Problem taking pictures through the viewfinder - Please help: Three months ago I bought a Canon T5I Rebel. Going on a few days, whenever I attempt to take a picture through the...

Natusi Loc: Florida

Three months ago I bought a Canon T5I Rebel.
Going on a few days, whenever I attempt to take a picture through the viewfinder and press the shutter button it makes a clack sound but does not record the photo in the camera. I am stuck using the LCD screen to take photos. It seems that the viewfinder is off...is this possible?
There are no directives in the manual about the viewfinder having an off/on option and my internet searches turn up nothing.

Thanks in advance for your help guys/ladies.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Natusi wrote:

Three months ago I bought a Canon T5I Rebel. br G... (show quote)

Do you have the setting in the 'live view' mode?

There is a button/ dial just to the right of the viewfinder that switches from videwfinder to live view/LCD ....... it's to switch the camera for still shooting to video/still shooting mode though one can still shoot stills from the live view if you know how.

Look at page 145 on your manual :wink:

Natusi Loc: Florida

Beercat wrote:

Do you have the setting in the 'live view' mode?

I believe there is a button/ dial just to the right of the viewfinder that switches from videwfinder to live view/LCD ....... it's to switch the camera for still shooting to video shooting mode though one can still shoot stills fro mthe live view if you know how.

Yes, I switched from LCD to the Viewfinder but images doesn't record.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Natusi wrote:

Yes, I switched from LCD to the Viewfinder but images doesn't record.

Are you in 'bulb' mode

Hard to instruct on line. If you handed me the camera I would figure it out in a minute of 2 ...........

I bet you bought this at a big box store, huh?

I love have a well qualified store close enough that I can go steal there time for time to time .......

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Natusi wrote:

Yes, I switched from LCD to the Viewfinder but images doesn't record.

Are you still seeing the image on the LCD screen though you believe your in the viewfinder mode?

Have you enabled live view mode in the menu?

Natusi Loc: Florida

Beercat wrote:

Are you in 'bulb' mode

Hard to instruct on line. If you handed me the camera I would figure it out in a minute of 2 ...........

I bet you bought this at a big box store, huh?

I love have a well qualified store close enough that I can go steal there time for time to time .......

No, I am not in bulb mode.
I was thinking the same thing and that is I wish there was someone here to take a look at it rather than sending it in and doing without a camera for how long it takes.

I bought it from Bj's Wholesale Club.

Natusi Loc: Florida

Beercat wrote:

Are you still seeing the image on the LCD screen though you believe your in the viewfinder mode?

Have you enabled live view mode in the menu?

Yes, in the menu Live view is selected and I can take images fine using the Liveview/LCD option but when I switch to the viewfinder and take the photo and check the camera the image doesn't take.

Natusi Loc: Florida

Beercat wrote:

Are you still seeing the image on the LCD screen though you believe your in the viewfinder mode?

Have you enabled live view mode in the menu?

When I switch to Viewfinder I see the screen with the setting information such as F/stop, Stutter speed, ISO, White balance. When I look through the Viewfinder I see the image I am about to take with the focus points.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Natusi wrote:

When I switch to Viewfinder I see the screen with the setting information such as F/stop, Stutter speed, ISO, White balance. When I look through the Viewfinder I see the image I am about to take with the focus points.

Sounds like your in bulb mode but if you say your not, well I guess your not ...... without having it in my hands I have nothing more .........

Natusi Loc: Florida

Beercat wrote:

Sounds like your in bulb mode but if you say your not, well I guess your not ...... without having it in my hands I have nothing more .........

Bulb mode is under the Shutter speed but I am on 500/sec.
Could I still be in bulb mode?

Thanks.

jimni2001 Loc: Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA

I believe what you are hearing is the mirror locking up. When you press the shutter release everything in the viewfinder goes black? Try to take a photo again through the view finder. When you hear the clack noise push the shutter release again. If it takes a photo on the second push you have mirror lock up activated.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Hello

Do you have the SD card installed? To record your photos for downloading later on?

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

jimni2001 wrote:

I believe what you are hearing is the mirror locking up. When you press the shutter release everything in the viewfinder goes black? Try to take a photo again through the view finder. When you hear the clack noise push the shutter release again. If it takes a photo on the second push you have mirror lock up activated.

Another suggestion. Look in the manual where it says something like factory default. In other words bring the camera back to out of the box settings.

Selkii Loc: Oakland, CA & Vancouver Island

I agree with putting camera back to factory settings, but just an idea...My husband had a similar problem with his T2i. He kept shooting, heard the click, still no photo. But, when he pressed down harder (more than he had previously been doing), it worked. He doesn't know why it should require more of a "push" than before, but it works.

Natusi Loc: Florida

jimni2001 wrote:

I believe what you are hearing is the mirror locking up. When you press the shutter release everything in the viewfinder goes black? Try to take a photo again through the view finder. When you hear the clack noise push the shutter release again. If it takes a photo on the second push you have mirror lock up activated.

jimni2001, you are right, it was the mirror lockup issue.
Everything is working normally now!