Canon Digital Rebel Problem

[Mike S]

I am not familiar with the specific camera you mentioned, but it sure looks like a common problem with SLR cameras, that is the mirror doesnt retract all the way.

Is this a SLR?? Dosent matter is film or digital.

Is the problem only with flash??? If so, then the mirror is not the problem.

If this happens both with and without flash, I would check the mirror, assuming your Rebel is a SLR.

Mike

[RV_7A]

Jonathan have you tried resetting the camera back to factory defaults? I use a Olympus E-20N and at time when I try various settings, its always easier to reset it than try to remember what I changed.

-Jeff

[Low Pass]

Originally Posted by Mike S

I am not familiar with the specific camera you mentioned, but it sure looks like a common problem with SLR cameras, that is the mirror doesnt retract all the way.

Is this a SLR?? Dosent matter is film or digital.

Is the problem only with flash??? If so, then the mirror is not the problem.

If this happens both with and without flash, I would check the mirror, assuming your Rebel is a SLR.

Mike

I am pretty certain the digital (Rebel) and other SLR digitals operate almost identically to an SLR film camera - except of course that there's a light sensing chip in place of the film.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Low Pass

I am pretty certain the digital (Rebel) and other SLR digitals operate almost identically to an SLR film camera - except of course that there's a light sensing chip in place of the film.

Correct, I just dont know if the Rebel is a SLR.

The photos posted show a classic mirror retraction problem. (And depending on the shutter design, another source there.)

I am saying this because the first 3 or4 responses only dealt with flash problems, but the photos look like a mirror issue.

The problem ONLY occurring with flash would rule out the mirror, however.

Mike

[Bill Dicus]

A camera dealer told me about a similar problem in a Canon that had not been used for awhile. The shutter is a vertical travel two-curtain device just ahead of the sensor. If the 1st curtain is sticky and slow you might get something like your pictures. For his customer the solution was to send it back to Canon for service and then plan to exercise the shutter regularly. Let us know what it turns out to be. Good luck. Bill

[Jonathan Cude]

Sorry the reply is a year late... the photo problems were due to a slow shutter. Some part of the shutter wasn't retracting fast enough, blocking the image sensor... the problem sort of went away after taking a few hundred photos at high speed.

[tsandberg]

My experience with Canon service has been very positive. Just give them a call at the number listed on the Canon USA web site and they'll set you up. I had a defective first generation Rebel that would not fire the flash and they repaired it in a week free of charge. I also had a PowerShot that was not in warranty with a broken screen that I paid to have fixed by Canon service, and although that one cost me the turn around time was quick.

I've now owned six Canon cameras including three D-SLRs and investment in lenses aside I'd still be a Canon customer for life because of the good service. I can't say that the other companies are bad, but Canon has impressed me in the couple dealings I've had with them. Your millage may vary of course. :-)

[groucho]

My Canon A2E (35mm!) did exactly the same thing. I'd bet it's a bad shutter. A new one cost about $100 (five years ago) to have installed & should get you working again.

I had about 60,000 pix on my Digital Rebel before I sold it (still working well) & just hit 42,000 on my Rebel XT. The shutter should be good for 100k+ photos, but things like dirt/sand/beer can cause it to fail prematurely.

Call Canon or visit their web site & ask for a service center that can fix a bad shutter.

EDIT: Hmmm...missed your "fixed it" post.