Problems Shooting with Bigma

canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
edited February 8, 2008 in Cameras
I am having problems using my Bigma 50-500 on my 40D. I have the camera setting on the centre AF point. When I use AV for shooting I find it will not focus or fire unless I am shooting something about 30 yards away. When I change the setting to ADEP no problem it will focus and fire everytime. I am obviously doing something wrong can anyone please help me.
Regards
Bob

Comments

  • Tee WhyTee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins
    edited February 6, 2008
    If this is only occuring with the Av mode, it may be a contact/electrical issue.
    First thing I'd do is try cleaning the lens contact on the lens (assuming this only occurs with this lens).
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Tee Why wrote:
    If this is only occuring with the Av mode, it may be a contact/electrical issue.
    First thing I'd do is try cleaning the lens contact on the lens (assuming this only occurs with this lens).

    Thanks for replying. Can you please tell me the best way to clean the contacts on the lens.

    Bob
  • 3n-out3n-out Registered Users Posts: 155 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    Thanks for replying. Can you please tell me the best way to clean the contacts on the lens.

    Bob

    The best thing to clean contacts on any electrical device is a pencil eraser. Assuming you can reach the contacts. Rubber is non-conductive and cleans contacts great.
    If you don't have creative enthusiasum all you have is a camera in your hands!

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  • jgoetz4jgoetz4 Registered Users Posts: 1,267 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Bigma problems
    canon400d wrote:
    Thanks for replying. Can you please tell me the best way to clean the contacts on the lens.

    Bob

    Good Morning,
    I use chrome cleaner on a q-tip to remove any build up from the metal contacts. You'll be surprised how well it works. I used this years ago (as an electronic tech) to clean mode switches on vcrs, rather then replace them.
    Have a good day :D
    Jim...
  • zackerzacker Registered Users Posts: 451 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    something seems strange here... have you tried it in TV or manual or P and auto modes too? does it work or not? how about the other focus points?
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  • claudermilkclaudermilk Registered Users Posts: 2,756 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    I just use a q-tip and rubbing alcohol. The problem with an eraser is it's abrasive, so while it works, it's scoring the surface & makes it more likely the contact will gunk up in the future.
    Chris
    http://www.chrislaudermilkphoto.com/
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    zacker wrote:
    something seems strange here... have you tried it in TV or manual or P and auto modes too? does it work or not? how about the other focus points?

    I have tried it out today again and I have tried it in all the modes and it intermitently fires on all modes but I am now unable to get it to automatically focus unless I am photographing somethig say a distance of about 30 yards away and it focuses fine. I have tried using the manual focus and I am unable to get a sharp focus like I used to. I use the centre AF point and I have tried it on all the points but it makes no difference. I thought I would try it on my 400D and it does exactly the same. I cannot understand this because when I was using the lens a few months ago it was focusing fine in all modes.
    Thanks everyone for your help.
    Bob
  • Tee WhyTee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Assuming other lenses are working fine with the body, then the electronics on the bigma seems off. It may be time to send it into sigma for repairs.
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Tee Why wrote:
    Assuming other lenses are working fine with the body, then the electronics on the bigma seems off. It may be time to send it into sigma for repairs.

    I will have to do that as I have only had it 4 months from new. I got it from the States as a present. So I will have to try and get it seen to over here. If it is going to cost a lot I will probably bin it as I don't use it that often.
    Thanks for all your help.
    Bob
    Dumfries & Galloway
    Scotland
  • Tee WhyTee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Sigma in the US has a international 1 year warranty. If Sigma in UK does the same, you should be covered if you have a receipt.
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  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    Is there a focus range limit switch?

    On many Canon lenses, there is a switch that locks out the closer focus ranges to speed focus in the longer focal distances.
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  • BigAlBigAl Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 7, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    I am having problems using my Bigma 50-500 on my 40D. I have the camera setting on the centre AF point. When I use AV for shooting I find it will not focus or fire unless I am shooting something about 30 yards away. When I change the setting to ADEP no problem it will focus and fire everytime. I am obviously doing something wrong can anyone please help me.
    Regards
    Bob
    This doesn't sound like a lens problem to me as the lens won't know what mode the camera is in. If there was a problem with the lens it should give problems in any mode. I pose the following questions:
    - are you using a converter?
    - do you have good support for the camera/lens?
    - are you using AI-servo and handholding the lens?
    - are you using single shot or burst mode?
    - have you fiddled with any CF modes - especially C.Fn-III-1?
    - what subject are you shooting - is there enough contrast for the AF to work? It sounds to me as though you're trying to shoot something very far away.

    Remember, there is nothing special about ADep, all it does is choose a reasonably high F-number for the shot. You can simulate this using Av or M modes.
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    Tee Why wrote:
    Sigma in the US has a international 1 year warranty. If Sigma in UK does the same, you should be covered if you have a receipt.

    Yes I have a receipt and all the paperwork for it. Thanks for informing me and I will certainly make enquiries if need be.
    Regards
    Bob
  • jgoetz4jgoetz4 Registered Users Posts: 1,267 Major grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    Bigma problems
    canon400d wrote:
    Yes I have a receipt and all the paperwork for it. Thanks for informing me and I will certainly make enquiries if need be.
    Regards
    Bob

    Good Morning,
    Canon, Nikon, Tamron & Sigma (USA) do not require a receipt if the item was a gift. You still need to include the blank warranty card. Just send in a note with the problem you are having and say the item was a gift. Whatever date you tell them that you received it will be the official start of the warranty period. It has worked 4 different times for me.
    Good luck & have a good day :D
    Jim...
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    BigAl wrote:
    This doesn't sound like a lens problem to me as the lens won't know what mode the camera is in. If there was a problem with the lens it should give problems in any mode. I pose the following questions:
    - are you using a converter?
    - do you have good support for the camera/lens?
    - are you using AI-servo and handholding the lens?
    - are you using single shot or burst mode?
    - have you fiddled with any CF modes - especially C.Fn-III-1?
    - what subject are you shooting - is there enough contrast for the AF to work? It sounds to me as though you're trying to shoot something very far away.

