Question About Canon 40D and 430-EX Flash

[middleeye]

(sorry this is kind of long) Ok. I used to have the Canon 30D and loved it. But for a birthday gift my husband traded it in for me and bought the Canon 40D and eBayed my 420 flash and got the 430 one.
When I had my old camera everything was great. I just put the flash on there, turned it and the camera on and took photos. Everything worked! There was no guesswork, no nothing. I am not a photographic genius, so I probably wasn't using everything to the best of their abilities, but I could take nice photos and that was all I wanted.
Now nothing will work. What is the problem??
The flash will work (sort of) when the camera is set on the auto setting, but if you put it on manual the flash does nothing. Or it will flash every now and then. The flash lightening bolt doesn't show up in the viewfinder. Nothing. You can "force" it to work once by changing the mode to something different and then taking the picture, but after that it won't work again. You have to turn it off and start over. I don't think it's that the flash or the camera are broken. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but what?
I tried reading the flash's manual, but it didn't say to do anything I wasn't already doing. You attach the flash, turn it on, put it on the option that isn't slave (can't remember what it's called now) and it should work. But it doesn't.
Is there some tip or trick to getting the 40D and the 430 flash to just take pictures when the camera is set on manual mode??
This is getting so annoying that I'm actually considering either selling everything (lenses and all) on eBay or posting some ads somewhere offering to trade this camera for my old 30D.
So if I can't get this to work is there anyone here who is interested in trading their 30D for a 40?? I'm being serious...this is really frustrating.

 

[gsd]

I am sorry I cannot answer your question, but I would call canon. There may be a problem with your flash.

 

[JimmyO]

Was your flash in TTL mode?

I would contact the seller if you think it was broken and possibly threaten him with a dispute if he doesnt refund it.

 

[middleeye]

Well, I thought of that, but I borrowed a friend's 420 flash (the kind I used to have) and it didn't really work either. But I don't think anything is wrong with the camera...as the flash will work sometimes. It's some setting that I just can't master or don't understand. I don't know, but it's made me a lunatic trying to figure out what it's f-ing problem is!
I think maybe the 40D camera is just a lot more complicated. I am a n00b.
Thanks for the replies. It's really frustrating.
*regrets the loss of old camera*
I could do anything with the 30D; I can't even take photos with the 40D. Ha. Oh well, I might just sell it. Like I said...I'm nowhere near the level of a pro. photographer, but I could really do just about everything I wanted to with my Canon 30D. No problems at all, except when I would experiment with really advanced stuff.
This camera has completely sucked all the fun out of taking pictures. I have probably only used it twice successfully since I got it and didn't enjoy myself at all either time. God knows how many times I've tried to use it and failed completely. Ha. Which is weird because you would expect the cameras to be basically the same and they are...and yet...
Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

Don't fret about the 40D...there is no complicating advancements that are holding you back. Everything should work just as they did with your old 30D.

My first guess is that the hot shoe connection might be a bit tight or something and the flash isn't sitting properly on the camera. Check this out and make sure that it slides all the way into the shoe.

It wouldn't be unheard of, if there was actually a problem with either the flash or camera. I would suggest maybe taking the camera & flash into a camera store and asking to try different cameras & flash units with your gear. This would help you isolate the problem to either the flash or the camera etc.