580 EX II acting goofy...

I have a 580 EX II that I got when they first came out last year. I've been using it relatively heavy, but not everyday 24/7 type use. If I had to guess, I'd say it probably has 5,000-7,000 actuations.

What the problem is that it doesn't fire all the time. The pilot light indicates it's ready to fire, but when the flash is on-camera sometimes it flashes, sometimes it doesn't. As of late, it's not flashing more than it's flashing. What's weird is when it's "not flashing"- it actually is, but the light coming from the thyristor is very, very dim and not noticeable unless you were looking right at the flash.

Pushing the pilot button does trigger the flash, however. I have the flash set to fire at full power when the pilot is pressed. Most of the flashes are firing at full power, but some of them, just like when the camera triggers the flash, the thyristor is very dimly lit.

I tried different fully-charged batteries (to make sure a bum battery wasn't in the mix), I cleaned the contacts both on-camera and on-flash with alcohol (slightly dabbed on a q-tip) AND a pencil eraser, and I also did the DIY fix to take the hot shoe mount apart and I made sure all the screws inside the locking mechanism were tight.

To make sure it wasn't the camera, I mounted my trusty old 430EX and it fires 100% of the time and works perfect.

This flash has been working 100% fine for over a year and has only been acting up within the past few days. What do you guys think is wrong? Is a trip to Jamesburg needed? (I only live 50 miles from the Canon Jamesburg facility).

Can you try the faulty flash on someone else's camera? That sounds like it's just about the last thing that you haven't tried...

I just tried the flash on another camera- same results as above

Are you sure your batteries are 100%? I know that mine have been performing poorly lately because I didn't have a charger that would let me condition them (until this week). Did you try the batteries from the 430EX in the 580EX?

If the contacts on the flash are clean that does sound a bit suspicious.

Hrm. I can't think of anything else you haven't tried... though I'm sure someone else on here will. Good luck with fixing it!

cdifoto wrote in post #6080865
Are you sure your batteries are 100%? I know that mine have been performing poorly lately because I didn't have a charger that would let me condition them (until this week). Did you try the batteries from the 430EX in the 580EX?

Just tried that. No difference.

Hmm.

More spitballing - When you mount the flash, is there any/much play in it? Maybe it's not connecting to the foot solidly enough. Mine has the slightest wiggle but it's not loose by any means.

If that's not it, I'd definitely send it to Canon and let them figure it out.

cdifoto wrote in post #6080924
Hmm.

More spitballing - When you mount the flash, is there any/much play in it? Maybe it's not connecting to the foot solidly enough. Mine has the slightest wiggle but it's not loose by any means.

If that's not it, I'd definitely send it to Canon and let them figure it out.

Nope, all tight. I even took the flash hot shoe mount apart to make sure the locking mechanism was tight. There is hardly any play at all when it's locked. I think the flash is just going bad. It's a shame Canon's flagship flash only lasted me a year.

When you talk about "thyristor" I assume you mean the flash tube, right?

To me, it sounds like there's some intermittent contact failure inside the flash, which means that it sure tries to emit the flash, but now and then this fault prevents it from turning on properly.

right, I know thyrostor is old terminology, flash tube is what I mean. I'm on the way to Jamesburg now. Both bodies can use a cleaning and two of my lenses need calibration, so the trip isn't a total waste.

emtp563 wrote in post #6085877
right, I know thyrostor is old terminology, flash tube is what I mean I'm on the way to Jamesburg now. Both bodies can use a cleaning and two of my lenses need calibration, so the trip isn't a total waste.

Thyristor really isn't an old terminology. They're still in use in modern flashes. And they're not the same as a flash tube. A thyristor is a type of semiconductor switching component used to control the output of the flash. It doesn't emit any light at all, the flash tube does that. What is old about the terminology is the use of the word in marketing the flash since they're commonplace now-a-days.

See that, you learn something new every day. I just got back from the Jamesburg Service Center. I have to hand it to those gals that work behind the counter. Some of the people who bring gear in for repair are just plain a-holes. The guy in the blue kept stating he was a CPS member and wanted the champagne that was sprayed onto his lens (from the winners circle) cleaned right now because he needs it in two days. Canon can only guarantee 5-10 days. Another person brought in a rebel that she dropped in the sand at the beach. They took the camera in, but she couldn't understand, and got pissed, why Canon can't service the Tamron lens as well.

These poor gals get yelled and cursed at on a daily basis, I'm sure. They were nice to me I brought the flash in for repair (I need the warranty card in order for the repair to be free), the 16-35 for calibration (free), the 85 1.8 for calibration (free), the 40D for a sensor and general cleaning/calibration (free), and the 1D for a sensor and body cleaning/calibration (out of warranty- 190 bucks but I have a voucher for 100 bucks plus 20% off parts/labor). Here's some pics:

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If these pictures signify what you get from your equipment, I understand why you visit a service centre.

apersson850 wrote in post #6091923
If these pictures signify what you get from your equipment, I understand why you visit a service centre.

LOL, no man- my camera are sitting on the counter. I took these crappy pics with my camera phone