Shutter Speed vs Screen Darkness

[CassiLynne20]

I'm still very new to cameras, and I have a Rebel T5. When I get my shutter speed up, my photos are so much darker they're practically black. I know this has something to do with the light getting in, but I don't know how to fix it right in the settings. I've played around with it best I can figure, but don't know how to fix it. Even with a SUPER bright flash, it still looks black at the higher shutter speeds.

Please help.

Thanks! 

[jrhoffman75]

If you are learning put camera in Green Square mode.

Look at the settings the camera selects.

Check some tutorials on YouTube.

If you are going to select your own settings be sure the exposure meter in the viewfinder is in the middle.

Compare setting in Green Square to your setting. Adjust as necessary.

[CassiLynne20]

I've tried altering all other settings while it's on the higher shutter speeds, and sometimes it looks *slightly* less dark, but far from acceptable? Even the lightest one seems to be FAR too dark. So.. Leaves me to wonder if it's a faulty camera (I'd bought it used) or if I've just got the settings wrong.

[jrhoffman75]

It sounds like you’re shotgunning settings without being sure what you’re doing v

Please put it on Green Square and go outside in daylight and take a picture.

If that doesn’t produce a good image then you may have a defective camera.

[Waddizzle]

Take a look at the YouTube videos from Canon's Digital Learning Center.

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/General-Camera-Discussion/Canon-YouTube-Video-Series/m-p/269237#M... 

The EOS 101 series in the first post is a great introduction to the basics of photography.  You will want to watch them more than once.  The crucial concepts to understand are " Exposure Triangle " and " Depth of Field ".

[CassiLynne20]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:
It sounds like you’re shotgunning settings without being sure what you’re doing v

Please put it on Green Square and go outside in daylight and take a picture.

If that doesn’t produce a good image then you may have a defective camera.

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In GS mode a singular photo comes out just fine. I'm only having the issue when I turn the shutter speed up higher than 400.

[jrhoffman75]

What mode are you in when you are adjusting shutter speed?

[jrhoffman75]

Since you are getting proper images in Green Square your camera is functioning properly.

Try this:

1. Put camera in Green Square and take a photo. Check the setings ISO, shutter and aperture.

2. Switch camera to Program (P) mode. The settings should be the same.

GS and P use the same camera logic program. GS just disables a number of things you can chnage to be sure you get a proper image.

3. In "P", rotate the Main Dial next to the shutter button, You will see as one setting is changed (camera is usually setup to change the shutter speed with that dial) the other settings change accordingly to maintain correct exposure. You will also see the pointer in the righthand side of the viewfinder staying at the middle point because the program in the camera works to maintain correct exposure.

4. If you start moving things in Manaul (M) there is no longer a linkage. You can set shutter, perture and ISO anywhere you want independently. Tha's why you need to wtch where the pointer is and adjust appropriately.

[Ray-uk]

It sounds as though you need to learn the basics of manual exposure, there are plenty of tutorials online.

Getting the correct exposure in settings other than automatic require a little juggling with the 3 variables, shutter speed, aperture and ISO. It is no good just increasing the shutter speed without adjusting one or both of the other two.

Likewise a flashgun will not necessarily help if you are going to use high shutter speeds unless you use high speed flash which is yet another learning curve.

As others have pointed out if your camera gets it right in Auto (green square) mode then the camera isn't faulty and the problem lies with the user.

[MikeSowsun]

Are you using an external flash for all these photos?