Alpha Flash Problem

[TME]

Do you guys put on and take off the flash very often? I have used the 5600HS(D) for 4 years with my 7D and never had the problem described here... the flash always goes off when needed... I also always carry the camera by the flash...

I also don't have a problem with the 58 plus the A900... works perfectly always... sometimes if the picture is overexposed, I think it's more of the metering unit on the camera messing up... I never had the flash fail to fire before... only get consistently overexposed shots... and also sometimes if you shoot at full power continously, the flash will not fire as it's above the threshold safe temperature...

 

[Shoooters]

Do you guys put on and take off the flash very often? I have used the 5600HS(D) for 4 years with my 7D and never had the problem described here... the flash always goes off when needed... I also always carry the camera by the flash...

I also don't have a problem with the 58 plus the A900... works perfectly always... sometimes if the picture is overexposed, I think it's more of the metering unit on the camera messing up... I never had the flash fail to fire before... only get consistently overexposed shots... and also sometimes if you shoot at full power continously, the flash will not fire as it's above the threshold safe temperature...

Well as for myself, i estimated the number of mounting per body is ard 200 times. i think the main problem lies on the design of the mounting unit at the main body. Sony should maybe consider changing it to spring type connector (similar to the connector at the flash unit) "I think this will reduce abrasion during mounting", or increase the height of the connector to abt 1mm higher.

I think the overexpose issue is due to your metering. you using spot?

 

[Getz10]

Strange.....never have this problem before using my Sony flash from 7xi to A900.....
Even with the old Minolta 5400HS, once mounted works well other than my own mistakes haha.

 

[MontoyaSG]

Tissue paper only? actually was wondering if there are any special cleaning solution for metal. maybe will try the IPA.

Tissue paper is enough. You just need to clean the coat over the oxidised contacts & it'll work fine. Don't really need to use any special solution

 

[TME]

Well as for myself, i estimated the number of mounting per body is ard 200 times. i think the main problem lies on the design of the mounting unit at the main body. Sony should maybe consider changing it to spring type connector (similar to the connector at the flash unit) "I think this will reduce abrasion during mounting", or increase the height of the connector to abt 1mm higher.

I think the overexpose issue is due to your metering. you using spot?

Nope centre weighted or matrix... I only use spot very occasionally... I have one situation low light indoors where I am snapping happily from the back of a performance venue (only 20m deep) with properly exposed shots... then suddenly I get one super over-exposed white out shot... and then the next few shots the metering goes haywire with the picture totally dark... and no amount of adjustment works to expose it properly again... even switching on and off the camera, etc... very strange... then after a while it works... not sure if the flash overheated or what (every shot was on full power before the grelims struck)... although I have worked before in almost total darkness with full power flash (outdoors) and I had no such problems... all these on the 7D which has significant issues with flash exposure...

On the A900, no such issue yet... on 19 Sep I would be testing the flash in almost total darkness (save for stage lights) outdoors... this usually is the litmus test for flash exposure... and for the accuracy of the metering unit...

 

[catseye]

Yup ... got the same problem with my F58AM but not with the Minolta 5600.

Sent the F58AM to SSC, they still cannot find the root cause! Guess its a design issue as discussed in few of the posts.

 

[Shoooters]

Yup ... got the same problem with my F58AM but not with the Minolta 5600.

Sent the F58AM to SSC, they still cannot find the root cause! Guess its a design issue as discussed in few of the posts.

Can you measure the length of the connector on both flash. what is the difference in the length? Thanks!

 

[Shoooters]

Yup ... got the same problem with my F58AM but not with the Minolta 5600.

Sent the F58AM to SSC, they still cannot find the root cause! Guess its a design issue as discussed in few of the posts.

i sent mine for repair long time ago too. i guess there is nothing much they can do also.

 

[sulhan]

Hi guys...

I guess, its worth to do some cleaning if you want to keep your equipment in check. So far I do not have much problems with my 58s and my 42s. I do believe there might be some mix & match problems in the camera hot show to the flash mount plastic parts that make the flashes "move about" a little.

I used to have a "blind fire - like TME's " problem. My 56AM's problem was solved when i send in to change the base unit. Looks like probabaly the material might have worn out on the flash mount (I think they use certain & glass filled plastic) through time. If the plastic wears out on the flash or camera mount, it will get loosen and cause such errors.

Well, best is to send in the flash for servicing if the problem is repeatable - better have it checked unless you can tolerate missing a shot.

