Pop Flash Issues

[teopimenta]

Hello everyone! I currently own an used Canon t3i, and it is an amazing camera that suits me very well. But recently I decided to get started on flash photography, and realized that my camera's flash pops up, fires, but the image is still very dark. It isn't a shutter/aperture/ISO problem, since I've tried all combinations with the flash firing. I haven't found solutions for this issue anywhere, and I was hoping someone could help!

Thanks in advance!

[kvbarkley]

Have you tried the green square mode?

Can you post a sample?

[teopimenta]

Hello, and thanks for answering.

I've tried most of the basic modes, including the Portrait and the Green Square ones, and all of the manual ones (M, Av, Tv and P), and none of those seemed to work with my firing flash.

Right now I've got two sample photos, with the exact same subject and conditions (1/80s, f/ 1.8), and one I've got 400 ISO and flash OFF, and the other one 100 ISO and flash deployed and fired.

[Waddizzle]

How are you determining your exposure settings?  Especially, ISO?

[Richard]

Hi Teopimenta,

Thank you for posting.

To allow us to better assist you, please reply with the following information:

1. Does this occur with every flash photo you take?
2. If you take an identical photo without the flash, with the camera in it's "P" (Program AE) mode, is the resulting image properly exposed?
3. When this occurs, how close are you to your subject?

[teopimenta]

Hello and thanks for answering!

1. This happens to every photograph I take, no exceptions.
2. I've tried shooting on P mode, and the exposure seems just fine, but the flash doesn't work in this mode either, or any other.
3. I've tried taking very close photos, medium distances and far away, and none of those seemed to work whatsoever.

[Waddizzle]

What lens are you using?  Larger lenses can cast a shadow when used with a flash

BTW, the flash pops up automatically only in certain Basic shooting modes.  If you wish to use the flash in "P" mode, then you must manually raise the flash by pressing the. Lightning icon button on top of the camera, or by releasing the flash in the Quick Menu.

[Waddizzle]

Also, the built-in flash does not reach much beyond 10 feet, or so.

[teopimenta]

I am using the 50mm 1.8 II, but I've tried with the 18-55 kit lens as well.

I know that the flash won't pop up by himself beyond the basic modes, and I've been pressing the pop flash button, and it has deployed and fired, but the lighting didn't show up on the photo.

[teopimenta]

And yes, I've tried different distances, most of them actually quite close, about 1-3 feet away.