SB-800 flash Problem... going off on its own!!!

[RMThompson]

Hey guys, after my last few photo sessions I've noticed some weird behaviour with my SB-800 on my D50 Nikon.

Sometimes, at first I thought it was random, the flash will fire when I don't press the button. I thought at first it was just possibly cycling to ensure proper charge... however I notice now that its when I move the camera a certain way. The Sb-800 has always fit a little loosely in the camera, it jiggles a bit in the hotshoe, but sometimes when I jiggle it forward, it flashes!! Am I doing something wrong? Is there anyway to fix it? Is it a hotshoe problem? It's OK because I've never been not ready for a shot, yet, but I'm sure its effecting my battery life, and its not nice when it flashes my eyes or my customers...

Any thoughts?

 

[Mike_E]

It could be a loose wire in the shoe. do you use the locking switch and if so is the foot still loose on the camera? If it is loose then your upper right contact may be touching one of the others on the camera shoe.

mike

does the flash go of when it's not on the camera and you shake the flash?

 

[RMThompson]

Yes it's still loose after I use the locking switch, but no, it doesn't do it alone without the camera.

Someone said it might have something to do with the "Modeling Lamp" feature, that if I turn it off somehow it might go away?

 

[Mike_E]

I dunno. Take a look at your hot shoe on the camera and make sure it's not bent out. This would allow the flash to be loose.

Looking at my 600, it's not loose although not as snug as my 28 when screwed down.

Just for the halibut, try shooting in auto mode and manual mode to see if it's a self starter then.

BTW does it rattle at all?

mike

BTW, there is some buzz that it may be an esd thing, are you geting much lifghtening there?

 

[RMThompson]

I dunno. Take a look at your hot shoe on the camera and make sure it's not bent out. This would allow the flash to be loose.

Looking at my 600, it's not loose although not as snug as my 28 when screwed down.

Just for the halibut, try shooting in auto mode and manual mode to see if it's a self starter then.

BTW does it rattle at all?

mike

BTW, there is some buzz that it may be an esd thing, are you geting much lifghtening there?

ESD? what?

Ive shot in AUTO and I mostly shoot in APERATURE mode. It does it whenever I move the camera from back to front, or put it down on a table. SOmetimes it's more than once, three times in a row if I am walking with the camera.

 

[Mike_E]

I'm sorry RM, ESD means Electro Static Discharge and is a bane to electronics. If there is a lot of static electricity in the air and the flash is not making good contact anyway then an arc across the terminal from a static shock would cause the flash to go off.

Does if do a full dump or does it recharge like it was a partial charge flash?

Also, I was talking about shooting with the flash in Auto mode and Manual, you set this on the flash with the mode button. You may need to set your D50 to manual flash or something -I've not shot a D50.

mike

 

[RMThompson]

It's not a full dump, I am sure of it... and I can fire immediatly before and after it.

Ive tried changing the settings with the flash as well, to no avail, but to be honest I dont know much more than AUTO and how to step it down and up...

 

[Mike_E]

OK, I know you bought it second hand but have you tried to call Nikon? 1-800-nikonus (if they don't ask...)

and here http://www.softstonegroup.com/sb-800.html are some good links too.

mike

 

[RMThompson]

Called them. They just said send it in... which sucks.

I doubt I could afford repairing something like this! LOL

 

[RMThompson]

anyone else got any suggestions?

 

[Mike_E]

OK, put the flash on your camera and then turn both of them on. Next remove the batteries from both with out turning them off. Take the flash off the camera and reinsert all batteries. See what happens.

If you are still having problems borrow someone else's flash or let someone else use your flash and see if the problem still exists. If it does then you may have a problem with your top circuit board on your camera like this guy...
http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID7/17006.html#0

good luck with it!

mike

 

[RMThompson]

Ouch

no dice.

 

[Mike_E]

OK, Try finding another flash or camera to use your flash and see if it's the camera or the flash.

You might scout around for a camera tech near you to take it too or get a remote controller (radio or optical slave or PC cord) and start using it off camera. See strobist.com if you haven't already and you may find that you don't really want it on the camera anyway.

Good luck

mike