New problem with G6 and 420ex

While taking pictures outside with my G6 and 420ex, In p mode and av both it will not focus and camera shake is on whter I am handheld or on a rest, also the pics are very dark when they should be right due to having plenty of light, Why is this?
thanks,
jon

Can you post a sample with EXIF?

I had a post on this a month back, same issue. I consider it a flaw in the camera but other's don't. I've found that your flash batteries are most likely dead, the flash will still go off, but something about not having fully charged batteries causes the flash to tell the camera when it's focusing and locking "do not use the flash" I've had my camera go all the way to 2" exposure with the flash on. I call this a defect that the camara will go so far under acceptable shutter speed to compensate for ambiant light, even if there is a flash attached. There should be some way to lock or set a preference. for some reason Canon has coded the firmware to do it's best to go for 1/60 shutter speed, even in there's enought light to go 1/250 wiht perfect exposure, the camera will always go for the slowest shutter speed it can. This causes your shaky hands icon and blurry pictures. I would code a camera to always use the highest shutter speed possible to avoid blur, but I'm no expert, just going off common sense.

IMO Somewhere between the G6 and 420EX there's a bug.

From my experience your issue is the flash batteries. then if that still doesn't work, your in the same boat as me with a bad camera firmware. No fix at this time.

Are you sure your flash adjustment settings aren't off? Flash output can go between -2 stops to 2 stops. Make sure its at 0.

Also you can set to 1st curtain (a flash right after your shutter opens) or 2nd curtain (a flasht right bfore your shutter closes).

Set to 1st curtain for 'normal' flash settings.

Post EXIF with a pic so we can see what's going on.

I've also experienced this problem. When I first used the 420EX with the G6, I thought it was great and I often got great pictures. Now that I've been using it for awhile, I am noticing the same underexposed picture results. I haven't seen the 2" shutter speed but I am seeing a constant 1" shutter speed even though my flash is connected. I will post a picture with EXIF data soon.

Have to check in G6 menue - that flash setting set to automatic, not manual

Make sure your flash isn't set to slow sync.

Strange thing is that when I set it to slow sync, the pictures in P mode come out exposed correctly. It is almost like by using this setting, the camera is able to wait a little longer to capture image with flash. I wonder if it is the flash that is not being powered correctly or strongly enough. I am using regular duracell batteries that I recently bought. Could it be that the batteries that came with the flash are of a special type and that I need to get those types instead of regular duracells?

On another note, when I go to manual mode and set setting myself, the pictures come out much better. I'm still a little upset that the pictures in P and auto modes don't expose correctly with the external flash. Any ideas are welcome.

Where is the flash setting in the G6 menu? I reset the camera to default settings and am still getting the same results.