problem - lower 3/4 of shot black?

[nick_stragnell]

<p>Just yesterday my EOS300D started to shoot frames like the attached image - the lower 3/4 are black - but there's a soft edge. Can anyone tell me if it's a lens - or a camera issue - and how I might go about solving the problem.<br>

Thanks<img src="http://www.3ofme.co.uk/photos/IMG_3592.JPG" alt="" /></p>

[jim_j2]

<p>By no means an expert, but if all your photos come out this way, then my guess would be possibly a sticky shutter curtain in the body. Don't think it would be a lens problem. I don't think a sticking blade in the lens would be as "horizontal" as this appears to be.</p>

<p>What happens if you take a shot with the camera in the vertical position?</p>

 

[bobatkins]

<p>Probably a dying shutter that needs to be replaced. Not an unusual problem with digital SLRs. If a new shutter is needed, it will cost a few hundred dollars, so it might be time for an upgrade rather than a repair.</p>

[tony_leinster]

<p>Almost certainly a shutter issue, the second curtain has "caught up" with the first which would indicate that the first curtain is sticking. Basically when shutters operate, except at speeds below flash sync speed, a slot between the curtains scans evenly across the sensor. The width of this slot determines the effective shutter speed. This is why there is a flash sync speed, it means that the slot fully opens so that the high speed flash covers the whole sensor area. Unfortunately this is not a problem you can fix for yourself, you could try repeatedly firing the shutter at various speeds to see if the curtain will free itself. Otherwise it's a trip to the repair shop, or buy another used body. That may be cheaper!</p>

[nick_stragnell]

<p>Thank you for your help, it would appear to match the descriptions of the issue I have read elsewhere. Shame, but I guess it's time to go for that upgrade I've been putting off for so long.</p>

[tony_leinster]

<p>Nick, although I have taken many good shots with a 300D believe me it's worth upgrading just to get a camera that actually switches on when you switch it on, if you see what I mean!</p>

[nick_stragnell]

<p>Thanks Tony, I will be upgrading now - it's not worth spending more money than the camera is worth to fix it - but I have to say this 300 has been an incredible work horse over the years. I've worked in Video production for years and have been using this 300 to make time-lapse films, so thousands upon thousands of images for any project. It's done well and paid for itself 100 times over - I even got it from ebay in the first place.<br>

I'm thinking a 7D is probably about in my price range - but this time a new one.</p>

[benbangerter]

<p>This looks more like a problem with the reflex mirror to me. In any event, it is time for a new camera. Lucky you!</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Just a note to people who are embedding a jpg in the text of their post<br>

[as here<br>

"view-source:http://www.3ofme.co.uk/photos/IMG_3592.JPG">http://www.3ofme.co.uk/photos/IMG_3592.JPG" ]<br>

these often load late, poorly, or sometimes apparently not at all depending on the state of the source.<br>

If you use the regular in-line display of these small images it will work better for some of us anyway.<br>

I don't know where the problem is, perhaps with the way Photo.net handles these embedded images?</p>

[sumo_kun]

<p>What lens are you using? If its some non-Canon one then maybe its sticking into the body and jamming the mirror on its way up. Take the lens off and fire a few shots to watch the mirror and shutter curtains.</p>

[kevin_martin2]

<p>If every shot is coming out like this, then this definitely looks like like a mirror issue- the early Rebels were definitely prone to this (mine died the same way after around 50k shots). Canon uses a small pin fixed to the side of the mirror box to flip the lower mirror up against the upper mirror when a shot is taken. This pin- made of plastic- will eventually break off. In a pinch, you can manually force up the smaller focusing mirror and use the camera in manual focus. The mirror is fixed such that it will stay flush against the larger mirror if pushed up like that. Again, expensive and probably not worth fixing (although there are some very involved surgery instructions involving a paperclip and superglue available online if you are so inclined to try it).<br>

Sorry for your loss. Hope this helps!</p>