SX30IS Flash Control Query

philmoz

3201

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #10 on: 07 / April / 2013, 22:10:15 »

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Quote from: Jersey Mike on 07 / April / 2013, 21:40:05

The flash status is most definitely not present and upon inspection of the shoe one side has a fairly obvious switch that looks like it is working and the other side seems to have a hole for a switch that does not stick up. Would both sides have one of these switches or just one?

Only one side has the switch - sounds like a hardware problem with the switch.

You can try the 'Reset All' menu option just in case it is a software problem; but I suspect it won't have any effect.

Phil.

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CHDK ports:
sx30is (1.00c, 1.00h, 1.00l, 1.00n & 1.00p)
g12 (1.00c, 1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
sx130is (1.01d & 1.01f)
ixus310hs (1.00a & 1.01a)
sx40hs (1.00d, 1.00g & 1.00i)
g1x (1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
g5x (1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b)
g7x2 (1.01a, 1.01b, 1.10b)

Jersey Mike

9

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #11 on: 07 / April / 2013, 22:53:52 »

Quote from: philmoz on 07 / April / 2013, 22:10:15

Only one side has the switch - sounds like a hardware problem with the switch.

You can try the 'Reset All' menu option just in case it is a software problem; but I suspect it won't have any effect.

Phil.

Yeah, already tried the reset, but a surprising amount of things weren't reset so I didn't have much faith in the process.

Let me just verify that you are sure that this strange behavior is caused by a phantom depression of the shoe switch when a flash unit is not present. Would attaching a flash unit solve the problem? If I am unable to RMA the camera I will need to weigh my options of repair, replacement or external flash.

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philmoz

3201

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #12 on: 07 / April / 2013, 23:12:20 »

Quote from: Jersey Mike on 07 / April / 2013, 22:53:52

Quote from: philmoz on 07 / April / 2013, 22:10:15

Only one side has the switch - sounds like a hardware problem with the switch.

You can try the 'Reset All' menu option just in case it is a software problem; but I suspect it won't have any effect.

Phil.

Yeah, already tried the reset, but a surprising amount of things weren't reset so I didn't have much faith in the process.

Let me just verify that you are sure that this strange behavior is caused by a phantom depression of the shoe switch when a flash unit is not present. Would attaching a flash unit solve the problem? If I am unable to RMA the camera I will need to weigh my options of repair, replacement or external flash.

I can't guarantee that's the problem; but your description matches what I see when I insert a bubble level, or a flash turned off, into the hotshoe. The on screen flash status icon vanishes and the flash control menu is disabled.

If the switch is broken, attaching something to the hotshoe won't fix it. If it's stuck then inserting and removing a flash a few times might dislodge it.

Phil.

Logged

CHDK ports:
sx30is (1.00c, 1.00h, 1.00l, 1.00n & 1.00p)
g12 (1.00c, 1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
sx130is (1.01d & 1.01f)
ixus310hs (1.00a & 1.01a)
sx40hs (1.00d, 1.00g & 1.00i)
g1x (1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
g5x (1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b)
g7x2 (1.01a, 1.01b, 1.10b)

Jersey Mike

9

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #13 on: 08 / April / 2013, 00:00:00 »

I mean if I used an external flash unit would that allow me to take flash photos as normal. That is a way to "fix" the problem.

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philmoz

3201

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #14 on: 08 / April / 2013, 01:29:31 »

Quote from: Jersey Mike on 08 / April / 2013, 00:00:00

I mean if I used an external flash unit would that allow me to take flash photos as normal. That is a way to "fix" the problem.

It should; but it's also possible there's something else wrong that would prevent an external flash working.
Only way to know is to try it and see.

Phil.

Logged

CHDK ports:
sx30is (1.00c, 1.00h, 1.00l, 1.00n & 1.00p)
g12 (1.00c, 1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
sx130is (1.01d & 1.01f)
ixus310hs (1.00a & 1.01a)
sx40hs (1.00d, 1.00g & 1.00i)
g1x (1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
g5x (1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b)
g7x2 (1.01a, 1.01b, 1.10b)

Jersey Mike

9

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #15 on: 14 / April / 2013, 19:00:14 »

I am waiting for the small flash unit to show up, but the flash function on my camera started working again suddenly after I took some long video recordings. Not sure if that had anything to do with it, but that's what happened. Thanks for all your help.

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Jersey Mike

9

Re: SX30IS Flash Control Query

« Reply #16 on: 16 / February / 2014, 18:23:19 »

The problem just returned if anyone has any ideas and the cheap external flash I purchased as a fix refuses to fire in any mode. Just posting an update in case anyone has any new ideas on what I might be able to do to fix this.

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