# Autofocus won't focus?



## Canon_sal (May 6, 2015)

Hi everyone!

First off...I am an idiot when it comes to my new camera so please excuse my dumbness!

I bought an EOS M (with the 18-55mm lens that it came with) a few months ago and although I can't remember noticing the problem at first I'm noticing it now.

When I try to take a close up picture the camera doesn't focus? It also won't focus when on the Macro setting? As far as I'm aware I've got it on the Auto setting?

Any help, instructions would be brilliant!


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## neuroanatomist (May 6, 2015)

How close is close? The minimum focus distance for the lens is ~10" / 25 cm, if you want to focus closer and/or achieve higher magnification you'll need a proper macro lens or you could try extension tube(s) with the M18-55.


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## twagn (May 7, 2015)

Canon_sal said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> First off...I am an idiot when it comes to my new camera so please excuse my dumbness!



You're most likely not an idiot. Anyone who gets a new camera experiances a leaning curve


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## Canon_sal (May 11, 2015)

25cm seems quite far. But I'm used to point and shoot and iphones so..

Will any canon lens fit the EOS M?


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## ajfotofilmagem (May 11, 2015)

Canon_sal said:


> 25cm seems quite far. But I'm used to point and shoot and iphones so..
> Will any canon lens fit the EOS M?


The minimum focus distance 25 cm, measured between the sensor (within the camera) and the object to be photographed.

To find out what would be this, place the lens switch to MF position, and turn the focus ring manually until the maximum allowed, the direction in which close objects are clear.
Then, move the camera forward and backward to find the exact distance of focus. Ready. You will have found the minimum focusing distance of your lens.

To take pictures with higher magnification you can use a wand attached to trazeira art of your lens, as the product below:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search/ul/P/umse/0?Ntt=extension+tube+macro+EOS-M&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

Macro lenses truly, there are only with EF or EF-S lens mount, and require an adapter to mount it on your camera, which uses EF-M lenses.


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## dcm (May 11, 2015)

Canon_sal said:


> 25cm seems quite far. But I'm used to point and shoot and iphones so..
> 
> Will any canon lens fit the EOS M?



Yes, with the adapter. But that probably won't solve the minimum focus distance issue for you since the minimum focus distance for most EF & EF-S lenses are 30cm or more. You really have 3 options for closeups depending on what you want to spend the and quality you wish to achieve.

For closeups you really need to look at the magnification the lens provides, not the minimum focus distance. As Neuro noted, this will lead you to the macro lenses. I use the EF 100mm f2.8 L IS from my FF rig when I need macro while I wait for an EF-M macro. The EF-S 60 macro that focuses as close as 20cm and gives 1:1 magnification is an alternative.

An intermediate option is Canon's 250D closeup lens in 52mm thread that will mount on the front of your EF-M lens like a filter. Less expensive than a dedicated macro lens, it might meet your needs.

I've also used extension tubes that you mount between the body and lens to reduce the focus distance and increase magnification. You can get some cheap ones off Amazon or eBay, Canon doesn't make them for the EF-M lenses. 

You might visit this page to learn more about the latter two options and see what you can achieve.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/macro-extension-tubes-closeup.htm


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## bainsybike (May 11, 2015)

Paradoxically, the nearest thing to a macro lens that is native to the EOS M is the ultra-wide EF-M 11-22mm F4-5.6 IS STM, which has a minimum focus distance of 15cm. Great lens, though not available (officially) in the USA.


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## neuroanatomist (May 12, 2015)

bainsybike said:


> Paradoxically, the nearest thing to a macro lens that is native to the EOS M is the ultra-wide EF-M 11-22mm F4-5.6 IS STM, which has a minimum focus distance of 15cm. Great lens, though not available (officially) in the USA.



Good point - the M11-22 achieves 0.3x, higher than any other EF-M lens.


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