topic Re: photos with flash way too dark in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

photos with flash way too dark

FTG — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 04:34:32 GMT

Hi, I got a Rebel T6s and have serious issues with flash photos in low light conditions. I use two differents lenses (kit lens 18-135STM and prime lens 50mm 1.8 STM). EXIF data shows me that flash has been fired, but the picture is completely dark. I have no idea what to do. I shoot the same image with the same adjustments several times and sometimes the flash fires correctly but most of the time does not. Anybody any idea? I was using a Lumix 4/3rd with Olympus lenses before and never had a any problem with that.

Every help is greatly appreciated. I uploaded an example image.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

TTMartin — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 13:39:33 GMT

@FTG wrote:
Hi, I got a Rebel T6s and have serious issues with flash photos in low light conditions. I use two differents lenses (kit lens 18-135STM and prime lens 50mm 1.8 STM). EXIF data shows me that flash has been fired, but the picture is completely dark. I have no idea what to do. I shoot the same image with the same adjustments several times and sometimes the flash fires correctly but most of the time does not. Anybody any idea? I was using a Lumix 4/3rd with Olympus lenses before and never had a any problem with that.
Every help is greatly appreciated. I uploaded an example image.

Try taking the same photo in 'Green Square' Auto Mode and see if it comes out.

There are lots of things that impact exposure in general and exposure with a flash.

Things to keep in mind your on camera flash can have a range of only a few feet depending on the ISO and aperture settings.

Your metering mode can substantially impact proper exposure (stick to evaluative metering).

Canon has flash metering and exposure compensation that is independent of the cameras metering and exposure compensation, so be sure you check both of those settings.

That's just a starting point of things to look at.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:40:19 GMT

Are you sure the flash 'actually' fired? That sample photo doesn't look like it did.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

RobertTheFat — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:45:37 GMT

Canon's E-TTL algorithm takes the attitude that blown highlights are to be avoided at all cost, so that effectively all flash is fill flash. The effect is that only enough flash power (and duration) will be applied to make the brightest element in the picture look properly exposed. So the usual trick is to expose for the ambient light in the background and let the flash take care of the subject. That can work very well under normal lighting conditions, including backlit scenes outdoors, but of course it renders E-TTL flash nearly useless outdoors at night.

The obvious solution to this problem is "If you don't like it, don't use it." I.e. if E-TTL doesn't do the job, set the flash to manual exposure mode and the flash power to a level that gives you, as nearly as possible, the result you want. I believe that some (most? all?) E-TTL flash units have a mode you can set that will read the reflected light and shut the flash down automatically when the nearest object is correctly illuminated. That's the way the better flash units worked back in the film days, and it keeps you from having to worry about guide numbers and subject distance.

One other situation in which I've found that E-TTL does work well is with bounce flash. Because the light bouncing off the walls and ceiling lowers the contrast of the scene, it mitigates the downside of exposing for the highlights.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Waddizzle — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:57:49 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
Are you sure the flash 'actually' fired? That sample photo doesn't look like it did.

Despite what the EXIF data shows, I wondered the same thing. The balloons seem to be reflecting overhead light fixtures, but nothing from the camera flash.

I wonder if the internal flash was fully charged. Light flicker from the articial lighting may have fooled the camera, too. It's also interesting how the background seems perfectly exposed, and not well focused. Makes me wonder which shooting mode the camera was set for and where did it lock focus.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

FTG — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:57:40 GMT

Thank you for the different opinions on this issue. To respond to a couple of comments:

1. Yes I'm sure the flash fired.

2. Yes I used evaluative metering.

3. The picture has been shot in "P" mode.

I tried to take pictures in full Auto mode or any other mode and always get the same problem. Taking the same scenery a different times and in one out of 5 times the flash fires fully resulting in the expected typical flash picture.

I attach two more pictures which I shot 15 seconds apart (to be sure the flash is fully charged again), both in "P" mode. I still don't get it what is going wrong.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

FTG — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 17:03:09 GMT

Another point to this discussion might be:

If I press the shutter button half way down the flash emitts sometimes 3 super short flash shots. Pressing afterwards the shutter button completely and taking the picture might it be possible that those 3 flash shots influence in the metering in a way that the camera thinks the ambience is way brighter then it is really?

Re: photos with flash way too dark

RobertTheFat — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 17:35:39 GMT

@FTG wrote:
Another point to this discussion might be:
If I press the shutter button half way down the flash emitts sometimes 3 super short flash shots. Pressing afterwards the shutter button completely and taking the picture might it be possible that those 3 flash shots influence in the metering in a way that the camera thinks the ambience is way brighter then it is really?

No, but it's possible that they drain the capacitors enough to keep the main flash from functioning at full power.

