# photos turn dark when external flash is on



## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

im using canon t31 and sunpack digiflash 3000. when i take pictures with my external flash, i sometimes get images that are to dark even though the flash was fired at the time the photo was taken. so i tried this, i took photos with different shutter speeds. I was shooting manual for all photos with f1.8, iso of 200, white balance: Flash, my first shot was 1/200(max i can shoot with flash on) and my camera(or photos) did NOT pick up the flash and so with 1/160, 1/125, 1/100, 1/80, 1/60, 1/50, 1/40, 1/30, 1/25, 1/20, 1/25, 1/13, 1/10, 1/8 .... but anything solwer than 1/8 i was able to see flash on my photos ( 1/6, 1/5, 1/4, 0"3, 0"4...etc) is there anything that I'm missing in flash photography, now i know that sppedsync is important with the camera's shutter and the flash itself. but I'm sure there is a way to shoot at 1/200 with flash. just to clarify again, the flash does fire in all the photos i took but anything faster than 1/8, you wont get your photo lit at all. i will provide the images for 1/8vs 1/6 and just know that in in both images i was able to see the flash firing with my eyes. please help


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Hi can you give info on the flash.
Your story has echos of a problem I had.
My flash was set on a 128th power setting when I got it.
Even on manual it only fired at the setting
@ iso 200 f 1.8 that images should be so over exposed
Can you do a shot with the following a news paper at 2mtr the night of an avg door
ISO 100 F 8  shutter speed 125 sec


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> Hi can you give info on the flash.
> Your story has echos of a problem I had.
> My flash was set on a 128th power setting when I got it.
> Even on manual it only fired at the setting
> ...


hey there ,  thanks for the reply.the flash that I'm using doesn't have any buttons besides off and on (https://www.amazon.com/Sunpak-Digiflash-Electronic-Flash-Cameras/dp/B007X5HINM) can you clarify about the photo you want me to take? did you mean like a blank piece of paper shot 2 meters away, with iso:100 f:1.8? and 1/125 right?


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

A sheet of news paper at those settings

I will put a flash on my camera later and walk you thro an idea.
Ps if I am teaching you to suck eggs no insult intended
I filled the link it helps
There is a power level indicator
If you can see this can you say what says


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

im sorry i dont understand what you are asking me to do. i appreciate your help though. what power level indicator are you talking about. btw im new to this fourm so i dont know much about it


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Ok .. no problem
I was going to get you to do a test pic with known settings
On my flash I can change the settings on the flash or via the camera
in the last image shows my flash at half power
The camera sequence show how I have to adjust my flash on my canon 600d


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> Ok .. no problem






Original katomi said:


> I was going to get you to do a test pic with known settings
> On my flash I can change the settings on the flash or via the camera
> in the last image shows my flash at half power
> The camera sequence show how I have to adjust my flash on my canon 600dView attachment 192391 View attachment 192392 View attachment 192393 View attachment 192394 View attachment 192395




 This is what i get.. its greyed out


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Ok brill that helps
Top line flash mode
Can you change that poss use the control wheel on your camera
If you can get it to manual see what that says.
I will be for a couple of hours so I have time to try and help


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Ps looking at your image you are missing the eye cup, do you know that you can get replacements from amazon


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

I have just noticed something
On your pic of camera screen your camera is set to 2nd curtain in my images my camera is set to 1st curtain
You could try to set yours to 1st .... it should make no difference but it’s worth a try
Whilst chatting to you here I am also on line reviewing data on your camera
The sync speed for flash on your camera is 1/200 sec
If you can do a test shot like your first images with the following
All manual settings see images below


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Let me know if these ideas help if not I will think again


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

i did set


Original katomi said:


> I have just noticed something
> On your pic of camera screen your camera is set to 2nd curtain in my images my camera is set to 1st curtain
> You could try to set yours to 1st .... it should make no difference but it’s worth a try
> Whilst chatting to you here I am also on line reviewing data on your camera
> ...


i tried putting it on 1 curtain and i also bumped up my shutter to 1/200 and bumped my stop to 8. but i get a dark image this time because I'm using a high shutter with f8.0


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Did I read right post 7 that you can not change the flash mode to manual


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Ues my flash is TTL flash i dont think its manual


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

I am trying al sorts on ideas out here on my camera hence the mass of ideas you are getting


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Ok re post 7
Can you select that option and change it


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Here is my screen I can select the flash mode and change it
My 600d is the uk version of your camera as far as I can tell


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Are you able to select and change the settings


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Two shots in the wrong order
1 using E TIL
2 manual
I am running out of ideas for you to solve the problem


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

Ok I have to go and do a few jobs but I will look in here before I go to bed.


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> View attachment 192407
> Two shots in the wrong order
> 1 using E TIL
> 2 manual
> I am running out of ideas for you to solve the problem


yah it wont let me select the first option "flash mode" i don't seem to know any other reason why this is still troubling me, just frustrated mate


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> Ok I have to go and do a few jobs but I will look in here before I go to bed.


Yah absolutely thanks for the help


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## Original katomi (May 31, 2020)

I have passed  the problem onto the coffee shop and asked if others can help I am off to bed now
11.30 pm here


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> I have passed  the problem onto the coffee shop and asked if others can help I am off to bed now
> 11.30 pm here


Hey thanks for doing so, much appreciated


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## Marvin123 (May 31, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> View attachment 192407
> Two shots in the wrong order
> 1 using E TIL
> 2 manual
> I am running out of ideas for you to solve the problem


seems like when i try to shoot in 1st curtain i get dark image no matter what the shutter speed is but when i switch to 2nd curtain then i can get it to work any thing with 1/8 or slower


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## Original katomi (Jun 1, 2020)

Morning .
Having slept on the problem, I am still none the wiser. I don’t have any more ideas  for you
It does not sound like you have the exposure compensation on 
Sorry could not be more help.


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