Who experienced that kind of failure with a 580 EXII?

AntonLargiader wrote in post #13633516
No, that area will always have your ambient exposure, unless you have a REAL shutter problem. It just doesn't get the flash.

EDIT: you can see that the exposure in the banded area is the same as it is on your subsequent non-flash shot. You refer to it as 'pitch dark' but it's just underexposed by insufficient ambient ('m guessing 1.5 to 2 stops for the interior). If the ambient were about 3 stops low, it would be more or less pitch dark.

You're right, they are not "pitch dark" (my wanting command of the English language), and yes the ambient was insufficient since manual exposure was purposely metered from the window.
Guess it changes nothing to the fact that the 580 is fried...

Check with PocketWizard as they have been offereing to do the repair, from other similar threads here -

"We charge $30 USD per flash to repair the blown IGBT and tweak the flash tube alignment so it is much less likely to ever fail again. While we have the flash open, we would also offer to do the RF mod to the flash (so it doesn't need the AC5) for $15 USD"

I killed 2 580EXII with the TT5 in Hypersync mode. I got them fixed by LPAdesign (pocket wizards) and they have not failed since. I now use 3X 430EXII for range on my automotive photography.(wish they we're more powerfull)

elv wrote in post #13635924
Check with PocketWizard as they have been offereing to do the repair, from other similar threads here -

"We charge $30 USD per flash to repair the blown IGBT and tweak the flash tube alignment so it is much less likely to ever fail again. While we have the flash open, we would also offer to do the RF mod to the flash (so it doesn't need the AC5) for $15 USD"

Thanks, sounds interesting, I'll check it out.

sebmour wrote in post #13636643
I killed 2 580EXII with the TT5 in Hypersync mode. I got them fixed by LPAdesign (pocket wizards) and they have not failed since. I now use 3X 430EXII for range on my automotive photography.(wish they we're more powerfull)

Thank you; I do not seem to find the right page on the PW website though?

I have contacted them for the failure and they sent me the information via email. I contacted them by phone!

sebmour wrote in post #13642204
I have contacted them for the failure and they sent me the information via email. I contacted them by phone!

Thanks a lot, I think I'll do it.

Thanks everybody for all the information.

FYI, I *just* had the semi-dark band thing happen to me tonight that SMP Homer experienced. The issue was the flash wasn't seated fully in the hot shoe all the way before I locked it down. Once seated well, it went away. I can replicate the problem 100 percent of the time by sliding the flash out of the shot about 1/16th to 1/8th inch. At 1/200 the band takes up almost half the screen. As I slow the shutter down I can make the band disappear. I just replaced my foot on the flash the other day, the replacement assembly Canon sends has longer, pointed prongs, which make it a bit more difficult to slide into the shoe of the camera than previously.

bdillon wrote in post #13642644
FYI, I *just* had the semi-dark band thing happen to me tonight that SMP Homer experienced. The issue was the flash wasn't seated fully in the hot shoe all the way before I locked it down. Once seated well, it went away. I can replicate the problem 100 percent of the time by sliding the flash out of the shot about 1/16th to 1/8th inch. At 1/200 the band takes up almost half the screen. As I slow the shutter down I can make the band disappear. I just replaced my foot on the flash the other day, the replacement assembly Canon sends has longer, pointed prongs, which make it a bit more difficult to slide into the shoe of the camera than previously.

I had problems with erratic results once, when I started using the PWs TT5/TT1 - I think I remember I had not properly locked the TT1 on the camera hot shoe, forgot to tighten the locking wheel - but it was not the case this time, entirely different symptoms!