Why are my DSLR photos half black and half purple while video looks normal?
Asked 1/17/2019
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My Canon Rebel T6 worked normally for about a year and a half, but now still photos come out half black and half bright purple. The camera preview looks normal until I take the picture, and the same problem appears when I view the files on my computer. Video recording looks fine. I already tried resetting the camera settings. What could cause this, and is there anything I can test before sending it for repair?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
4
When video is properly exposed and still images are not, the most likely culprit is the shutter mechanism.
In your case, it looks like the first shutter curtain is hanging up when it is about halfway open. Thus the dark half of the frame that is still covered by the unopened shutter curtain. The malfunction apparently delays the second curtain from closing to end the exposure. Thus the other half of the frame that is grossly overexposed.
Remember, the top of the camera is the bottom of the picture due to the inversion of the image by the lens.
This is fairly easy to confirm:
- Set the camera in Manual exposure mode
- Remove the lens
- Activate "Live View" to flip the mirror up
- Set a long shutter time such as 1" (one second)
- Press the shutter button and observe the shutter curtains
What you should see is the first curtain open from top to bottom very quickly, then the second curtain close from top to bottom.
You can also dial up a shutter time above the flash sync speed. Try 1/250 second. What you should see is the first curtain begin to open and then the second curtain beginning to close before the first curtain is all the way open. The open slit between the two curtains should travel across the sensor from top to bottom at a constant speed. It will happen fast, so don't blink or you'll miss it.
Here's a super slo-mo of shutters operating at fast speeds:
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This points most strongly to a shutter mechanism fault, not a display issue, since the problem is also visible on your computer. A likely cause is one shutter curtain sticking or not traveling correctly during still-photo exposure. That can leave part of the frame blocked (black) while another part is badly overexposed or tinted.
Video can still look normal because DSLR video uses Live View and does not rely on the mechanical shutter the same way each still photo does.
A simple check: switch to Manual mode, remove the lens, enable Live View, set a long shutter speed such as 1 second, and press the shutter while watching the shutter curtains. If one curtain hesitates or only opens partway, that confirms the issue.
A sensor or internal electrical problem is also possible, especially if the camera suffered impact or moisture exposure, but based on the symptoms the shutter is the most likely culprit. This is usually a repair job rather than a settings fix.
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