 

[junkai21]

yup. I have the same prob with my A700 with 56 and 58 flash. Sometimes cannot detec, sometimes fullblast.

What i did was i used penknife , the sharp point to clean my contact of the camera hotshoe. works though. A little dust/rust on da hotshoe will make it undetectable.

To see if ur flash is detectable, there is a flash icon on the screen. try shaking the flash. sometimes the lighting icon dissappear. hehe

 

[Shoooters]

yup. I have the same prob with my A700 with 56 and 58 flash. Sometimes cannot detec, sometimes fullblast.

What i did was i used penknife , the sharp point to clean my contact of the camera hotshoe. works though. A little dust/rust on da hotshoe will make it undetectable.

To see if ur flash is detectable, there is a flash icon on the screen. try shaking the flash. sometimes the lighting icon dissappear. hehe

The more you scrap the worst it will get. You might face contact problem more often in future. I think it is better to solder the contact point to increase the height of the contact point (Don't try this if you have no experience in soldering).... or simply clean the contact point with cloth, tissue paper or eraser as to what some CS-er suggested.

 

[Shoooters]

This hot shoe or Mount by Sony(from Minolta) always have this problem.
Sometime it even fire the flash @ full blast.
Usually, I unmount and mount again a few time and it is okay after that.

Do you guys put on and take off the flash very often? I have used the 5600HS(D) for 4 years with my 7D and never had the problem described here... the flash always goes off when needed... I also always carry the camera by the flash...

I also don't have a problem with the 58 plus the A900... works perfectly always... sometimes if the picture is overexposed, I think it's more of the metering unit on the camera messing up... I never had the flash fail to fire before... only get consistently overexposed shots... and also sometimes if you shoot at full power continously, the flash will not fire as it's above the threshold safe temperature...

The over exposed shots might be due to your HSS mode was activated.

 

[TME]

The over exposed shots might be due to your HSS mode was activated.

Nope definitely not... not when your shutter speed is 1/60 or less...

 

[Shoooters]

Nope definitely not... not when your shutter speed is 1/60 or less...

Hmmmm.. thats weird... :think:

 

[TME]

Hmmmm.. thats weird... :think:

I'll have opportunity to test again the exposure issues... I feel that it's not quite settled yet... even the SONY shows rather weird flash behaviour sometimes...

 

[sulhan]

Do check if the flash recycling is completed prior to firing. I used to have problems with recycling related underexposures when I had to shoot multiple consecutive shots. However, with the help of the battery pack and fresh batteries, I don't really see this problem that often now.

TME one way to test a camera metering and IP (image processing) pipeline is by shooting a series of shots in a controlled environment over and over again. Then you can pick out if its the camera or the flash. When I was doing camera design then, we could see how repeatable a camera system is.

 

[TME]

Do check if the flash recycling is completed prior to firing. I used to have problems with recycling related underexposures when I had to shoot multiple consecutive shots. However, with the help of the battery pack and fresh batteries, I don't really see this problem that often now.

TME one way to test a camera metering and IP (image processing) pipeline is by shooting a series of shots in a controlled environment over and over again. Then you can pick out if its the camera or the flash. When I was doing camera design then, we could see how repeatable a camera system is.

Yeah I know about the flash recycling... with hte 5600HS(D) the flash was charged and the flash would discharge but the picture turns out almost black... really weird like some shutter and flash sync issue... sent it back but no problem detected... it seems to occur only when I'm using the flash heavily... sometimes it doesn't occur at all... with the 58 flash, I have not had the opportunity to use it like that except on one occasion in a hotel taking portraits of my students... the underexposure was quite strong when bounced even though the subject was like 1.5 m away from me only... not sure why also... f/5.6 aperture ISO 400... anyway will test again soon...

 

[junkai21]

our hotshoe camera contacts sometimes gets dirty / oxide. My a700 sometimes have this problem. I take a penknife tip to scrub the 4 metal contacts, after that worked fine

 

[kelvinlin]

Yup i m also facing the same problem . sometimes e flash cannot detect the TTL auto mm and sometimes it did not flash. :dunno: hai ... i tink because sony 4 contact pin is too small compare to nikon bigger contact pin.

 

[afipuffy]

I think, the best is, dont touch the contact, dont get the contact near with water, dun shoot under the rain. Or best is, clean it with lime water. That's what i got some advice from pros.