When I take photos the image is either too dark on top half or blown out on bottom half... is this a shutter problem? Does this regardless of what lens I use...

You can try a tcon but I think it's going to be a panel issue

U have a sick puppy on your hands. Hopefully, the camera is still under warranty. If not, it may not be cost effective to repair and replacement might be in order.

6 Ways To Fix Too Bright and Too Dark Photos

Recompose The Photo This is probably the simplest solution. When taking a photo of a scene with very bright and very dark parts, move your camera to eliminate one of the extremes. In the case of the band, I would have either closed the curtains for the shot, or recomposed completely and photographed from the window looking at the band, and the crowd behind.
Use Exposure Lock If you can't recompose the photograph, instead tell the camera what part of the image you would like to see. The rest of the photo will be either over or under exposed (too bright or too dark) but at least you will see your subject. You can dothis by placing the center of the image at your subject; half depressing the shutter to lock the focus and exposure; move the camera to re-compose the image; and fully depressing the shutter.
In the band image, the camera chose to correctly expose the scene outside, but even if the band member had been correctly exposed, the window would have ended up being over exposed and you would just have seen white.
Some cameras have an option called 'spot metering' to set the part of the image you'd like to be correctly exposed. If your camera has this setting, enable it before using the technique above.
Use Fill In Flash If your scene has a sunny background, but your subject is in the shade (or has a hat on), turn on the flash (as I explained way back in tip number 9 - Using Flash During The Day). I know it seems wrong but it really does work! By using the flash, your subject will look as bright as the background. This would have worked well for the child shot above.
High Dynamic Range Imaging This technique is not for the faintof hearted. It requires a subject that does not move; a good camera with the capability to set the exposure and output RAW images. A tripod and image editing software like Photoshop CS3 are also needed.
High Dynamic Range Imaging (or HDR for short) is a technique for placing both very dark and very light areas in the same photo. It requires you to take a number of photographs of thesame scene - each with a different exposure. First take the shot using the camera's recommended settings. Then, in manual mode and keeping the aperture at the same value as the first shot, take a sequence of shots - each shot having a different shutter speed (above and below the original). You'll have 5-9 shots of the same scene all in different exposures.

Merging the three images to the left creates the HDR image below. Thanks to Photomatix for the images.
Now import these into your favorite paint program. I use Photoshop, but you can as easily use a cheaper program designed specifically for HDR photos like Photomatix. Follow the HDR directions and the paint program will merge these images into one great looking shot!
Use a Filter If your scene is of a brightsky and a dark ground (for instance at sunset, or on a cloudy day), you can use a graduated neutral density filter. This filter cuts out someof the light from one part of the photo (the sky). This will correctly expose the ground and the sky without needing to use HDR. These filterscan be complex to setup, so I don't usually recommend them for beginners.
Fix The Original Photo in an Image Editing Program Finally, if you can't take another shot at the same location, you can fix the original image by changing the levels using a paint program. This works best when your subject is darker than the rest of the photo (because cameras lose detail in over-bright areas). I've brightened the band member in the top image using this technique and while it looks okay in thissmall shot, this technique can tend to amplify any noise in the image. The darker the subject, the harder time you will have fixing the image.
I discuss exactly how to use this technique in lesson 2 of my free Image Editing Secrets course. I have a tutorial for Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro and the free Google Picassa.
- See more at: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/140/6-ways-to-fix-too-bright-and-too-dark-photos/#sthash.58eENOTt.dpuf

I hope you received some help already by this time. However, just for other readers shake, your issues has to do with your camera's settings. There are two things that initially determine the quality of pictures and these are:
1. Exposure and
2.Shutter speed

I believe your pictures are dark because settings on your camera feature a combination of fast shutter-speed with a lower value of aperture. Try adjusting those or shoot with a pre-programmed mode under different lighting conditions.

What do you have the ISO set to?

Any auto camera like this is going to have trouble in dark light...
Photography is all about light, and in dark situations, compromise as well.

You best chance is to set the ISO up to the highest setting available, use flash, and a faster shutter speed, however, faster shutter speeds means less light can enter the lens, and hence give a darker image. Higher ISO makes the camera more sensitive to light, but produces grainier images as a result. Flash creates artificial light...

The only real way to get good images at a concert in the dark is with a high end camera, a lens costing many thousands of dollars, a tripod or monopod to steady yourself, and a longer open shutter time.

In the meantime however, experiment with higher ISO setting, flash and try to keep your hand steady at all times because the shutter speed needs to be slightly slower for the lens to capture more light.

I assume you're using photo paper.

Go to File/Print. Click Properties. Click Media Type and chose the photo paper you are using, whether it's Photo Paper Pro or whatever. If you're printing using Plain paper and you have photo paper in the printer, you'll get the stripes.

Hope that helps

The camera firmware should be reloaded, if this fails then the camera is likely beyond end user servicing and should be repaired by a professional.

The reason your only seeing bottom half is as the reflex mirror is opening upwards to expose the sensor ( traditional cameras opened the mirror then a shutter to expose film ) your cameras sensor is only registering or transferring the bottom half of the image because it is the image is registered bottom first to the top until the shutter closes and the mirror returns to resting position.

Your problem could be the result of firmware or a more serious issue.

Hi there
The blacked out part is the bottom of the photo therefore the obstruction is at the top of the frame on the camera.
Try the camera on the BULB setting without a lens on & look into the throat of the camera. You should see what is not clearing the CCD completely.
It could be the sub-mirror which is a little mirror behind the main one for the AF function or a shutter blade not clearing enough.
I would go for the first one.
It could be because.....
1. the sub-mirror spring coming off or broken
2. the sub-mirror is glided by a post on the side of the mirrorbox & this could of come adrift.

Most repairers can deal with this fault. If the spring has come adrift you should be able to pop it back in place.
All this may not solve your problem but it will at least give you better idea of what you are dealing with.

Clive

Set camera to B , open back door and release the shutter and keep it open while you inspect focal plain area. Is the shutter fully opened ? If you release again is the shutter opening completely and closing completely ? While the shutter is fully opened on B look through the shutter/ mirror box area is anything obstracting your view ? Seems like one of the shutter curtains is not opening properly and shutter will need servicing. Please note that it may not be economical to repair : $ 150-200 if the shutter block does not have to be replaced completely.