[bkiter1]

Hello,
please if you could help how to fix the following issue. In the image below, you will see that a dark shadow appears on the bottom of the pics. How could I fix this issue? Is this issue the same as they are talking on this post called "Black Bar"
http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth8.htm#faq12
My current setup is Canon T1i, cfl modeling light on top of camera and external flash/hotshoe connection, Breezy software.
Settings : F. 7.1 - 1/200 SEC. - ISO 200 - Focal 20mm - Center weight - Manual - AF - White Balance AUTO.

http://ealpe.com/fix.jpg

Thank you!

[Chris Breeze]

It could simply be a problem with the flash not having a wide enough beam to illuminate the whole area of the photo. From the photos it looks as though you might be able to point the flash down a bit without losing coverage at the top.

Alternatively it could be a problem with the flash sync as described in the FAQ:
http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth8.htm#faq12
Have you tried setting the camera to 1/2 stop exposure increments or changing the PhotoboothExternalFlashModeStops setting in the Windows registry?

[bkiter1]

Hi Chris and thank you for your suggestions.

"setting the camera to 1/2 stop exposure increments" You mean to increase the ISO?




"or changing the PhotoboothExternalFlashModeStops setting in the Windows registry"

You recommend to use a slower shutter speed by increasing the value of the following setting in the Windows registry to 2.

In the code below , were I place the #2 ?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\BreezeSystems\DSLRRemot ePro\100\PhotoboothExternalFlashModeStops

[LorneChesal]

based on how "fuzzy" the transition from darkish to light is, this isn't a sync issue IMO. It looks like the light is being blocked from going as low in the booth as you want.

has this just begun to happen?

[bkiter1]

Hello, thank you for all your suggestions!

Im going to tilt the flash and see if it helps, if that doesn't work im going to add more modeling cfl lights either to the bottom of the monitor or to the sides, right now my softbox (4 cfl and the flash) sits on top of the camera

Thank you!

[CheekyPix]

Judging by the reflections in the glasses the girls are wearing and the even drop off... its "flash fall off".

Google it.. and also "Inverse Square Law"

The bottom of the subject is further away from the light source than the top of the subject.

You are up against physics. In the confined space of a photo booth all you can really do is make the light source as large as possible and use light colors on the inside of the booth and perhaps a roof on the booth to bounce the light around as much as possible to light the subjects more evenly.

http://assets.popphoto.com/files/resize/imce_uploads/flashchart-620x294.jpg

[CheekyPix]

this photo demonstrates it well:

http://cheekypix.com/inverse_square_01.jpg

[Chris Breeze]

I think it is more likely to be a lighting issue than a problem with flash sync. If it is a flash sync problem I would expect the amount of shading to vary from photo to photo.

Try taking photos from the main DSLR Remote Pro window with different shutter speeds e.g. 1/125 sec, 1/160 sec and 1/200 sec. If the shading doesn't change it must be a lighting issue not a flash sync one. The T1i's maximum flash sync speed is 1/200 sec and if you try using a faster shutter speed you will start to see shading caused by the camera's shutter blind covering the sensor when the flash is triggered.

You can set the camera to 1/2 stop exposure level increments by setting custom function 1 in the camera (press the menu button on the camera, scroll across to the third spanner menu and select "Custom Functions(c.Fn)"). This causes the shutter speed to be set to 1/180 sec when taking the photo instead of 1/200 sec which should make a difference if the problem is flash sync.