So I'm getting some kind of weird problem here.....I'm thinking shutter or mirror assembly.

The problem is on a 20D body. At higher shutter speeds (around 1/2000 and above), part of the image is black. Depending on shutter speed, more or less of the image is black, so it's something directly related to the shutter movement or the mirror not getting out of the way in time.

What I'm wondering is.....has anyone else experienced this and can anyone help pinpoint the problem?

This is what I'm referring to.....

If you're using flash, you're way over the flash sync speed (usually 1/250)...

If not, your shutter is likely dying or on it's way out...

If your using flash, way fast

Jefferson

EXIF says flash did not fire. My money is on a shutter going bad.

Yup, no flash.

I did some reading on the internet with some users experiencing the same thing and it ended up being a bad spring in the mirror assembly.....but with over 50k actuations, I'm pretty sure it's the shutter also

It wouldn't be so bad had I not purchased the body on ebay just a couple of months ago and it was "in great condition".....so now I'll have to sell it as is and take a pretty bad loss on something I barely had a chance to use.

Why not just get the shutter replaced? I know on the high end Nikon bodies its usually around $150-$200, shouldn't be that expensive for you either...

I am considering it....I'm just wondering if the $250 canon charges is worth it, or if I should have a shop do it for $100 less with an OEM canon shutter? Decisions, decisions....

Idlplumb wrote: I am considering it....I'm just wondering if the $250 canon charges is worth it, or if I should have a shop do it for $100 less with an OEM canon shutter? Decisions, decisions....

Considering the current value of the 20D, I'd suggest having a repair shop check it out first. If it's the mirror spring you may get away for a little less than $150 - $250, and still get another few thousand pics out of the shutter.

If it is the shutter, then you'll know and you can decide then if you want to replace it or just get a new camera.

Chances are that you can sell it AS-Is on ebay for parts and end up with more money than you would think. It might cost less to buy a 30D with the money from the used one than the cost to have it fixed.

KibblesNbitz wrote:
Why not just get the shutter replaced?

Why not let Canon diagnose it and decide based on their experience fixing their cameras what needs to be replaced, instead of deciding now to get an expensive repair that may not be necessary.

A 20D doesn't hold much value these days, though it is a fine camera. I use mine, which I bought seven years ago. It might be salable for parts.

When I say get the shutter replaced, I mean to send it in to a Canon or authorized repair facility to get it checked out and see whats up. It just so happens that the shutter is whats most likely wrong. Who would be stupid enough to just order random things replaced without input from Canon or an authorized repair center? I assumed that would be common sense to assume Canon will tell you exactly what is wrong, but apparently not....Im not so sure they would even take direct orders and just replace a certain part without diagnosing it on their own first...

I was pretty sure the shutter went side to side, not top to bottom. My first guess was shutter, but then that thought popped into my mind.

Canon refurbs are dirt cheap right now. Your camera's problem is nature's way of telling you it's time to upgrade.

troy12n wrote:
I was pretty sure the shutter went side to side, not top to bottom. My first guess was shutter, but then that thought popped into my mind.

The shutter on virtually all (if not all) modern cameras travels in the shortage direction (top to bottom). My old Olympus OM-4T has a horizontal traveling cloth shutter...VERY old school!

Omar

troy12n wrote: I was pretty sure the shutter went side to side, not top to bottom. My first guess was shutter, but then that thought popped into my mind.

omarlyn wrote: The shutter on virtually all (if not all) modern cameras travels in the [shortest] direction (top to bottom). My old Olympus OM-4T has a horizontal traveling cloth shutter...VERY old school!

Same with my Pentax K1000: cloth horizontal travel.

Troy, here's an interesting (to me, anyway) video of a modern shutter in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptfSW4eW25g

It does a good job of showing how the sensor is fully exposed at 1/200 sync speed or less, but only a moving slit exposes it at 1/1000 (which is why normal flash won't work at faster-than-sync speeds.

omarlyn wrote:
troy12n wrote:
I was pretty sure the shutter went side to side, not top to bottom. My first guess was shutter, but then that thought popped into my mind.

The shutter on virtually all (if not all) modern cameras travels in the shortage direction (top to bottom). My old Olympus OM-4T has a horizontal traveling cloth shutter...VERY old school!

Omar

Did not realize that, makes complete sense now that you mention it.