Help - my images are half black - shutter problem?

[Lioness]

This afternoon I was outside, took about a dozen photos that looked fine, then the bottom half started to appear black on the LCD. I thought it might just be the lcd or something so I looked at it on the computer and still black. I tried switching lenses, removing the battery grip too. I also tried different modes (P,Tv,Av).

Is part of my shutter stuck/broken? Is this likely a sensor problem?

This image should just show some grass with a small stick:

[erik-nl]

Could be the mirror blocking the view.
The soft upper edge of the black area points in that direction.
It is probably not finishing its upward swing (in time).

[SkipD]

With the angle across the picture, it looks to me like a possibly sticky (leading) shutter. I would think a stuck mirror would have much less definition to the edge of the exposure change and the edge would be more horizontal to the picture.

Additional thought - try taking the lens off and "take a picture" or two while looking into the body cavity. Do this with slow shutter speeds, and you will be able to see the shutter itself. I'd be willing to bet the one or the other of the shutter leaves is sticking.

[GeForceFX]

looks like the same problem as in this topic:

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=73420

[Lioness]

That posts helps - I checked it out and indeed it looks like the mirror isn't getting out of the way! Glad to know the problem but hate to be without it while getting it repaired.

Thanks!

[gail]

hi, sorry to here of your problem. seems to be doing the same as mine did. half bottom black out. I still haven't had the old one repaired yet. I just went out and got a new one.

And too mine was no longer under warranty. So for what it was going to cost me to have repaired and at the time I needed one fast to replace it. I was shooting a wedding t he next day. But I did find a lose spring in there a few days later so I know now it was the mirror not flipping back up the spring was gone.

seems that this is happening to a lot of the rebels lately. Sure hope my new one don't have this problem, maybe I should have went with a different one. Not the Drebel. If this one breaks I will be looking into buying something besides the Drebel.

Again sorry for you bad luck, hope you get back soon from repair I know it's hard to be without one. I feel like a part of me is missing with out my camera. ha :-)

[yellow_belly]

Gail, if your problem was just a spring broken/displaced then the repair may be very cheap - its worth investigating with the repair centre :)

Terry

[crazyfoo88]

I had this happen to me 2 months ago. The spring holding the mirror has broken, allowing the smaller mirror for autofocus to hang down. I lost my camera for 6 weeks, and a 170 CAD bill that I luckily didnt have to pay (under warranty). Good luck!

[beerzie]

I purchased a Digital Rebel three years ago. I like it very much and it takes outstanding photographs. I have purchased three high-quality Canon-brand lenses and the top-of-the-line Canon flash. My home and office are lined with excellent photos, and I get many compliments from friends and co-workers. In fact, these photos and my glowing recommendations of this camera have encouraged five other people to buy it, and several of those folks have, like me, gone hog-wild and bought several lenses, flashes, etc.

Unfortunately, the story gets very grim from here. This camera’s reliability is non-existent. It has caused me a lot of grief and cost me a lot of wasted money and effort. After several hours of conversations with technical and customer support, I have patiently and dutifully sent this camera in for four and now five repairs. The result is that I have had the camera in my hands for ten out of the last twelve months and it has actually worked for nine out of the last twelve months. This is an unacceptable track record for a camera that cost me nearly $1000. I find it had to accept that a camera in this price range will only last for three years.




The story so far:

In April of 2006, when it was two years old, the camera’s shutter stopped working. I sent it in to the Canon repair center (Repair number LG703765), the shutter was repaired, and sent back to me. Repair costs were $200, not including the thirty or so dollars to ship it to the repair center. I lost use of the camera for two weeks.

A mere six months later, in October of 2006, the camera’s focus lock failed. I was told to send it in again, and after expressing my disbelief and annoyance that the camera was failing again so soon, the repair (Repair number LH124454) was done without charge, except for the thirty or so dollars to ship it to the repair center. I lost use of the camera for two weeks, including Halloween, during which I was unable to take advantage of any photo opportunities with my children.

It only took two months for the camera to fail again. Again, some kind of shutter problem rendered the camera unusable during my children’s first trip to Disneyland. Again after expressing my disbelief and annoyance that the camera was failing again so soon, the repair (Repair number WA864336) was done without charge, except for the thirty or so dollars to ship it to the repair center. I lost the camera for three weeks because of the Christmas holiday, during which I hardly need add, that I was unable to take any photos during the holiday. This was a major disappointment.

Less than a month later, I began to experience an intermittent shutter failure, during which the shutter would stay locked down (looking through the lens, it would be black), and then it would release after being set aside for several hours. I called the Canon technical support, and they told me that I would have to send it in again. I was reluctant to do so, because the shutter was sticking intermittently and returning to normal several hours later, which is a difficult problem to reproduce. However, after several episodes of this in late March of this year, the technical support person recommended – based on the number of incidents with the camera -- I contact Canon Customer Support.

My case with this department was handled by a man named Mike (866-886-1901 extension 2191), who listened to my saga and told me that I would need to send the camera to the repair center for “evaluation”. I explained that I feared they would not be able to find much as the shutter was sticking intermittently and returning to normal several hours later, which is a difficult problem to reproduce Mike explained that the evaluation would be complete and extensive, and that it might take longer than an average repair. It did not help that the free shipping was three-day, and the total time I was without my camera was three weeks.

