Subject is not in focus with autofocus

Is the viewfinder diopter adjusted correctly?

If the subject appears out of focus in the viewfinder but the photos taken are in focus, rotate the diopter adjustment control to adjust viewfinder focus.

Is the subject closer than the minimum focus distance of the lens?

The camera cannot focus on subjects closer than the minimum focus distance of the lens. Refer to the Reference Guide for your lens for the minimum focus distance.

Minimum Focus Distance

The minimum focus distance is the shortest distance from the focal plane inside the camera to the subject at which the lens can focus. The position of the focal plane is indicated by the focal plane mark (E) on top of the camera.

Is the focus point positioned over the subject?

With a setting that uses manual focus point selection, such as [Pinpoint AF] in [AF-area mode/subj. detection] in the i menu or in [AF-area mode] in the photo shooting or video recording menu, the camera focuses using only the selected focus point and cannot focus on the subjects away from the focus point. Position the focus point over the subject to focus.

• Selecting [Auto-area AF] for AF-area mode allows the camera to automatically detect and focus on the subject using all focus points.

Is the subject difficult to focus on?

Autofocus may not perform as expected in the following situations. In these cases, focus manually or use focus lock.

• The subject contains lines parallel to the long edge of the frame
• The subject lacks contrast
• The subject in the focus point contains areas of sharply contrasting brightness
• The subject changes in brightness, such as night-time spot lighting or neon signs
• Flicker or banding appears under fluorescent, mercury-vapor, sodium-vapor, or similar lighting
• A cross (star) filter or other special filter is used
• The subject appears smaller than the focus point
• The subject is dominated by regular geometric patterns (e.g., blinds or a row of windows in a skyscraper)

Is the focus point flashing?

In focus mode AF‑C, the focus point may flash while the shutter-release button is pressed halfway or the AF-ON button is pressed, indicating that the camera is no longer able to focus. Resume focus operations by releasing and then pressing the button again.

Is the subject too dark?

The camera may not focus if the subject is too dark or if the AF-assist illuminator is obstructed while lit. Select [ON] for Custom Setting “d” [Starlight view (photo Lv)] to brighten the shooting display. Use this feature for improved focus when shooting under low light.