Canon 50D Flash Problem *HELP*

[Maggiore]

Guys,

My girlfriend has a Canon 50D with a Canon 430ex flash and all of a sudden, her pictures are intermittently showing a dark/black patch over them.

I have tested this myself, and it seems to be very intermittent. Probably 1 in 10 photos (sometimes more, sometimes less).

It also seems to only be when the external flash is connected.

I have tried playing with the settings (slower/faster shutter speeds etc) but not sure what it could be.

Anyone experienced anything similar?

Doesnt seem to matter where you point the flash either.

Also, this is a new issue, as she has taken many photos previously and never had this problem

Thanks

 

[Ian]

I would say you're using a shutter speed higher than your maximum sync speed, but looking at the exif data the last photo was taken at 1/60th so that's not the case. It would appear that there's some sort of mis-timing with the flash perhaps?

What external flash are you using and are you using wireless triggers or anything like that?

 

[dunganick]

Is it only with the flash? Not without?

Almost looks like an issue with the shutter?

 

[Maggiore]

She is just using a Canon 430ex, no triggers or anything.

Yeah last one was 1/60 so I didnt think that would be the problem

Also, I tried slower shutter speeds and still got a fault.

 

[Maggiore]

Is it only with the flash? Not without?

Almost looks like an issue with the shutter?

I have tested it myself, and only managed to re-create the problem when using flash.

She has only had the problem when using flash aswell.

Not 100% sure but it would seem that way.

Only thing it, it has worked in the past with no issues.

 

[Ian]

Tried cleaning the hot shoe and using the camera for a while without the 430?

Whatever it is you're definitely getting two exposures, ambient and flash. I'd say the flash is firing at the wrong time. Also, if you can't figure it out try resetting to factory defaults.

 

[Maggiore]

Tried cleaning the hot shoe and using the camera for a while without the 430?

Whatever it is you're definitely getting two exposures, ambient and flash. I'd say the flash is firing at the wrong time. Also, if you can't figure it out try resetting to factory defaults.

Camera or Flash?

Strange thing is, I borrowed her flash the other week (in between her having the problems) and used it on my 450D and didnt have a single problem.

 

[Ian]

If you can reset the 430EX then I'd do that first so you don't lose any custom settings on the 50d, but first I'd double check your menu settings in-camera as it almost looks like 2nd curtain sync gone wrong.

Something might have "confused" the camera - for example, my pop up flash wouldn't pop after I had a wireless trigger in the hot shoe, as it thought it was still there. I had to keep messing until it finally figured it out.

Tbh bud I'm only guessing, I'm relatively new to it all.

 

[Maggiore]

Guys had to remove two of the wedding photos as they are from a recent wedding and didnt want them online for long.

Thanks for help so far.

 

[dunganick]

Rear curtain Sync on?

Tried a restore to factory settings?

I would recommend you sign up to Talk Photography, then ask in the flash section there.

 

[GeordieClioDriver]

That definatly looks like the 2nd curtain sync. I experienced similar problems, although not that extreme, when using the flash on my 1D.

 

[Andy.]

Try and clear all custom functions on the flash too. POTN should hold an answer if allcelse fails.

 

[vibrio]

thats the shutter you can see - looks like the flash is firing at the wrong time.