I thought that “Customer Service” would include, at the very least, some follow-up about the results of the evaluation. Not so! I got home from work one day, the camera was returned, and the note inside said that the camera and lens was evaluated and nothing was wrong. Did I get a phone call from Mike? No. Did I get an e-mail from Mike? No. I waited a couple of days and heard nothing. I finally called him, left a message, but he did not return my call for over a week. By this time I was so disgusted, I didn’t bother calling back. I guess Canon’s idea of Customer Service is different than mine. At least this time, Canon ponied up the shipping costs (although I had to purchase fifteen dollars worth of packing materials).

Which brings us to today, two months later. While shooting some photos for a client, the camera failed mid-job. (Bye-bye, freelance job!) But this was a newer, different shutter problem. The shutter engages (softly) takes a black image, gives the dreaded, meaningless “Error 99”, and refuses to take another shot. This time the camera did not return to normal; it is dead in the water.

I am now at wit’s end. I just got off the phone with Mike, whose capacity for sympathy is somewhat limited. He gave the usual response – send it to the service center. I asked if there was any way to expedite the situation, and he said he could ask them to look at it “as soon as possible”. Give that it is Tuesday, and that they will be sending me another lame three-day label, I figure it will be back in my hands in what, three weeks?

Let’s recap:

• Camera down time out of the last twelve months: Almost three months.
• Events missed: Kid’s first trip to Disneyland and Legoland; Halloween, Christmas, and New Years 2006.
• Money spent on repairs/shipping: $300
• Estimated sales from my own purchases and recommendations to friends: over $5000

[traveling]

oh, my god. :-(

[Tareq]

I got this problem for the first time yesterday with my 30D when i was using it with my strobes.

[timnosenzo]

wow, this thread is over 2 years old--its getting quite a run!

[timnosenzo]

I got this problem for the first time yesterday with my 30D when i was using it with my strobes.

that's probably a different issue--most likely to do with setting too fast a shutter speed so the strobes can't sync with it. Try to keep your SS below 1/160 or so.

[Tareq]

that's probably a different issue--most likely to do with setting too fast a shutter speed so the strobes can't sync with it. Try to keep your SS below 1/160 or so.

I see, thank you, i think yes, i was using SS above 1/250, but i saw it works again when i lower the speed under 1/160 or even 1/200, so my camera is fine and no problems at all with it, everyday learning something new:oops::oops::oops:

[sm2s]

i had the same problem as the OP a few minutes ago, and (stupidly) played with the mirror now it's taking a full picture but the autofocus isnt working.. any suggestions? D: or am i at a total loss here. this is the 300d im talking about.. any help is appreciated!

[KevinAldrich]

i had the same problem as the OP a few minutes ago, and (stupidly) played with the mirror now it's taking a full picture but the autofocus isnt working.. any suggestions? D: or am i at a total loss here. this is the 300d im talking about.. any help is appreciated!

The original post in this thread was in May 2005. :confused:

It was brought back to life in May 2007 and again in October 2007. :(

You just revived it again in November 2008. :cry:

Let it die, start a new thread.

[khall]

wow, this thread is over 2 years old--its getting quite a run!

Just shows bad service will keep on getting remembered.

[PacAce]

i had the same problem as the OP a few minutes ago, and (stupidly) played with the mirror now it's taking a full picture but the autofocus isnt working.. any suggestions? D: or am i at a total loss here. this is the 300d im talking about.. any help is appreciated!

You have three options:

1) Send the camera in to Canon for repair although, personally, it may not be worth it but that's just my 2 cents;

2) Get a 2nd hand replacement 300D and risk the same thing happening again (the 300Ds are notorious for the sub-mirror assembly failing)

3) Upgrade to a newer model and be happy! :)

[Scott McLoud]

i had the same problem as the OP a few minutes ago, and (stupidly) played with the mirror now it's taking a full picture but the autofocus isnt working.. any suggestions? D: or am i at a total loss here. this is the 300d im talking about.. any help is appreciated!
Contact canon for a quote, look around the web at bodys and if its just as cheap, upgrade and throw the 300d away or sell it for parts

[tzalman]

You have three options:

1) Send the camera in to Canon for repair although, personally, it may not be worth it but that's just my 2 cents;

2) Get a 2nd hand replacement 300D and risk the same thing happening again (the 300Ds are notorious for the sub-mirror assembly failing)

3) Upgrade to a newer model and be happy! :)
Fourth option: Manual focus. Hard to believe that we once did that all the time.

[PacAce]

Fourth option: Manual focus. Hard to believe that we once did that all the time.

Option four is doable until the sub-mirror drops down again and block the image. Then, AF will work again, maybe, but it still won't do any good. ;)

[sm2s]

The original post in this thread was in May 2005. :confused:

It was brought back to life in May 2007 and again in October 2007. :(

You just revived it again in November 2008. :cry:

Let it die, start a new thread.

why start a new thread when this thread is of my exact topic?_? yeah, i did notice it was from 2005.. i have an old camera =[

thanks for all the help, i found the DIY on it so i might attempt that, and upgrade at the same time. a 200$ repair on a 200$ camera doesnt seem worth it to me either.

[amfoto1]

that's probably a different issue--most likely to do with setting too fast a shutter speed so the strobes can't sync with it. Try to keep your SS below 1/160 or so.

Agreed, that's what Canon recommends as a starting point with most studio strobes, in the manual (try 1/125 on cameras with 1/200 flash sync). This is not true of all strobes, but many simply fire slower than a portable flash does. I think Profoto is one brand that might be usable at the full sync speed.