Won't shoot with flash off

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Gobae

Senior Member
I've run across an interesting situation and I was wondering if others have come across it as well. If I have a flash in the hot-shoe and I turn it off I can take a single photo and that's it, after that no response. In order to continue taking pics I have to turn the flash back on or remove it from the shoe. The camera won't take photos if the flash is mounted, but off.

I have two different flash units; one is a super cheap Sunpak the other is an Altura and the D90 does the same thing with either one. Interestingly, I don't recall having had this problem with my D40X.

Thoughts? Anyone else run into this?
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Gobae said:
I've run across an interesting situation and I was wondering if others have come across it as well. If I have a flash in the hot-shoe and I turn it off I can take a single photo and that's it, after that no response. In order to continue taking pics I have to turn the flash back on or remove it from the shoe. The camera won't take photos if the flash is mounted, but off.

I have two different flash units; one is a super cheap Sunpak the other is an Altura and the D90 does the same thing with either one. Interestingly, I don't recall having had this problem with my D40X.

Thoughts? Anyone else run into this?
Click to expand...
Does the camera function normally without a flash attached to the hot-shoe?

Also, what is the model number of the Altura flash that you have?
....
 
G

Gobae

Senior Member
Yes, the camera functions perfectly normally when 1)flash is not attached or 2)flash is turned on.

This happens in both S and A modes. I don't know about full auto nor manual since I don't use those very often. But I can check when I get home.

This is the flash that I have. Although it also used to happen with a Sunpak too.
Altura Photo® I-TTL Digital Flash for Nikon - Flashes
 
G

Gobae

Senior Member
skene said:
Well what exactly are you shooting as well?
Click to expand...

I was taking photos of a Cystic Fibrosis stair-climb fundraiser indoors. Most of the shots needed flash, but when the TV crews were interviewing the participants I switched off the flash so I didn't piss off the camera men and interviewer. That was when I discovered the camera wouldn't function with the flash turned off. But when I pulled it from the hot shoe everything worked fine again.
 
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Felisek

Senior Member
I can only guess that it might be some compatibility issue between the camera and the flash, as both of your flashes are third party. Nikon camera might not recognise when they are turned off and still try to communicate with them, which in turn might lead to camera software freezing or some other fault. Turning the flash on restores communication, removing the flash from the hot shoe tells the camera it is not there.

A test with a Nikon flash would confirm this.
 
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aroy

Senior Member
I agree with the above post. Some of the third party flashes will only tell the body that the flash is connected, and not if it is off or on. I checked on the D3300, there are 4 contacts for the flash. Check how many are on your flashes. If there are 4, then there may be a problem with them. As suggested. check the operations with a Nikon flash (I checked with SB800). If it works, then your flash are not communicating. If it does not, then the problem is either in contacts or the body.

You can try cleaning the contacts with isopropyle alcohol or some mild contact cleaned (both camera and the flash)
 
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Bill4282

Senior Member
Had the same problem with Sunpack. Dealer told me compatable. After continuous problems, googled the flash. Found it was incompatible with many nikon cameras. Bought a youngneu and never looked back.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk
 
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