Problem with Canon 20D setting

[Stormy]

I'm getting a hazy Black strip across the bottom of my shots when in Full Manual mode, but not in Full Auto Mode. Every shot...I don't use other settings, so not sure about them...Cam just started doing this. Any ideas?

[jamison55]

Are you shooting with a flash? Is your shutter speed above 1/250?

[Stormy]

Useing Strobes with Radio Transmitter. Shutter Speed I don't really remember atm. But Probably was over 1/250

[jamison55]

That was your problem. The max sync speed of the 20D is 1/250 of a second. Too much faster then that and the shutter and/or mirror doesn't have enough time to get out of the way and you get a black line. In auto mode the camera won't exceed the max sync speed if it detects a flash on the hotshoe. I have actually exceeded the sync speed and had the 1/2 exposed frame so you're not alone!

[Stormy]

ahhh...Thanks so much for that info, because I couldn't figure it out for the life of me...I was hoping it was only something I was doing wrong and not the cam.

[RichNY]

Jamison- Can you at least make it look like you have to stop and think about these problems for a second before solving them?;)

[TheObiJuan]

Nice one, man!
Thanks for helping the team out.

[Scott6]

That was your problem. The max sync speed of the 20D is 1/250 of a second. Too much faster then that and the shutter and/or mirror doesn't have enough time to get out of the way and you get a black line. In auto mode the camera won't exceed the max sync speed if it detects a flash on the hotshoe. I have actually exceeded the sync speed and had the 1/2 exposed frame so you're not alone!

if its a mattter of the mirror or shutter getting out of the way then how come this is not a problem when there is no flash?

[jamison55]

It's only a problem when the strobe is the light that's making the exposure. The camera and strobe work together to make sure that the flash fires when the shutter is fully open. With a 20D the camera can sync with the strobe at shutter speeds up to 1/250. it's not that the strobe isn't giving enough light, it's that the light is not firing in time with the shutter opening. When in a constant light source (like the sun) there's no quick burst of light to sync with the shutter.

[Scott6]

ohh dua.. that all makes sense now.. im not wure why I didnt relize that this morning when I asked.

[sun5150]

Lucky this happened to you with digital. In the film days when I worked at a lab. Sometimes you see people take 4-5 rolls at an indoor function and all there pics have a black stripe on half of the prints.