In article <3257ee1c.88490326@news>, george@laserprinter.com says...

>Some photos I took the other day came back with a Kodak "photogram"
>form letter with the box marked "Partial images may be the result of a
>flash synchronization problem." The pictures have a 3/8" black line
>all the way across the bottom. The equipment used was a Canon EOS,
>Canon 75-300 zoom w/ hood attached, and a Vivitar series one 836AFC
>auto focus zoom flash ( this flash is supposed to be made especially
>for the Canon). Did I do something wrong or is the problem probably
>with the flash unit?

I am not familiar with Canon, but I would expect that a camera of
this type would drop the shutter speed to the sync. speed when the
flash is turned on, so that leaves either incorrect flash
synchronization timing, or a shutter that is in need of adjustment.
Try photographing a uniformly illuminated even-toned subject at the
top camera shutter speed without flash. If this photo is even in tone
top to bottom (it is often better to shoot a vertical for this test)
across the horizontally oriented image, the shutter is probably OK.
Try another flash to see what happens with it. If the frame is
partially blocked (probably it will be), the camera's synchronization
is wrong.

>Or...could it be that the giant hood on the 75-300 lens blocked part
>of the flash? Would that have caused a consistent 3/8" line or would
>it have been curved like the hood?

This is a common cause of cut-off, but it would be curved if the
subject were flat.

>Please remember: There are no stupid answers, only stupid people like
>me asking the questions :-)

Naw, I've seen lotsa stupid answers....;-) An' stupid people often ask
the best questions....;-) Er, sumpin'....;-)
Hope This Helps