Since the beginning of Photobooth Supply Co, we have always found it better to use manual focus over auto focus. This is because Social Booth will malfunction if the camera cannot lock focus. If this happens, the software will need to be restarted, along with the camera. 

The SL1’s 18-55MM IS STM has a unique property where it continually focuses on its subjects, even in live view. This is relatively new technology which can often times send an error message to the software if the focus does not lock, resulting in a blank screen or the countdown timer stuck on a number.

The Solution

The simplest way to remedy this issue is to set the camera to manual focus. You can do this by switching the slider on the lens to the MF position, for manual focus.

When setting up the booth you can focus by turning the focus ring on the lens. To ensure that the image is sharp, you can temporarily change the countdown timer to a longer length of 10-15 seconds to visually see the focus point. Once set, you can tape down the lens or just leave it there for the remainder of the evening. Feel free to revert the countdown back to 2-3 seconds as well.

Another solution is to press the shutter button down halfway while the lens is in AF to lock focus. Once locked, you can switch it back to MF and keep it there for the remainder of the day.

Alternatively, you can purchase the older version of the lens which gives out far less autofocus errors, if any. You can usually find these on Craigslist for far cheaper than retail. This is ideal if you do not want to manual focus the lens before every event. 

If you encounter the error, it's very easy to get back up and running. You can either restart the Surface or use task manager to exit out of the program. You can access this menu by hitting CTRL + SHIFT + ESC on the keyboard. Click on "Adobe Projector (32 bit) press "End Task"