Unwanted Studio Border

[illuminati919]

Alright so whenever I take a photo studio style, I'm using 2 vivitar 285hv flashes, I get this black border on the bottom. Ive switched flashes on the both sides, I shot vertical, I moved the flashes, but it's still there. If anyone can help me out with this problem please any feedback is welcomed. I hope its not my sensor. :scratch

Here's a photo.

[Kenny]

Hmmm... looks good apart from the black at the bottom. My first guess would be that your shutter speed is too high for the flash. What's the highest flash sync speed on your camera? Are you shooting above that? Try slowing the shutter down a little if 1/250 is higher than your sync speed. Maybe try 1/60 for a start to see if the black line goes away... that's about it for my guess :-)

Cheers,
Kenny

Alright so whenever I take a photo studio style, I'm using 2 vivitar 285hv flashes, I get this black border on the bottom. Ive switched flashes on the both sides, I shot vertical, I moved the flashes, but it's still there. If anyone can help me out with this problem please any feedback is welcomed. I hope its not my sensor. :scratch

Here's a photo.

[illuminati919]

As soon as I posted that I realized that might be the problem. I'm using a Canon 20D which syncs out at 1/250th of a second, but for some reason the black line is still there. I'm guessing because there is so much light the 1/250th might still be to fast. I'm gonna try a slower speed tonight. Thanks though.

[TristanP]

I've always done indoor flash shots with my 20D on 1/250 and I've never seen that kind of line on my shots. Try the 1/60 suggestion and work up from there.

[Bob&Glennie]

Sure looks like second curtain to me. Many cameras will only give you optimum sync speed with a dedicated flash. Vivtar 285 is definitely not dedicated. Good flash though; I've had one for about a hundred :wink years. Try slowing down your shutter speed a bit. I bet that'll work.

Bob

[LiquidAir]

The documented sync speed for my 5D is 1/200, but I have found that it only works with Canon flashes mounted in the hot shoe. For any other configuration it seems that 1/160 is as fast as it goes.

[Scott_Quier]

The documented sync speed for my 5D is 1/200, but I have found that it only works with Canon flashes mounted in the hot shoe. For any other configuration it seems that 1/160 is as fast as it goes.Hmmm, I find that strange. My 20D with Sigma 500 will work to at least 1/250 (haven't tried anything faster). I haven't thought to actually test the 580.

[Bob&Glennie]

Hmmm, I find that strange. My 20D with Sigma 500 will work to at least 1/250 (haven't tried anything faster). I haven't thought to actually test the 580.

Is your Sigma designed to comunicate with your camera body? If so, it can be considered "dedicated".

"The documented sync speed for my 5D is 1/200, but I have found that it only works with Canon flashes mounted in the hot shoe. For any other configuration it seems that 1/160 is as fast as it goes." ...
... My point exactly.

[ire-david]

Check that you haven't the camea set to second curtain sync as well. it happened to me before.

if you are using slave flash this will also slow down the reaction time of your flash depending on the type of actuator you use (radio or flash detection) it's quite a minute delay but it is there. The lenght of sync cables can also be a factor. the longer the cble the bigger longer the delay.
Having said that i would try several speeds rather than dropping all the way to 1/60th immediatly. all these delays are measured in milliseconds and you may find a higher working speed than 1/60th