What happed

looks like its time for a new shutter

If I'm seeing a wineglass with some red wine in it, then bdpaco is correct about the shutter.
The shutter assembly probably needs to be serviced/replaced.

If you offer up some information about the camera model, others may be able to offer up
some good tips about getting it serviced.

the shutter - it eeez fawlty...

looks like it can be repaired for about USD$150 see: http://cgi.ebay.com …ain_0&hash=item​4aa8474766

worth asking Canon what they'd charge to do the same thing, you never know it might be cheaper.

looks like you had too much wine is what happed. JK

SkedAddled wrote in post #12122060
If I'm seeing a wineglass with some red wine in it, then bdpaco is correct about the shutter.
The shutter assembly probably needs to be serviced/replaced.

If you offer up some information about the camera model, others may be able to offer up
some good tips about getting it serviced.

Exif info shows XSi

Can't view that when I'm not on one of
my own systems, thanks.

OP: Not sure how the XSi holds up to shutter actuations, but I'd recommend posting
as accurate of a shutter count as possible, so that the truly seasoned people here
can best advise you as to how to approach the situation.

There are only 3 viable options:

1) Send it in to Canon and either they replace it under warranty or you pay their quote
2) You repair it yourself
3) You sell it for parts and buy a new camera

how many shutter actuation's does the camera have?

i know just about nothing about shutters so a quick question if someone could help me

i thought a shutter would leave a flat line(filled with black), like if you dont set your flash right you get that flat line across an image. what would cause the curtain to brake in this sort of way(pictured) how are they mounted / work?

and how do aperture blades sit, i always thought they were at an angle of sorts, if one wasnt working, it would look like this(pictured)?

sorry, just thought i would ask as i can try learn and its kinda on the subject of this

-smurff

mike_311 wrote in post #12122926
how many shutter actuation's does the camera have?

Does that matter now it has so obviously failed?

If the camera is in warranty then it's covered, if it isn't then time to get it repaired or replace the camera.
All this 'failed with only X,000 shots' is a waste of discussion time - shutters are mechanical and high precision mechanisms, they fail eventually whether at 1 click or 250,000, or more, or in between!
I know this post won't make the OP feel any better but neither will all the "Canon have screwed you" posts which will fill pages and pages - actually, no they haven't screwed you actually, just one of those things...............

Smurff wrote in post #12122950
i know just about nothing about shutters so a quick question if someone could help me

i thought a shutter would leave a flat line(filled with black), like if you dont set your flash right you get that flat line across an image. what would cause the curtain to brake in this sort of way(pictured) how are they mounted / work?

and how do aperture blades sit, i always thought they were at an angle of sorts, if one wasnt working, it would look like this(pictured)?

sorry, just thought i would ask as i can try learn and its kinda on the subject of this

-smurff

Have you tried another lens?
If it's still bad, then it's the camera, I would have thought. If it's good, then the lens is at fault.

PaulB wrote in post #12122959
Does that matter now it has so obviously failed?

not really, but some of us are curious, if it fails with under 100K its a bit alarming.

Bend The Light wrote in post #12122977
Have you tried another lens?
If it's still bad, then it's the camera, I would have thought. If it's good, then the lens is at fault.

think you quoted me by mistake, not the OP, as i dont know what your reply has to do with me

-smurff

Smurff wrote in post #12122950
i know just about nothing about shutters so a quick question if someone could help me

i thought a shutter was a flat line, like if you dont set your flash right you get that flat line across an image. what would cause the curtain to brake in this sort of way(pictured) how are they mounted / work?

and how do aperture blades sit, i always thought they were at an angle of sorts, if one wasnt working, it would look like this(pictured)?

sorry, just thought i would ask as i can try learn and its kinda on the subject of this

-smurff

Canon shutters are made up of overlapping extremely thin 'blades' (used to be of carbon and super duralmin, 10 blades in all) of which, in my 1series cameras, the top one has a rounded corner exactly like the shadow in the OP's image.
The shutter blades are fixed (riveted?) to a parallelogram arm and if one of the fixings fails then a blade will usually drop at an angle as in the OP's image - my 1DMkII failed (at around 40K shots) like that but didn't give any errors.

PaulB wrote in post #12123009
Canon shutters are made up of overlapping extremely thin 'blades' (used to be of carbon and super duralmin, 10 blades in all) of which, in my 1series cameras, the top one has a rounded corner exactly like the shadow in the OP's image.
The shutter blades are fixed (riveted?) to a parallelogram arm and if one of the fixings fails then a blade will usually drop at an angle as in the OP's image - my 1DMkII failed (at around 40K shots) like that but didn't give any errors.

ahh i see, makes sense cheers for the insight. always like to try and learn something new

-smurff