40D shutter problem? HELP!!

Yesterday I was shooting a boudoir session and part of the way through the session I noticed images that look like the one I have here below. Prior to this happening it sounded as if my shutter stalled or was dragging. I shot about 20 or 30 frames that looked like this (shutter sounded fine after the 1 that sounded weird)then the shutter did the weird thing again and a few frames later it was back to taking normal pictures.

I would like to say that you exceeded the flash sync (I believe it is 1/250 on the 40D), but then you'd have a black stripe at the bottom. I've never seen this on the side of a photo before.

Looks like the shutter mechanism is either completely broken or has something stuck in it.

Back to where you got it or to Canon I think.

I would agree with Hank.

willryan42 wrote in post #5223795
I would like to say that you exceeded the flash sync (I believe it is 1/250 on the 40D), but then you'd have a black stripe at the bottom. I've never seen this on the side of a photo before.

This may be the case. I will try it again today to see what happens. THANKS!!

looking at exif 1/350 is to fast for a flash

But wouldn't it show generally darker all over if the flash was just building up as the shutter fired? Plus it doesn't explain the odd shutter noise

Exif also says internal flash did not fire, but we'll know when the OP tells us if flash was used or not. I see bees in the sig line...so yes if flash was used. 1/250th max.

You exceeded the sync speed of the shutter...nothing more, nothing less. When you bring the camera back within parameters, the black line goes away.

Only new to forums. Was just searching google about shutter mechanism problems with the 40d and i found this thread, know its old but though i would add my problems incase other people are having the same. I was having the same problems with the shutter as the op was having and the same line down the side of the photos, not black but bright white. It got the point where i couldn't even take a photo, sent it back to canon and they are replacing the shutter mechanism, after only 2months. Anyway this is a sample of the photo.

IMAGE LINK: http://img210.imagesha​ck.us/my.php?image=img​1977ed4.jpg

willryan42 wrote in post #5223795
I would like to say that you exceeded the flash sync (I believe it is 1/250 on the 40D), but then you'd have a black stripe at the bottom. I've never seen this on the side of a photo before.

The shutter curtains travel vertically in the 40D, so if the flash sync speed is exceeded, a black bar will appear on the bottom of the frame—if the camera is being held in landscape orientation.. He's in portrait orientation in that image, so the line is going to appear on the side of the image instead of the bottom.

The reason a black line appears is because at the higher shutter speeds, the second shutter curtain begins to close before the flash fires.

Yep, it's the shutter not syncing with the flash unit. You can exceed 1/250th IF you are using Canon flash units and you have the flash unit set to HS flash. But since you are likely using studio strobes you can only to 1/250 max shutter.