I'm a newbie photographer. I've always used point-and-shoot cameras but

recently got my first SLR camera, the Canon EOS Rebel 2000. Overall it works

great, but about 3 out of 24 pics per roll I have this shadow problem. I've

noticed since I started pictures with this camera I get these HUGE

differences in lighting that I never got with my point-and-shoot. In some

pictures like half the picture looks fine but then the other half is really

dark, like a big shadow covers a part of the picture. Thing is, when I took

these pictures I don't remember visually seeing these huge lighting

differences. Is this specific to the Canon EOS? SLR cameras? Could the

camera be faulty? Am I doing something wrong? Flash? These pictures are

all inside. I'm using the EOS "auto settings mode", haven't tried manual

stuff (shutter speed, etc.), and I've seen this problem with 200 & 400 film.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

Jason

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 06, 2002

Answers

Jason, we would need to know where the shadow is on the picture, what you are using for a flash, and what lens you are using to give you a more complete answer, but I can think of two things that this might be caused by.

If you are using a non-dedicated external flash, the camera would not know it was attached and it might set a shutter speed that was too fast. The Rebel 2000 has a rated max flash sync speed of 1/90 second, although an undocumented feature of all Rebels is that they can actually, safely sync to 1/125 second with a non-dedicated flash.

However, since you don't mention an external flash, I suspect that you are using the one built into the camera. This flash is very close to your lens and can cause several problems. Red-eye is the most common, but the other is a shadow on the bottom part of the picture frame. This is caused by the lens blocking part of the flash. It usually occurs with a large lens or with a lens shade attached. It is also more common at wide zoom setting and at close distances. If the shadow is dome shaped and at the bottom of the frame, this is the problem.

So, tell us what flash and lens you are using, if you have the shade attached, and where the shadow falls.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), April 06, 2002.

Hi,

Thanks for your quick response. I figured I would forget something in my post. 1) The shadow varies, but it has mainly showed up on the right side. 2) I'm using the built-in flash 3) 20-80MM Canon Lense

Examples can viewed at: http://www.geocities.com/ridah_2pac/shadows.htm

Thanks for your help!

Sincerely,

The E

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 06, 2002.

Also, no shade is attached, just a lens protector (clear filter)

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 06, 2002.

Its probably your fingers getting in the way of the flash.

-- kenneth katz (socks@bestweb.net), April 06, 2002.

Hmmmm...maybe? I generally hold the lens with my left hand when I shoot. Just by nature I put my hand on the top of the lense (rather than holding the bottom). So does getting in the way of the flash on the left side correspond to the right side being affected once the picture is developed? Thanks.

Sincerely,

The E

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 06, 2002.

Ahhh. Now that we can look at the pictures you posted, I see that these (at least the ones you posted) are all vertical format images. And you hold the right side of the camera on top when doing this. Most people do.

Yes, your hand is getting in the way of the flash. Your hand is on the top left of the lens, but that is the bottom right of where the flash is shooting. Your hand is doing the same thing that a lens shade would. The solution is to move your left hand under the lens and out of the way of the flash, or get an external flash.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), April 07, 2002.

Great, thanks to your deduction and reasoning I'll be a better Photographer who knows how to hold the camera. But I still don't understand the physics behind it? I am blocking light going to objects on the left part of the picture but the shadow shows up on the right??? I know it has to do with mirrors in my SLR Camera but want to understand more. Is there a web site or FAQ that would explain this? Thanks!

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 07, 2002.

After 5 hrs I finally figured it out. This website really helped: http://www.yesmag.bc.ca/how_work/camera.html Since I've been holding my camera right side up the flash ends up being on the left side. My left hand and the lense obstructs and essentially prevents the flash light from hitting objects on the right. Very simple, I was making it more complex than it needed to be. Thanks again. But if there are other resources feel free to let me know. Thanks.

-- The E (theeric@csua.berkeley.edu), April 07, 2002.