580 EX noise

[alansphotography]

Well, I am a newbie & I have a question about my 580 Ex. I am using this on a 20D & everytime I start up the flash unit I get this weird grinding type noise. Does anyone have any info on this for me, I'm also a newbie on digital. Thanks

[tim]

My 550EX does something similar when it starts up. The noise I get isn't exactly a grinding, but I can't think of a better term for it either.

[PacAce]

Well, I am a newbie & I have a question about my 580 Ex. I am using this on a 20D & everytime I start up the flash unit I get this weird grinding type noise. Does anyone have any info on this for me, I'm also a newbie on digital. Thanks

That's probably the zoom motor adjusting the flash head for the focal length of the lens on the camera.

[robertwgross]

There are two separate noises.

One is the normal flash unit oscillator whine. Its amplitude and frequency varies while the main capacitor is charged up, and then it becomes almost silent.

The other is the zoom motor. It zooms in or out, depending on the relationship of the lens focal length to the zoom head. But it only takes a second or two and then it is done. You can get rid of the zoom motor sound by disabling the zoom motor. That is easiest done by pulling the diffuser screen out of the zoom head slightly, so it goes to manual zoom.

---Bob Gross---

[glane606]

Having similar noises myself on my 580,changed it at the shop yesterday. First example made the zoom hunting noise when the lense was set anything over 50 mm on the 24-27 mm lense. On my 70-200 mm it made the noise at any range. Park Cameras were great and changed the lense, replaced with another example. Now today just towards the end of a shoot the new flash has developed a similar problem, just this time it hunts throughout the range at any focal length, it even does it when off the camera.

Have I been unlucky and just got 2 bad examples?

Even with these problems I have to say I love the results of the flash, working on both my 20D and 10D.

Interested to know if others have found similar problems.

Gary.

[glangston]

I took mine in for repair last week and they replaced the zoom motor and checked it out. Warranty, no charge and only 3 days. It looks like they may have some quality control issues with the zoom motor. Just a guess.

[glane606]

Thanks for the info, glad I am not the only one. On the phone to Park in the morning it is then.

Cheers

Gary