Exposure Issue with Flash Outdoors

[jeepnaggie]

I have a Canon 50D that I am learning to use. I recently took some photos of a sports group at dusk. The camera was on Automatic and the flash popped up for the photos. The problem is that the top half of the photo is under-exposed, while the lower half is okay.

The attached photo was f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO-400, Focal Length 28mm. Please advise a solution to what is probably a common rookie mistake. Thanks.

[autofocus]

Did you have any kind of filter on the lens....like a polarizer, or split ND filter?

[Tzetsin]

Looks to me like the flash didnt pop up all the way, or if it did, did you have a baseball cap on that would have pushed it half way down when you put it up to your face?

[ChrisAdval]

wouldnt the shutter also cause this by capturing the "curtains" when not its not properly syncing? I know I did that when I went too high on my shutter.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

wouldn't the shutter also cause this by capturing the "curtains" when not its not properly syncing? I know I did that when I went too high on my shutter.

The shot was taken at 1/60 which is what auto mode will select for the shutter speed, and certainly within the sync speed range for that camera. I like what tzetsin suggested above about a baseball cap blocking the light. The real question is, was this an isolated occurrence, or does it continue happening which may indicate a need for the camera to be serviced. I think we need a little more info from the OP.