20D built-in flash just burnt (smoke as well!)

[nickrowe]

I was using my 20D's built-in flash, and it kept giving me and Err99 message while it was charging.

So I changed the lens, hoping this would help, and then the camera made some "thumping" sounds inside under the flash, and then a "pop", followed by the smell of smoke.

The camera works fine still, but as soon as I use the built-in flash, it pops and produces a charred smell again!

Any idea what has died, and how much it might cost to fix?

[coreypolis]

sounds like a good time to upgrade to a external flash, they're well worth it

its probably the capacitor, it can get extremely hot, especially in that small of an enviornment. Do you often use it repeatedly without much time to refresh?

[nickrowe]

You're right, having investigated a bit more, it does seem like the capacitor is on the blink.

Probably a part Canon will charge a fortune for...

I do use a 580EX as well - I'm just reluctant to continue using the camera knowing it's not 100%...

[Steve Parr]

So I changed the lens, hoping this would help, and then the camera made some "thumping" sounds inside under the flash, and then a "pop", followed by the smell of smoke.

I use to maintain multi-million dollar SONAR systems for the US Navy. I learned, very early on, that electronic equipment doesn't work worth a damn once you let the smoke out of it...

[Mathiau]

could be some resitor or curcitry i assume for the flash has died, shorted out.

[Tee Why]

yup, your pop up flash is dead. My guess would be the bulb, but who knows. I guess you can live without it, buy a flash, or get it fixed.

[storeman]

yup, your pop up flash is dead. My guess would be the bulb, but who knows. I guess you can live without it, buy a flash, or get it fixed.

If it was the tube then it most likely would show signs of burning but from the description of the fault and the eventual signs of failure I would bet it is something in the charging circuit, possibly a diode or resistor. Capacitors either fail violently in which case they blow and launch themselves away from the board or they do it more sedately in which case they leak the dielectric with a slight hissing or faint bubbling sound accompanied by a very pungent smell. Diodes and resistors are more acrid smelling.

[mbellot]

I use to maintain multi-million dollar SONAR systems for the US Navy. I learned, very early on, that electronic equipment doesn't work worth a damn once you let the smoke out of it...

Only blue smoke, the white stuff seems less critical unless its combined with part ejection. I once shot a capacitor (soldered to a pcb) across a 30ft room. Tantalum does not like being reverse biased with a high current supply. :D

But my favorite part of working on electronics is catching the whiff of overheated semiconductor and looking down just before the smoke starts to see a glowing ember where once a transistor resided. Makes me wish I kept a bag of marshmallows in the office.