topic Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:29:03 GMT

Hello,

I have a Canon T3i Rebel and for some reason, my photos are dark when I am in this mode. I have tried everything possible feature to try to make the photos brighter, but nothing works. I even tried the flash and it only added a bit of lighting. The strange thing is that this mode worked perfectly before, but for some reason it doesn’t work now. I really hope this camera is not broken.
thank you!

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

deebatman316 — Wed, 21 May 2025 00:43:43 GMT

Are you sure you're using the correct settings for the current ambient lighting. Where are pictures being taken in a dark area or bright area. What are the settings you're using. Have you used Manual Mode before.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

FloridaDrafter — Wed, 21 May 2025 02:23:01 GMT

If it's not to much trouble, post some of your dark photos to a sharing site like DropBox, Google drive,etc. Just be sure to make them sharable and please include EXIF data so we can see what your camera settings are.

Newton

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

rs-eos — Wed, 21 May 2025 02:23:12 GMT

The next time this happens, put the camera in Auto mode and take another photo. In Auto mode, is the photo also dark? If not, compare the settings that Auto used vs the settings you used in Manual.

Another possibility is that the current scene you're in is just too dark.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

LeeP — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:05:26 GMT

Intriguing issue.

On a tangent, what kind of situation are you shooting that needs manual?

I used to have a T3i and its automatic exposure was sufficiently precise that I rarely went to manual.

Some hobbyists act as if manual is the Holy Grail and without it, "you're not a real photographer", which is nonsense.

While you are awaiting a possible solution, hop to automatic exposure and if the results are OK--you can do exposure bias very easily--then don't worry about the glitch with manual.

With the T3i being as old as it is, getting use out of it is probably the main goal.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:22:38 GMT

I have used manual mode before and it has worked perfectly. The pictures are being taken in a bright area and even with the flash, but they are still dark. I have turned the ISO all the way up and it only makes a small difference. I have messed with exposure but that failed as well.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:22:55 GMT

I can try this thank you

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:24:36 GMT

This is part of the problem. What's strange is that in all of the other modes, the camera works perfectly. But for some reason only in manual it doesn't work properly. I have been in a decently bright room even using the flash and it still is dark.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:27:13 GMT

Well, I don't for sure need to use manual mode for everything, it's just disappointing to have a camera that doesn't work completely. I agree with you saying that manual mode isn't necessary, and yes the camera is older haha.

Re: Canon T3i Rebel dark in manual mode

rs-eos — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:13:20 GMT

Did you perform the experiment I outlined? When you next use Manual mode and the image turns out dark, switch to Auto and take another image. Compare the settings used for each (aperture, shutter and ISO). Share the results here so we can better assist you.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:49:54 GMT

Here are the two photos for the experiment:

The first one which is bright was taken with auto mode, with ISO: 400; Aperture: F5.3; Shutter Speed: 1/60.

The second photo is in manual mode taken with shutter speed: 1/4000; Aperture: F22; ISO: 6400.

I hope this helps because it's kinda crazy how the photo taken in auto mode with ISO 400 is decently bright, while the photo taken in ISO 6400 is almost black. *Note: both of these were taken with flash. *

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jbb9sZF5FuRrwsoA4cNS2da4qMOS_OuZ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K7jalSDq9REsX8e2LuSO_V4nEl8cuiff/view?usp=sharing

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

deebatman316 — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:55:07 GMT

First of all the aperture is way too small and shutter speed is really fast. This will cause dark pictures because the exposure isn’t long enough. Use the same settings for Auto Mode in Manual Mode. The picture should be correctly exposed. Also the built in flash isn’t very powerful.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

rs-eos — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:12:59 GMT

You'll want to understand the exposure triangle. Assuming that the Auto mode image was properly exposed, let's see what an equivalent exposure would be:

Let's get ISO to be 6400. That's an increase of 4 stops. Let's compensate with 4 stops of shutter, so that would be around 1/1000 second. But in your Manual mode settings, you were at 1/4000 (another 2 stops) and aperture around 4 stops. That 6 stops under of where you'd need to be.

This is just one scenario. Basically, if you let in more light with any of the three settings (aperture, shutter, ISO), you need to compensate by decreasing the amount of light with one of the other two.

If all this sounds foreign, explore the exposure triangle. You'll need to master that in order to be able to work with Manual mode.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

LeeP — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:14:22 GMT

Why was shooting at 1/4000 @ f22 the goal?

Did the camera indicate that was the correct exposure?

ISO 6400 @ 1/4000 @ f22 is a wild combo.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

deebatman316 — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:31:33 GMT

I’m thinking the same thing too. The only time I’ve used a shutter speed that fast was when I was trying to freeze a waterfall. 1/2000th is plenty fast for that situation. Also I’m questioning on why the OP was using F/22. That’s a really small aperture and requires a lot of light. So much light that the built in flash isn’t any where powerful enough. I think my 550EX may be just powerful enough for those settings. If not then you would need a large strobe instead of a speedlite.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:33:57 GMT

I just put the camera in 1/800 shutter speed; Aperture: F18; ISO: 800. Still dark

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

deebatman316 — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:40:53 GMT

Why are you using F/18 that is a very small aperture for dim lighting. Open up the aperture more to around F/5.6 instead.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

LeeP — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:44:24 GMT

I wondered whether the OP knew that in manual they use the exposure meter to guide the settings. It's been years since I used my T3i. I passed it and an XSi to a friend who wanted to learn his way into photography. 1/4000th and f22 feel like starting points the camera defaulted to when shifting into manual. I'm still perplexed and curious to know the reasoning.

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

LeeP — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:45:10 GMT

Are you using the exposure meter to derive those settings?

Re: EOS Rebel T3i dark in manual mode

Trissw09 — Wed, 21 May 2025 21:54:12 GMT

okay, and what shutter speed? I used the exposure meter but its not changing anything.