580EX2 with 5D problems

[the captain]

hello,

I was shooting a wedding yesterday with my 5D and the 580ex2 and the flash would simply stop working. It would fire on a few shots then completely stop- very embarrassing. Luckily, I had my wife's Nissin flash to hand that saved me. When I had a moment free I changed the 580's batteries (I was using rechargeables so figured I should try 'normal' fresh ones). For a short while this worked but again it kept jamming and not firing. Thankfully it kept working throughout all the formal shots, but after that...you guessed it, it stopped. Thank goodness I had the Nissin to hand, its not as powerful but it did save me a couple of times.

I have more weddings coming up, anyone got any idea as to what the problems might be? I'm thinking it may be a contacts issue?

Thanks in advance for any help

Cheers

Rhys Baker

http://vividimpactphotography.com (http://vividimpactphotography.com/)

[jmb4370]

The 580EX 2 does have a thermal overload sensor that will shut the flash down if too many flashes happen in too short a time. Some have said that it could be 20 pops in quick succession, despite what the heat level is.

Might you have shot 20 flashes in rapid succession as is quite a possibility for a wedding shooter?

[the captain]

Hi Michael,

No, I had only just started when the flash began to fail, I was doing the 'getting ready shots' (Groom and Best man etc on a vintage double-decker bus!). I'd guess that I'd maybe fired 3-5 shots when it began to stop.

Rhys.

[jmb4370]

It is unlikely it is the camera, but I would try the same shooting frequency on another Canon camera to see if it still happens, and it it does, it might be time to send it off to Canon for service...