 BetterPhoto Member |
picture problems often on the pictures I get back from developement there is a black line about an inch think all the way down the top or side of some of the pictures. I dont understand why it is there-is it the developers fault? or does the camera need to be cleaned ? or am I not doing something right with the camera?(it is a manuel 35mm vivitar)thank you! ~Kasey
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Jon Close |
There is nothing wrong with your camera. This is the result of using too fast a shutter speed with a flash. Your camera has a focal plane shutter, which is a cloth, plastic, or metal curtain just in front of the film. At slow shutter speeds, and up to the speed called the flash sync speed, the curtain opens fully on the entire film frame. To achieve faster shutter speeds the focal plane shutter forms a slit that moves across the film. The flash is of very short duration, usually about 1/1000 second or less. If the shutter speed is set faster than the flash sync speed, the light from the flash affects only the portion of the frame on which the shutter is open. The rest of the film frame is exposed only by the ambient light, which is insufficient to render an image at the shutter speed/aperture selected, so it comes out black in your photo. When using a flash you must make sure your shutter speed is set to the flash sync speed, or any slower speed. Each model SLR has its own flash sync speed. On manual cameras with a shutter speed dial it is usually marked in a different color than the other speeds. The current line of Vivitar SLRs have a flash sync speed of 1/125. On older models the flash sync speed may be 1/90 or 1/60.
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Jon Close |
After some more thought, if you're sure that this is happening with photos taken without a flash, then your shutter may not be opening fully and may need repair.
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Wayne Attridge |
In fact there may be an issue with your camera. If this problem appears when you are not using the flash and your camera has a focal plane curtain shutter, the shutter may be faulty. When you press the shutter button to take the picture, one side of the curtain moves to open the film to the light and then depending on the shutter speed you have selected, the other side of the curtain moves to close off the light at the interval you selected. If the shutter is faulty, it may not open fully, therefore causing a shadow on your film. If it is bad enough to be visible to the naked eye you can test it yourself. With no film in the camera, open the back and crank the winder, watching the curtain move to one side. Then press the shutter with the speed set at 1/8 sec or so and watch the action of the curtain. It should open fully and then close fully. If it sticks on either of these actions you must have it repaired by your camera shop. If it is only with flash photos then sync spedd may be the issue and the camera may be fine.
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