Pictures are dark!

[Peki31]

I just opened my XTi yesterday and took a couple pictures. They all seemed pretty dark. Is the flash on this camera just really weak? I also have a Minolta Dimage and the pictures in the same place came out much brighter. Is the extra flash pretty much a necessity with these when taking indoor pictures?

Thanks!

Lana

[aparmley]

I just opened my XTi yesterday and took a couple pictures. They all seemed pretty dark. Is the flash on this camera just really weak? I also have a Minolta Dimage and the pictures in the same place came out much brighter. Is the extra flash pretty much a necessity with these when taking indoor pictures?

Thanks!

Lana


Lana,

Its hard for anyone to speak accurately about what the problem may be without having a image and EXIF information to go off of. . . This could be poor metering or something completely different like the camera was left in M mode with a Shutter speed to long - which in a way is poor manual metering if you will. . . But it would be best to have an image to look at and the EXIF information.

[24Peter]

I just opened my XTi yesterday and took a couple pictures. They all seemed pretty dark. Is the flash on this camera just really weak? I also have a Minolta Dimage and the pictures in the same place came out much brighter. Is the extra flash pretty much a necessity with these when taking indoor pictures?

Thanks!

Lana

Hi Lana - that's why I suggested in the other thread you practice using the camera before spending money on more equipment. There is a learning curve with a DSLR. Chances are the problems you're having are related to camera settings rather than the strength of the flash. I have a 330 sq ft living room and the built in flash on my XT can light it up like a Christmas tree (well that's not really the analogy I meant but it sounds good, esp. this time of year.) Point is, your built in flash has more than enough power to light up an entire room. Ergo (always wanted to use that word in a post :o ), your camera settings must be off.

So what shutter speed, apeture and ISO were you using when you took the dark photos? Also which metering setting?

[Colin T]

Hi Peki31

Digital cameras do vary in regards to the strength of their flash. A point and shoot will have a brighter flash than a SLR because the SLR normally has a fitting for an external flash whereas the point and shoot doesn't. But it shouldn't be that much different. Flashes are generally only good for photographing things within 10 feet of the camera and if the subject is outside that range it is going to look dark.

Make sure the aperture is open (has a low F-stop number, ie F2.8, F3.5 etc). This will allow more light in and the pic should be brighter.
Try slowing the shutter speed too, most flashes work best with a shutter speed between 1/100 second and 1/200 second. Any faster and the pic will be dark. Any slower and the pic will suffer from camera shake and look blurry.
Finally you could try to increase the ISO number. The higher the number (eg: 800 ISO) the less light needed to take the pic, however, the more grainy the image will turn out.

[Vich]

Colin: I wasn't aware of this. You sure? The Canon DSLR built-in flash is very powerful, and I'd hazzard a guess more so than most P&S cameras. This is not challenging you since I really don't know, but I vaguely recall reading a comparison that placed the DSLR potential output well above the others.

Also; an electronic flash works by duration of light, not intensity. I'm surprised they don't hang child safty stickers off them. I've taken photos from 15 feet on the internal flash that turned out very well. There may be a limitation to the metering distance, and the length of flash should be limited to the capacity of the capacitor (say that 20 times fast?). The duration is also very short, like 1/10,000th of a second for a fairly intense flash.

Something I've noticed on Canon however; you tend to get flash exposure "problems" (ie: not idiot proof) on Av and Tv modes, whereas "P" mode is just about perfect every time. Link here (http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index1.html).

To the OP: experiment using different modes (A, P, Tv, Av, Manual) on the same scene and see how it differs.

[D Thompson]

Colin: I wasn't aware of this. You sure? The Canon DSLR built-in flash is very powerful, and I'd hazzard a guess more so than most P&S cameras. This is not challenging you since I really don't know, but I vaguely recall reading a comparison that placed the DSLR potential output well above the others.
Vich - I looked around a little and have to agree with you. Guide number on my 20D & Lana's XTi is 13/43 @ ISO 100 (meters/feet). I don't really keep up with the P&S's, but I didn't see anything close to this. There may be, I just didn't come across any with the few I looked at.

Try slowing the shutter speed too, most flashes work best with a shutter speed between 1/100 second and 1/200 second. Any faster and the pic will be dark. Any slower and the pic will suffer from camera shake and look blurry.

If I've read right, x-sync on her XTi is 1/200 which means that is as fast as it will sync with flash. 1/60 used to be the "normal" flash sync and I probably wouldn't go much slower as you will get a little "ghosting".

[zmikers]

Ergo (always wanted to use that word in a post :o ), your camera settings must be off.

Nice one, I'm jealous. Any chance to get in cool words is always a bonus..........LOL

[aparmley]

Hi Peki31

Digital cameras do vary in regards to the strength of their flash. A point and shoot will have a brighter flash than a SLR because the SLR normally has a fitting for an external flash whereas the point and shoot doesn't.

What about the PnSs that have a hot shoe for an external flash? Does that make them more powerful or less powerful based on your theory?



Originally Posted by 24Peter
Ergo (always wanted to use that word in a post ), your camera settings must be off.

Nice one, I'm jealous. Any chance to get in cool words is always a bonus..........LOL

I always just type e.g.

[pnarends]

I find it interesting you had the same problem with yours as I did mine. I got a lot of pointers on trouble shooting on mine on this website,but wanted it to function on auto sometimes and the pictures were very dark. Took it back to the dealer. After much trouble shooting they said it wasn't me or anything set wrong. I know I could correct the light and vividness of colors on other settings and before I print the pictures, but I didn't want to do that all the time. I ended up exchanging for a Nikon SLR. I am not suggesting you do that, but wanted you to know there is someone else out here who didn't like the dark look to my pictures with the XTi.

[cdifoto]

I find it interesting you had the same problem with yours as I did mine. I got a lot of pointers on trouble shooting on mine on this website,but wanted it to function on auto sometimes and the pictures were very dark. Took it back to the dealer. After much trouble shooting they said it wasn't me or anything set wrong. I know I could correct the light and vividness of colors on other settings and before I print the pictures, but I didn't want to do that all the time. I ended up exchanging for a Nikon SLR. I am not suggesting you do that, but wanted you to know there is someone else out here who didn't like the dark look to my pictures with the XTi.

It's more of a newbie issue than a camera issue. Not being willing to learn the system and dumping it for another brand doesn't truly solve your problem. You'll still find yourself in situations where the camera doesn't make the right choice whether it's a Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony, whatever. That's why there are manual modes.

[pnarends]

I agree about being new to a camera. I just thought that person should know they weren't alone in the experience. I am not criticizing or recommending any camera as everyone has their priorities. I know most of you are probably more knowledgeable about digital SLR cameras than I. My previous SLR was film (Canon EOS A2) I used it many years and loved it dearly. I was simply relating my experience. I am very happy with my change, but that does not mean I necessarily recommend it for someone else.