Have you noticed a funny noise?

[Wildman]

A herd of deer showed up in the yard just before sunset, so I grabbed my Canon EOS 20D. I quickly snapped on my 420EX flash and walked out onto the front porch to snap a couple of pictures (to add to my hundreds of deer shots).

When I pressed the shutter half way, I heard a faint grinding noise. First thought was that my lens (17-85IS) had a problem while focusing. A little investigation revealed the noise was coming from the flash, not the lens.

I never noticed the flash making any sound when I used it on my Pro90, but was to relieved that the lens wasn't the issue. Perhaps this is something new to ETTL2 (?)

Anyway, wanted to let other users here about an issue I haven't encountered before.

[slin100]

Could you have heard, perhaps, the flash head autozooming?

[tim]

Flashes zoom? Do they have a little lens in them or something?

[cmM]

Flashes zoom? Do they have a little lens in them or something?
:D No, it just moves in and out I believe

[tim]

:D No, it just moves in and out I believe

So it's just a bulb inside a reflector?

[edsarkiss]

try holding the shutter button 1/2 way and zooming the lens in and out. you should hear the flash making its grinding sound.

[Wildman]

It was the head on the flash auto-zooming, something I had never noticed when I used the flash on my Pro90. Might be something that happens with E-TTL2 that didn't happen before. Might also be I'm more sensitive to sounds when I'm using a more expensive camera and lens.

[thomascanty]

Might be something that happens with E-TTL2 that didn't happen before.

No, it isn't E-TTL2. I hear that all the time with my 10D and 420EX, neither of which are E-TTL2 compatible.

[edsarkiss]

i'd get it with my EOS Elan II and 420EZ ... so it's even older than that ;-)