before they declared that I approach the dealer directly. Very Responsive!

18th February 2004	#1
cqrv Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 52	EF 50mm f/1.4 Auto Focus Problem, Pls Enlighten Recently purchased a 50 1.4. Got the shock of my life when mounted it on a D60 & found the combo to be not focussing in the AF mode at all!! The lens barrell would just stay stuck & made some whirring noise when the shutter release was half depressed. I tried the MF mode (of the lens) & everything seemed to be fine. Upon switching back to the AF mode, however this time now everything seemed OK & the lens worked like a charm. But the same problem came back the next day. Went thru the above exercise: AF > MF > AF to make the lens AF work properly (BTW the body just works fine with other primes). Not willing to put up with such whims & fancies of a new lens I returned it back. I am missing the lens for its good optical quality & now shopping for another one although I am just too scared having been thru this problem. Pls enlighten if this is the norm for this lens to behave this way! I hope my fears are unfounded & I can go ahead & buy again. Thanks.

18th February 2004	#2
sehsuan Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,674	let someone else try it on the camera body first. if there is no problem, you might want to bring your set down to canon service centre and highlight this.

18th February 2004	#6
rty Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Here and Now Posts: 1,106	Canon 50mm F1.4 has been around in the market for quite sometime already. If you like a fast focusing F1.4 lens, go ahead and buy it again. I am sure the problem was with that particular lens only. I bought mine several months ago and I have never encountered any problem with it on my 10D.