580EX-II won't fire

[Vincent Vega]

I am attempting to get my new 580EX-II to work with my 30D. I can get the red light to come on when I press the shutter button to half way, but, try as I might, I can't get the flash itself to fire. I am using four brand new freshly-charged AA NiMH batteries.

Page 10 of the manual says that when you turn the flash on, the pilot lamp will turn green and then red. Mine doesn't do this. The flash shows E-TTL in the top left corner of the display and when I change the zoom on my lens, the display on the flash changes as well. The manual also says that I can press the DOF preview button and it will fire a "modeling" flash for me. Mine doesn't do this.

I am currently re-charging the batteries in a different charger.

Bad flash or bad batteries?

[cosworth]

Go spend 3 bucks on some alkalines and see if they work. Then you'll know if the flash is bunk.

when my flash stops working I whip out the multimeter and it's usually a battery.

[cdifoto]

when my flash stops working I whip out the multimeter and it's usually a battery.

I skip the multimeter part. Saves me a step. I did have to send my flash in for service once, but I was drunk and dropped it.

[4x4rock]

There's one of the CF that can change the model light trigger to the pilot button. Do that and see if it fires from the flash itself. Check the contacts too.

[Curtis N]

Does it fire when you hit the test (pilot) button?
Do you have the lightning bolt icon in your viewfinder?

There is a custom function on the 30D that will prevent the flash from firing. Make sure this isn't enabled. C.Fn. 7

[Vincent Vega]

All the custom functions on my camera are set to "0". I cleared all the settings, just to be sure.
There is no lightning bolt in my viewfinder.
When I press the pilot button, having changed the custom function, the unit will beep and come to life if it has turned itself off, but otherwise does nothing.
I checked the contacts and cleaned them with an eraser.

[Curtis N]

If the flash is properly locked onto the hotshoe, camera and flash are powered up with good batteries, and you have no flash icon in your viewfinder, then something is wrong with the flash.

Sorry.

[ben_r_]

Also if your pilot light isnt turning red then green, or red at all something it wrong too...

[themirage]

Are you sure the diffusion panel is all the way out or back in. Also if it's out, make sure the flash is at 90 degrees.

[Lotto]

30D's custom function for no flash is set.

[Vincent Vega]

Pilot light isn't doing anything at all, apart from waking the unit up and making it go "beep".
Diffusion panel is all the way in. If I look on the back, there are three lines with 45, 60 and 75 next to them. My flash is on the setting below 75, which would be 90 if I could see any numbering.
Custom no flash function is not set (the built-in flash *does* fire). I reset the camera as well.

If I zoom in and out with my 17-55 lens, I can hear the the flash whining for a second or so and the zoom reading changes in the display on the flash. I press the shutter button half-way, the red light comes on, the viewfinder flash icon doesn't appear. I take the photo and the flash doesn't fire.

I am charging up loads of batteries to try it out tomorrow. If it fails to work then, I will be returning it.

[r.morales]

I got mine 2 days ago , The green light never came on .
The red "check / test fire button - I have to press and wobble to fire .

[Vincent Vega]

Having charged the batteries for the camera and the flash up overnight, I tried it out again this morning and it now works fine! Bizarre.

Thanks for all the suggestions, BTW.