Nikon D5000 Has a Problem w/ Strobes

CaitlinBlue · Jul 26, 2010

I bought a Nikon D5000 on June 22nd. The studio I work at uses up to 4 strobes at a time for the average shoot.
With my camera on manual and shutter speed at 250 as I start to take pictures, sometimes every picture, sometimes every 3 pictures taken 1/5-3/4 of a photo will be black. The shutter moved above 250. I thought it was just me getting used to the camera.
We kept a close eye on my hands and settings and tested my camera at the studio a few times. In the meta-data it shows the shutter jumping from 1/250-1/500 then to 1/90 and sometimes up to 1/1500.
Twice I tried to exchange it at the local camera store here (pictureline, salt lake city UT) and each time they send me home with some other reason they told me it could be. It is still having problems.
I normally use a pocket wizard, sometimes a sync cord for on location shoots with a single strobe. The problem happens with or without a cord, on different strobes and no one else is having that problem or ever has. My camera doesn't seem to have a problem with a single strobe. There is not always going to be someone else to lend a camera at the studio to me and I am worried because the camera place doesn't see the problem (all they do is plug it into 1 strobe and take pictures) and it doesn't make sense either. When I show them a card from the studio with the blackout problem they don't know if the shutter is jumping b/c of me or the camera.
Maybe the problem isn't with the strobe at all? If I send it into Nikon what should I tell them? Does anyone here recognize the problem? Salt Lake does not have any shops around here that can fix problems other than cleaning a sensor or lens. I am trying to avoid going a month without my camera because of sending it in.
Any suggestions would help! Thank you.
BTW, the camera does fine outside and with a speed-light. The problem is only in the studio with multiple strobes.

-Caitlin

NWK04 · Jul 26, 2010

Try setting the camera to 200. The D5000, I believe has a max sync speed of 1/200th of a sec. So if you're shooting on Manual at speeds of 1/250th of a sec and above, you'll get the rear curtain to start moving before the front curtain fully opened.

However, I'm just getting into flash and off-camera work, so I hope someone with more experience can prove or disprove my theory.

NWK04 · Jul 26, 2010

P.S. I believe the rear curtain moving is why you're getting 1/5 to 3/4 of the photo in black.

Derrel · Jul 26, 2010

Are you perhaps shooting with the camera in Aperture Priority mode? I find it very odd that the shutter would stay slow,and within the synch limit with one strobe, but with multiple strobes the shutter speeds would go as high as 1/500 or 1/1500 and as slow as 1/90 second: that ALMOST sounds like you have the light meter set to SPOT metering,and the camera in an automatic mode, like Aperture Priority or Programmed mode.

Big Mike · Jul 27, 2010

Yes, if the shutter speed is jumping from shot to shot, then you didn't have the camera in manual. Are you sure you put the camera in manual and not just the 'auto-manual' focus switch on the lens? Silly question maybe, but I've seen people make that mistake before.

When you get black bands across the frame when shooting with flash/strobe, it's because the shutter isn't fully open when the flash fires. The shutter won't be fully open when the shutter speed is above the camera's max sync speed. So as suggested, keep the shutter speed to 1/200 or even a bit slower, to be safe.
Rear curtain sync won't cause this problem, by the way....just a too-fast shutter speed.

gsgary · Jul 27, 2010

User error :lol:

csy690 · Jul 13, 2011

Hi, I bought my D5000 last Christmas and I came across the exact problem last week first time, part of one photo (1 out of 60 photos) went black!! THis does not happen with D50 or the D60 (both use CCD sensros) that I have before. Coincidently the shutter speed of the photo taken happen to be 1/250, all settings at AUTO/P with flash off and ISO set at Hi1 (6400).

I thInk this problem got to do with the shutter. I will be bringing the camera to Nikon Canada and see if thy can provide an explanation and/or any possible fix (if this is a defect). I will post the result once I got it.

ShutterSpeed · Jul 13, 2011

could it be that the output is too high on the strobes and they aren't recharging fast enough?

gsgary · Jul 13, 2011

Derrel said:
Are you perhaps shooting with the camera in Aperture Priority mode? I find it very odd that the shutter would stay slow,and within the synch limit with one strobe, but with multiple strobes the shutter speeds would go as high as 1/500 or 1/1500 and as slow as 1/90 second: that ALMOST sounds like you have the light meter set to SPOT metering,and the camera in an automatic mode, like Aperture Priority or Programmed mode.

I thought the same thing, she is not shooting in manual or is shoot before flashes are ready

tirediron · Jul 13, 2011

Please post a couple of example images WITH EXIF data.

gsgary · Jul 13, 2011

csy690 said:
Hi, I bought my D5000 last Christmas and I came across the exact problem last week first time, part of one photo (1 out of 60 photos) went black!! THis does not happen with D50 or the D60 (both use CCD sensros) that I have before. Coincidently the shutter speed of the photo taken happen to be 1/250, all settings at AUTO/P with flash off and ISO set at Hi1 (6400).

I thInk this problem got to do with the shutter. I will be bringing the camera to Nikon Canada and see if thy can provide an explanation and/or any possible fix (if this is a defect). I will post the result once I got it.

There is nothing wrong with the camera it is the way you are setting it

gsgary · Jul 13, 2011

Another thing, there is no reason to have your shutter speed at 1/250, 1/125 is where you want to be most of the time most old flash meters work at 1/125

Destin · Jul 13, 2011

gsgary said:
Another thing, there is no reason to have your shutter speed at 1/250, 1/125 is where you want to be most of the time most old flash meters work at 1/125

+1 set it to 1/125th, and your lowest iso setting, and an aperture suitable for the subject you're shooting. I do most of my studio work at f8-f11, but it depends on what I need.