Why are my Canon Rebel T100 photos dark with E-TTL flash, and why won’t the flash fire in manual mode?
Asked 10/30/2022
2 views
2 answers
0
I’m using a Canon Rebel T100/4000D with a Focus external flash. In E-TTL mode, my photos come out very dark, as if the camera is exposing for ambient light and not giving enough flash. Changing to a slower shutter speed doesn’t seem to help. Also, if I switch the flash to manual mode while it’s mounted on the camera, it won’t fire at all. Is this a camera setting issue, or is there a compatibility problem with this camera and flash?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
3y ago
2 Answers
2
There are two different issues coming into play here:
- Your Canon Rebel T100/4000D does not have a standard hot shoe with an ISO compliant contact in the center. Canon started doing this with the lowest priced models a few years ago. You can't trigger standard manual flashes directly with this hot shoe. There are a few workarounds that require hardware made specifically to work with the Canon cameras that have this partially disabled shoe. I call it a "semi-lukewarm" shoe.
We've had a few previous questions about this issue here at Photo SE:
How can I make use of a speedlight that does not work with the non-standard hotshoe on lower-end Canon cameras?
Is a Yongnuo YN560-TX compatible with Canon SL3 or T100?
What speed lights are compatible with canon 2000d? I can’t find any
Canon EOS 4000D Hot Shoe for Sync (with Studio Flashes)
- Many third party flashes don't work very well in E-TTL mode if the Canon camera's flash metering is set to Evaluative. Try setting the flash metering mode to Center Weighted Averaging, or partial. Please note that Flash metering mode is a different setting than regular Metering mode.
We've also had a few previous questions regarding this issue here at Photo SE:
Flash intensity levels aren't the same across consecutive photographs
Yongnuo YN-685 underexposure issue in bounce mode at longer focal length
Why does my pictures becomes darker while using external flash 😓?
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
3y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
These are likely two separate issues.
-
Dark photos in E-TTL: On Canon Rebels, especially in Av mode, the camera often treats flash as fill light, not the main light source. That means it keeps exposure settings close to the ambient reading, which can make the overall result look dark if the scene itself is dim. A slower shutter speed mainly affects ambient light, not the brightness of the flash exposure.
-
Flash won’t fire in manual mode: The Canon T100/4000D uses a non-standard hot shoe that lacks the normal center contact used to trigger many standard manual flashes. So some third-party flashes may work in dedicated E-TTL communication modes but won’t trigger as simple manual flashes when mounted directly on the camera.
So yes: this is partly settings/flash behavior, and partly a compatibility limitation of the T100’s hot shoe. You may need a flash or trigger specifically designed to work with Canon’s newer entry-level hot shoes.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI3y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why won’t a Neewer TT560 fire on a Canon 4000D / T100 hot shoe?
Is the Yongnuo YN560-TX compatible with Canon EOS Rebel SL3/250D or T100/4000D?
Why is my Yongnuo YN568EX stuck in E-TTL and won’t switch to manual?
Why Flash Exposure Lock doesn’t work with Canon flashes in manual mode
Why does my Canon 580EX work in manual flash mode but not expose correctly in E-TTL on a 5D Mark II?