Err message on a 7D

Hello,

I was taking some shots outside at night recently and when I went to use the built in flash, I got a err message 05 - The built in flash could not be raised. Turn the camera off and on again.

Well, I did that but still no luck with the flash. Even with pressing the flash button. Switch to auto mode, same thing. Not sure what I might have done as far as changed a setting?

Any insight appreciated.

Two things come to mind. The first is that there may be something stuck in the hotshoe. There is a little switch in there that senses when a external flash is installed thus keeping the pop up from popping up. The second is that the flash might be stuck. Press the flash button and very gently help the flash along, but I'm guessing that the issue is something in the hotshoe.

Visually looking at the hot shoe, I do not see anything.

It makes a mechanical sound like it is trying to raise the flash when you set it to automatic shooting. No sound at all when you press the flash button

What "JJ" said above but you can go to https://shimworld.word​press.com/2009/02/26/c​anon-hotshoe-fix/ and scroll down a bit to see the microswitch. I'm not familiar with the 7D but on most Canon DSLR it is along the right side of the hot shoe as you look at the camera back.

Thank you for the link above. I got out the magnifying glass and the little plastic tab is intact on my hot shoe

I didn't go and start up a 7D, just to test, but as far as I remember, the Error 05 message isn't shown if the hot shoe is occupied when you try to raise the built-in flash. Error - 05 is only shown when the release mechanism is failing to release the flash.

That is what it sounds like, like it is trying to raise the flash and there is a issue, mechanically

The error is stuck flash. The flash hook might be stuck and/or stiff or blocked spring. Most people can get the flash working again, by gently trying to pry it open when the camera is trying to open the flash. Then you can try cleaning with compressed air. Here is an article where the person used WD-40 on the spring...but he shows pictures of the flash system.

How to fix the popup flash on your camera

Thanks. Will try that