Shadow casting w/ built-in flash + kit lens

Raphy

tried the seach but couldn't fina much... and i'm not quite sure which forum classifies as the place to talk "tech" stuff in, but here goes.

I never noticed this before.. When I take a photo close up and at 18mm from my 18-55 kit lens, I get a black semi-circle at the bottom of my pics... I'm not sure if it's always been there, as most of my phtos are shot during the day or nightime with long exposures... i haven't used flash much... at 55, it seems fine...

I even noticed that the little extra light (that helps the lens focus) creates casts a shadow that takes up about half my field of view...

Is this normal and i just never noticed before ? :scratch :scratch :scratch

I assume to correct this i need something line a Sb-600 and maybe shoot with flash off camera...:dunno

pyrtek

Raphy wrote:

I assume to correct this i need something line a Sb-600 and maybe shoot with flash off camera...

Yes, this is normal. But no, you don't need your flash off camera to avoid the
effect. An SB-600 on camera will not cast shadows like the built-in flash because
it's much higher. It's still a good idea to get your flash off the camera, but that's
for other reasons.

Raphy

OK (pheeewwww) ! that's a relief... thanks... i thought i had gone nuts

pathfinder

The close axis between the in camera flash, and larger lenses on the camera body just produce the shadow due to the blockage of light by the lens and/or the lens hood itself.

Sometimes removing the lens hood will make the shadow less noticeable. This it typical will most in camera flashes. Just one more reason to get your flash off the body and remote triggered.

Icebear

You can prove you're not nuts
Well, maybe you are, but this weird shadow doesn't prove it. Set the camera on a tripod indoors and aim the camera horizontally across the room with your pop-up flash up. Shoot several frames, starting with your lens set at 18mm and gradually zooming out to the longest focal length (70MM?)

Somewhere before you get all the way out to 70mm, you'll notice the shadow disappear. It's still on the floor in front of you, the lens' field of view is just too narrow to include it in the photo.