Why does my Canon EOS 1200D go black after taking a photo in Manual mode?
Asked 11/1/2015
3 views
2 answers
0
My Canon EOS 1200D works normally in Auto mode, but in Manual mode it seems to go black after I take a photo, and a red light comes on. I sometimes have to switch the camera off and on again before it returns to normal. The photos I review can also look completely white. What camera setting could cause this, and how do I fix it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
2
Manual mode lets you shoot yourself in the foot all you want. It sounds to me as if in M mode, your camera is set to have an extremely long shutter speed or is in bulb mode. In bulb mode you're holding the shutter open for an arbitrarily long period of time. The first shutter button press opens the shutter; a second one will close it.
My guess is that you meant viewfinder instead of screen going black, and that would be because the mirror has swung up and out of the way to let the light hit the sensor, but that means you can't see anything in the viewfinder because the mirror is no longer reflecting light from the lens up in to the pentaprism (and therefore, the eyepiece). When you turn the camera off, you interrupt the super-long exposure and end it.
The reason your playback is all white is because your super-long exposure has completely overexposed the shot. I'd say check the EXIF on the white images and see what the shutter speed was.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely a Manual-mode exposure setting issue, not a camera fault. In M mode, the camera will use whatever shutter speed, aperture, and ISO you set—even if the result is unusable.
The most likely cause is an extremely long shutter speed or Bulb mode. In Bulb, one press opens the shutter and it stays open until you press again, so the viewfinder can go black while the mirror is up and the sensor is exposing. Turning the camera off would end that exposure, which matches what you describe.
The white images suggest severe overexposure, so check your shutter speed first and make sure you’re not in Bulb or using a very slow exposure. Also review your aperture and ISO settings.
If you are composing with the LCD in Live View, Manual mode may also be showing exposure simulation, so incorrect settings can make the preview look very dark or very bright.
Try resetting to a normal exposure in M mode, for example:
- shutter speed around 1/60 to 1/200
- mid-range aperture
- moderate ISO
Then adjust from there while watching the exposure meter.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI10y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why is Live View black in Manual mode on a Canon T3i until I half-press the shutter?
Why is the rear screen black on my Canon EOS 50D until after I take a photo?
How do I stop the Quick Control screen from staying on the LCD on a Canon 60D?
How can I make image review stay on longer on a Canon EOS Rebel T5i?
Canon EOS 500N goes blank and whines after pressing flash button — is it just the batteries?