Flash or curtain problem, please help !

I just bought a Elan II E second hand and a 420 EX new and got the first pictures. The 1/3 upper part of the pictures are dimmer (slight darker) than rest of the picture. That 1/3 upper part seems slight underexposed...I don't know.
So, there is a problem with wrong angle bouncing flash, or one of two curtains don't work properly? I mention that I put Sto-Fen on the flash.
Thank you.

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Originally Posted by compactMike

I just bought a Elan II E second hand and a 420 EX new and got the first pictures. The 1/3 upper part of the pictures are dimmer (slight darker) than rest of the picture. That 1/3 upper part seems slight underexposed...I don't know.
So, there is a problem with wrong angle bouncing flash, or one of two curtains don't work properly? I mention that I put Sto-Fen on the flash.
Thank you.

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What setting did you have the camera set too? Try again with P mode, or TV to 1/60 and the flash to TTL, and see if it works. It sounds like you may have set the shutter over the sync speed of the camera.

Loren

Sounds like a classic case of the shutter speed being set too fast. Every camera has a maximum sync speed that the flash will work with. If you have a shutter speed faster than that, then the shutter starts to close before the flash can light the scene.

A safe speed for most any modern camera is 1/60 but check the manual, it might be a little faster than that.

I agree that it sounds like the shutter speed was higher than the 1/125 x-sync of the Elan II. The Elan IIe is capable of utilizing the FP high speed shutter sync of the 420EX for flash at all shutter speeds, but you have to be sure that the switch (just above the on/off switch) on the 420EX is set for for it.

No way, the the shutter speed can't be over the max flash sync speed because the flash or the Elan II don't let me. The hi speed switch on the flash was off ( I took the picture indoors where the ambient light was medium level). I can't remember the shutter speed but I think it was 1/30 or 1/60 and the mode was Av, Tv or M, sorry. And I can't remember if the position of the flash head was horizontal or 60 degrees. I must do more experiments with the gear. Anyway, the 420 EX is full auto.

post an image :)

to check the SHUTTER LEAVES.......

NO FILM

open the film door.. are shutter leaves TIGHT and evenly spaced?

YES... then

TV 30 SECONDS
CLICK SHUTTER BUTTON and OPEN THE FILM DOOR
watch as the SECOND CURTAIN comes down :)

ALL IS KOSHER????

then your FLASH may have been blocked PARTIALLY