580EX vibrating (help please)

when i turn my 580EX flash on it vibrates for about 10 seconds and then stops. it will not let me change any of its settings, it just blinks. any suggestions?????

try fresh batterys then send to canon

Vibrates? That's an unusual thing for a flash unit to do, surely

Try new batteries as newfly5 suggested - my flash did some odd things when I first bought it and it wasn't until I tried a new set of batteries that it worked properly.

I can hear a servo motor working in my Sigma 500 dg st when I'm changing focal lengths in TTL mode. Assuming the 580ex has a servo in it also, that must be the culprit. Hopefully yours is still under warranty.

I had similar symptoms with a 580EX and your problem might be the same. The zoom head runs in a track and mine had popped out it. When powering up the flash, it would start clicking and the whole flash would vibrate because the zoom head was stuck. You can look into the end of the flash when you power it up and you should see the zoom head trying to move.

I fixed mine by gripping the body of the flash and bumping the head of the flash firmly against the palm of my hand. If my memory serves, it took a few tries, but the inertia was enough to set the zoom head back into the track, and it has been fine ever since.

If you can’t get the above method to work, and it is no longer under warranty, you might be able to take the head apart and reseat it.

Here is a link to a page that illustrates how to disassemble a 550EX, but the procedure is the same for 580EX. If you go this route, take heed of the caution about the capacitors. They can give you a nasty shock if you are not careful.

I hope that helps, and best of luck,

-mark

Mine does this, I assumed it was normal? It only occurs when I move the slider to the "off" position (from master or slave). It makes a click click click sound and a small vibration.

I need to know if this is a problem, cause if it is I should send it back to Canon ASAP.

Hi Slappy Sam,

When you put your 580EX in the master or slave mode, the zoom head should move to a position closest to the end of the flash. When you turn the master or slave mode to off, the zoom head should move to a position furthest away from the end of the flash.

If yours is clicking when you change the settings your zoom head is stuck. You should be able to verify this by looking into the end of the flash (don't hit the pilot button!) while you change the setting from master or slave to off.

You can also manually move the zoom head by powering up the flash, hitting the ‘ZOOM’ button, and spinning the settings wheel back and forth. I'm guessing yours will click like crazy when you do that.

-mark

Yes it appears the head does not move back and forth (I can see this). When I manually hit the zoom button it still clicks (same amount) but does not move still.

Must I send it back to Canon? I've only had it for a few weeks, so its still under warranty.

You could try motivating it back in place as described in my first post, but since it is only a few weeks old, sending it to Canon might be the best choice to avoid any warranty issues.

-mark

Ahh, that is annoying. I was hoping I didn't have to send anything back. Oh well, now I have to figure out what I have to do to send it back.

called canon. returning flash monday. they said that the focusing mech. was stuck...thanks anyway........