Those extra flashes you're seeing are the "autofocus assist beam". When the light is so poor that the camera can't autofocus the lens, it uses the flash to help out. You should be able to turn that feature off, but then you may have to focus manually.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 17:42:24 GMT

You are just using the little flash that is in the camera? For whatever reason it isn't firing fully charged on the second sample. Thay is a lot of coverage for that tiny flash!

Re: photos with flash way too dark

ebiggs1 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 17:43:36 GMT

The orange tint shows more ambient light influenced the shot more than the flash did.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Waddizzle — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 16:52:22 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
@ebiggs1 wrote:
Despite what the EXIF data shows, I wondered the same thing. The balloons seem to be reflecting overhead light fixtures, but nothing from the camera flash.

I wonder if the internal flash was fully charged. Light flicker from the articial lighting may have fooled the camera, too. It's also interesting how the background seems perfectly exposed, and not well focused. Makes me wonder which shooting mode the camera was set for and where did it lock focus.

I take that back. I think I might see the camera's flash on the orange ballon, towards the lower left and on one of them closest to the camera. The one shot you posted where the flash fired is good example of how far [or how short] the internal flash can reach. You must be using the 18-55mm camera kit lens, because most lenses are longer, and would cast a shadow from teh flash being fired. In addition to being low powered, the built-in flash doesn't raise itself high enough to clear many lenses.

Your ambient lighting in the second pair of photos appears to be incandescent [WB=Tungsten], so that should probably rule out artificial light flicker fooling the camera into making an incorrect exposure. Flourescent light flickers at line voltage frequencies. Some solid state light sources flicker, too.

Another possiblity [or user error] that I have found all too easy to make is accidently locking the exposure settings, which can stay locked for several seconds, or much longer. The [ * ] button at the top right can lock exposure, AEL/FEL if your thumb accidently presses it as you hold the camera. Check the EXIF data to see if it reports FE Lock as ON or OFF.

If the flash works consistently when the camera is in Green [A}, Automatic, mode, then the camera is probably working just fine, and other circumstances are causing the inconsistent behavior. Just remember to allow several seconds between shots for the flash to fully recharge, which you seemed to do. That's what makes me question exposure lock or flash exposure lock..

Re: photos with flash way too dark

kvbarkley — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 18:57:13 GMT

Do you have it set for wireless flash? It might be trying to control an external flash that is not there.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

FTG — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 04:43:24 GMT

Thx. I left everything at factory settings and did a complete reset, so I don't think this is the problem.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

TTMartin — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:46:00 GMT

@FTG wrote:
Thx. I left everything at factory settings and did a complete reset, so I don't think this is the problem.

Try taking photos in Green Square Auto mode. NOT Program mode. Green Square Auto will rule out it being camera settings.

FYI, there are up to 4 different places you need to reset to completely reset the camera.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Waddizzle — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:36:17 GMT

@FTG wrote:
Thx. I left everything at factory settings and did a complete reset, so I don't think this is the problem.

Try using the flash in Automatic, Green [A], mode. As noted, this mode disregards many camera settings, and determines its' own settings to use, instead.

Your EXIF data reports you are using Partial Metering. Use Evaluative Metering mode when shooting handheld. Your shutter speed when using the flash may occasionally be too slow. So, set your Flash Sync Speed, which is found under the camera 1 menu, should be set to [1/200 - 1/60 sec. auto]

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Waddizzle — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 17:03:49 GMT

@FTG wrote:
Another point to this discussion might be:
If I press the shutter button half way down the flash emitts sometimes 3 super short flash shots. Pressing afterwards the shutter button completely and taking the picture might it be possible that those 3 flash shots influence in the metering in a way that the camera thinks the ambience is way brighter then it is really?

Be aware that in Basic Zone modes, but optional in [P] mode, pressing the shutter halfway locks in an exposure setting. This exposure setting stays locked in [Metering Timer in Shooting 4 Menu] until the viewfinder display turns off, until you take the picture, or until you release and press the shutter again.

If your AE Lock is engaged, you should see an asterisk at the far left end of the viewfinder display.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Chollyhillphoto — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 04:21:22 GMT

How to get the pop up flash to work correctly in automatic. Photos way to dark. My camera was fixed and the whe top was replaced . Now the flash seems out of wack.!

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Chollyhillphoto — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 04:22:14 GMT

Is there any way to trouble shoot this problem ?

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Waddizzle — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 08:31:56 GMT

@Chollyhillphoto wrote:
How to get the pop up flash to work correctly in automatic. Photos way to dark. My camera was fixed and the whe top was replaced . Now the flash seems out of wack.!

Your camera is still broken.

Re: photos with flash way too dark

Lamanda2 — Sat, 02 May 2020 10:40:19 GMT

I have the same problem with my 700d Eos Canon... When I take pictures with flash in every mode, my pictures just turns pretty dark... like I don´t know how to fix that..