I am using a flash and my image is too dark! What’s wrong?
It could be any of several things. The top ones in this handy checklist:
- You are too far (especially when bouncing). Increase the ISO or open up the aperture, or get closer.
- You are shooting a reflective object. Avoid shooting directly at a reflective object: bounce, or move it.
- Your Flash Exposure Compensation (“FEC”, symbol lightning rod and +/1 symbol combined) is set to “minus”. Set FEC back to 0, on the camera and on the flash.
- You are shooting a white scene. Set FEC to plus, eg +1 to +1.7
- Your flash is set to commander mode. Set it back to normal TTL, using the commander/remote button or menu.
- Your flash is set to manual mode. Set it back to normal TTL, using the “mode” button.
Now try again!
You may also be using a Promaster flash.
I was using a Promaster 7500EDF recently on my (pretty new) Canon Rebel T2i.
Because I was working in a fairly small room, I set the flash to manual 1/8 and was getting inconsistent results. Some dark, some not.
I switched over to the Nikon SB-24 that I normally use with the other camera, and the results improved.
As the top of the line Promaster flash, I wasn’t very happy.
It seems to do better with TTL, but I wanted different results than what I’d get from TTL.
I don’t know whether the Canon 580 EX would have done better or not. It hasn’t worked in over a year. (Got the Promaster while it was in for repair the first time…)
I use a 580EX on most of my model shots!