amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Built-in flashes suck.

They are in the worst possible place for redeye and shadow problems.

They're underpowered, slow recycling and slow down your shooting.

And they gobble up battery power from the camera.

Get an external flash. Put it on a flash bracket rather than in the hot shoe, using an off-camera shoe cord to attach it. Then put a diffuser on it and use it directly (rather than bouncing because way too many variables come into play with bounced flash... distance, reflectivity of the ceiling or wall, color of the ceiling/wall). You'll get much, much better flash shots!

I've been shooting with a pair of 7D's for five years and would guess I've used the built-in flash no more than 2 or 3 times. Actually probably haven't used built in flash more than 8 or 10 times total on all cameras that I've ever owned that have had them. I use Canon 550EX & 580EX II Speed Lites, MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite and MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I use Canon 550EX & 580EX II Speed Lites, MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite and MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite.[/quote]

Great advice, thank you.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I have the same problem with my 10-24mm Nikon wide angle.
It is a shadow cast from the on camera flash.
I have a flash defuser somewhere in the Christmas crush snail mail on the way.
Alternatively, I think I'll try my ring flash as a substitute.
Ahh, the joys of digital and the power of "Delete".

Glad you brought this up. I have a need to try this "fix" out this morning. ;)

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Generally you're right although they work great under some cases. eg: Diffused low lighting, and lighting custom auto's head lights from about 20to40 feet.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I'm glad I am not alone!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

OK.
I did mount my ring flash for a go.
Now, instead of the damnable crescent shadow I get a nice bright shot.
Only trouble is... down where we would like to have the light, there is this ring framing the shot. :?
So for my use (The Grandson and his girlfriend) I just set up a tripod and framed up at 24mm. Worked alright.
I think the right answer is an Off-Camera flash, or maybe a bounce flash.
No easy day. There is always going to be GAS. ;)

My good news is my diffuser is "Out for Delivery". So today will be the day.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Given your equipment list, it looks like you should be able to afford a decent flash (or two) that can by pass the restrictions of a pop up flash. There are inexpensive ways of partially mitigating the problem, but nothing that really solves for the inherent limitations of a pop up flash.

Time for a Xmas GAS attack I think....

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Time for a Xmas GAS attack I think....[/quote]

I do have a Canon 430EX I neglected to list. Next test I will use it and see what happens. The 10-18 Lens is a first for me. I didn't expect what I saw. Thanks.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I don't know anything about the 430EX; I do have a 550EX which has an extra diffraction device that can be slid in front of the unit; the stated purpose of that device is to spread out the beam for wide-angle lenses, but I use it with regular lenses also, because I found that it eliminates shadows cast by objects in the picture.

marty wild Loc: England

Get a quality flash gun or tripod and a slower shutter speed or hold a reflector and bounce some light in there

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Thanks, good thoughts.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Because the lens view is so wide and so tall, the flash is getting cut off by the top edge of the lens, thus leaving a dark spot with no flash in it that the lens is able to see. If the lens was physically shorter it wouldn't do that but the flash would still be weak down there anyway. You'll also notice your flash is strong in the center and weak on the left and right edges. Same reason. The lens is seeing areas that the flash isn't flashing wide enough to fill. In-camera flash is reasonably directional.

In-camera flashes are only built to work well down to about 18 to 20mm because that's the typical widest end of the focal length range of a "normal" zoom such as an 18-55 or 24-100mm, etc.

You'll need a flash that is mounted up higher on the hot-shoe to avoid that black spot and even then you might still get it at 10mm.

I popped my in-camera flash open just last Thursday when shooting two room shots just to avoid walking to my case quite a distance away to get my big hot-shoe flash with diffuser that I typically point up at the ceiling. I got exactly what you're talking about because I forgot I was using my 8-16mm zoom at 10mm. Fortunately the shots weren't important.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

That will help, either bounce or off camera. You should be able to fire it as a slave from the camera and even if the pop up fires the 430EX should be powerful enough to negate its influence. Or get a bracket and hot shoe cable adapter.

It sounds as though you are just discovering how nice and wide your 10-18mm lens actually is. Very nice and useful, but it does introduce a few new considerations to think about....

... And do check that you still have a shadow, especially in bright sunlight!

Have fun!

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Thank you. I guess I am never too old to learn (70).

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Thanks, great suggestions.