    Remember, there is nothing special about ADep, all it does is choose a reasonably high F-number for the shot. You can simulate this using Av or M modes.

    Thanks ever so much for your reply and attempting to solve my problem. I personally don't think the lens is faulty. However, I have numbered the answers to your questions and they are as follows:-
    1. I am not using a converter.
    2. I was using a tripod and also hand held with the same result.
    3. I have not been using A1 Servo. I have been using 'One Shot' and 'A1
    Focus'
    4. I have been using 'Single Shot'
    5. My CF modes are as follows:-
    C.F1: Exposure Safety Shift is Enabled (TV/AV)
    C.F111 - Auto Focus Drive superimposed display is in the 'On' position.
    6. I was trying to shoot something very far away. The weather in Scotland is normally cloudy at this tume of year. I did find if I was attempting to shoot something close the auto-focus worked perfectly and this is what is making me think the lens is acting normally. I just have never experienced these problems previously.
    I eagerly await your reply and advice and instructions.
    Regards

    Bob
  • TelecorderTelecorder Registered Users Posts: 73 Big grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    6. I was trying to shoot something very far away. The weather in Scotland is normally cloudy at this tume of year. I did find if I was attempting to shoot something close the auto-focus worked perfectly and this is what is making me think the lens is acting normally. I just have never experienced these problems previously.

    Bob--
    Sounds like the issue is more to do with lack of subject contrast causing it to not lock on with AF - especially if closer objects are able to get AF lock. A lot of distance to subject, atmospheric haze/diffuse lighting with cloudy Scottish weather and possibly poor/insufficient subject contrast is probably the issue since you're at least at f/6.3 at the long end. In these cases, is the AF going back and forth trying to lock onto your intended subject? Have you tried on a different distant subject that has more of a starker difference in contrast?
    Telecorder (Dave)
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    Telecorder wrote:
    Bob--
    Sounds like the issue is more to do with lack of subject contrast causing it to not lock on with AF - especially if closer objects are able to get AF lock. A lot of distance to subject, atmospheric haze/diffuse lighting with cloudy Scottish weather and possibly poor/insufficient subject contrast is probably the issue since you're at least at f/6.3 at the long end. In these cases, is the AF going back and forth trying to lock onto your intended subject? Have you tried on a different distant subject that has more of a starker difference in contrast?

    Yes I am sure you are right as I have always been told the lighting conditions play a big part with this type of lens. When I half depress my firing button there is nothing and yet when I depress it half way for a nearer focal shot it works fine. I am so interested to hear what Bigal has to tell me as I am sure it is in my set up with the camera.
  • BigAlBigAl Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 8, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    Yes I am sure you are right as I have always been told the lighting conditions play a big part with this type of lens. When I half depress my firing button there is nothing and yet when I depress it half way for a nearer focal shot it works fine. I am so interested to hear what Bigal has to tell me as I am sure it is in my set up with the camera.
    Bob, you say "there is nothing" under the problem conditions - does the AF hunt? It should hunt even when you try and focus with the lens cap on.
    canon400d wrote:
    5. My CF modes are as follows:-
    C.F1: Exposure Safety Shift is Enabled (TV/AV)
    C.F111 - Auto Focus Drive superimposed display is in the 'On' position.
    I think for a test try clearing all custom functions.
    canon400d wrote:
    6. I was trying to shoot something very far away. The weather in Scotland is normally cloudy at this tume of year. I did find if I was attempting to shoot something close the auto-focus worked perfectly and this is what is making me think the lens is acting normally. I just have never experienced these problems previously.
    I still have a feeling that lack of contrast is the problem - maybe try to take a pic of a bright white boat on one of your lochs.

    As a matter of interest, do you still have the 400d? You could try the lens on a different body.

    Before you go to the expense of sending the lens back, try to link up with someone in Scotland with similar kit to yours. You could try swopping lenses and cameras to test. To find someone, you could try your query on something like birdforum.net.
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2008
    BigAl wrote:
    Bob, you say "there is nothing" under the problem conditions - does the AF hunt? It should hunt even when you try and focus with the lens cap on.

    I think for a test try clearing all custom functions.

    I still have a feeling that lack of contrast is the problem - maybe try to take a pic of a bright white boat on one of your lochs.

    As a matter of interest, do you still have the 400d? You could try the lens on a different body.

    Before you go to the expense of sending the lens back, try to link up with someone in Scotland with similar kit to yours. You could try swopping lenses and cameras to test. To find someone, you could try your query on something like birdforum.net.

    Thanks once again for replying to my problem, which I really appreciate. Initially I tried the lens on my 400D and I was getting the same result. However, this afternoon it was quite sunny across the estuary and I did not remove the lens cap and when I tried, it would not hunt an AF focus point. I then changed the setting to Al Servo and guess what it fired every time and was in focus too. I am not putting all my eggs in one basket but with the change of setting and the light conditions I may be getting closer to a succesful conclusion. I will try again tomorrow and if it plays up again I will clear all the custom functions and start again.
    Thanks again for your kind help.
    Regards

    Bob
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