EOS Rebel G keeps setting shutter speed to 30" with EF 50mm lens

[wmdineen]

Canon EF 50mm 1.8 with Canon Rebel G 35mm camera shutter speed issue

Hello,  recently I bought a brand new EF 50mm lens to pair with my Canon Rebel G film camera.  The Camera itself is in mint condition .    I was out today taking my new lens for a spin .   The weather was overcast with some slight drizzle.   I was shooting in AP mode  at f8  with 200 ISO  Kodak Gold .   Occasional the camera would set the shutter speed to 30 seconds.   I would turn it off and then it would be fine for a couple more shots but then it would happen again.   I did put in auto and immediately called for the flash on the shots.   

Now I undertand on an overcast day the camera will call for a slower shutter speed but 30 seconds seemed excessive.   

Is this normal?   I  fear either some rain drops might have gotten in a started wreak havok, though it was only a slight drizzle   or 2.  the  50mm lens wasn't syncing well with the the Rebel G  or 3.  This is the first sign of this camera starting to fail.

thanks for any insight 

[justadude]

For film with Kodak Gold 200 ASA, and your lens set to F/8 on a very overcast day, 30 seconds is a lot - I'm usually between 1/125 - 1/30 seconds in those conditions.  Will that 30 seconds go away if you change the aperture to F/3.5 (for example)?  Also, are you sure it wasn't saying 1/30 seconds instead of 30 seconds?

I'n my opinion F/8 is pushing it in overcast and rainy conditions unless you were using a tripod... but then again, I have no idea what you were trying to achieve, so maybe not.

Quick edit... Adding to the above, do you have a different lens that you can test out?  That would rule out if the problems are with your 50mm or your camera.

[wmdineen]

Hi thanks for the quick response,  it  was definitely 30 seconds,   It took that long to hear the shutter complete, so I gong to have some interesting shots  LOL      I was just taking some basic street photos in my hometown, like store fronts  and buildings.     I do have  it's original kit lens it's 35 - 80  f4.5  but I didn't have it with me,   now the suns out so I won't be able to test it today.    I knew it the camera would automatically call for a slower shutter speed but nothing like that.     

[deebatman316]

I've use old and new lenses between different cameras and never had compatibility issues. It does seem odd that the camera is setting a really long shutter speed. When this happens again check and see if a set aperture is displayed. If it says F/-- or F/00 that means there's a communication problem with the camera and lens. How well does the EOS 3 work with that lens. Does that cause the same issue as the EOS Rebel G is having. The EOS 3 doesn't have a built-in flash like the EOS Rebel G has. Instead an external speedlite must be used for flash photography. 

[justadude]

Even if the sun is out, you can test it.  Simply test it indoors, and not close to any windows.  You want a room that is about as bright as it is outdoors on an overcast day.  

Personally I would want to figure it out before ruining any more film.  I have a feeling it's the body that is acting up based on what you are telling me, but the test would determine that for sure.  That way if it is just the lens, simply go back to the kit lens for now until you get something better.

[ebiggs1]

"This is the first sign of this camera starting to fail."

Could very well be.

"Even if the sun is out, you can test it.  Simply test it indoors, and not close to any windows.  You want a room that is about as bright as it is outdoors on an overcast day."

A test, yes, but definitely not that way.  First clear all camera settings and clear all custom settings. Menu "Clear Settings" option, select it. Menu "Clear All Custom Settings" option and select it. I am guessing there, as it may be in a tiny bit different form on a Rebel G film camera but it should be close. Anyway the reset is very important however it is done and must be done to test it.

Now set it to P mode. Use your ASA 200 Gold film.. Use the new ef 50mm f1.8 lens and go out on a nice sunny day and take a few shots. One roll.  Random shots and try to find varied lighting conditions. If they turn out OK all is well but if they don't I suspect the camera is faulty.

"I  fear either some rain drops might have gotten in a started wreak havok, though it was only a slight drizzle"

Cameras and water mostly do not get along well with each other. Even a little water in the wrong place is not good. If it is water infiltration you might try is a warm heating pad, not a hot heating pad, where you can sit the Rebel G on for a few days. Leave the lens off and open on the camera. Also remove the battery and leave the battery door open. Important the heating pad is just warm not hot!

[ebiggs1]

Keep in mind the Canon EOS Rebel G, hit the market in 1996. It was discontinued in 1999. It has been discontinued for 26 years and a given model could be as much as 29 years old. That's a lot for an electronic camera.

[wmdineen]

thanks  I think we should have some sun today or at the very least partly cloudy and I'll give it whirl and see what happens.    I did some testing last night  when in  P mode and Auto mode  no issues   when in Av mode it occasional happend again.     I hope it's not the camera  I love this thing and bought it  in excellent condition 

thanks for you help , I'll report back and see how it goes. 

[ebiggs1]

" I did some testing last night  when in  P mode and Auto mode  no issues   when in Av mode it occasional happend again."

Unless you did the reset all you did was test whatever setting were in the camera. You must reset to factory default to do any testing. Good luck and don't forget the warm heating pad trick.

[jrhoffman75]

Chances are your roll of film came with an instruction sheet and an exposure guide. The guide is based around the Sunny 16 Rule which says proper exposure on a sunny day is ISO at film rating, aperture at f/16 and shutter speed at 1/ISO rating. It would also show adjustments for different lighting conditions. I would guess a dark overcast to be maybe four stops lower - maybe around f/4 at 1/200 (or equivalent EVs such a f/5.6 at 1/100).