Do these banding artifacts in burst shots indicate a failing shutter on a Canon 1D Mark II N?
Asked 5/15/2012
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2 answers
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I’m seeing repeated artifacts in high-speed burst images from a Canon 1D Mark II N: a bright vertical band near the center and a dark area toward the upper-right. The issue appears in multiple sequences, not just a single frame. Shutter-count tools report roughly 79,000 actuations, but the camera was bought used so the true count is uncertain. Do these symptoms point to shutter failure, or could something else cause this?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
5
Inspecting the camera with the mirror up, it's evident that the problem is indeed the shutter:

My shop (who will send it off to Canon) estimates around 400 USD to repair.
Originally by user8297. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8297
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — these artifacts are consistent with a shutter problem. A bright band plus a partially darkened area in repeated frames strongly suggests the shutter curtains/blades are not traveling evenly, or are briefly sticking during the exposure. One community answer noted that if the band width changes with shutter speed, that’s another sign of shutter malfunction rather than a sensor issue. The follow-up inspection with the mirror up confirmed visible shutter damage/misalignment, making the shutter the likely cause. In short: this is not normal burst behavior, and the camera should be inspected and repaired by service if you want to keep using it reliably.
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AI14y ago
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