SP-350 flash problem in S.macro

[Larry C]

As long as I've been using the SP-350, it has locked out the built in flash for super-macro. This is a feature that is listed in the advanced manual because the lens blocks the flash at close distances. It has always worked fine with the external flash. Today I took the camera out for the first dive back in Monterey after my trip to Fiji and the strobes wouldn't fire in Super Macro. I tried the force flash button and the only choice was no flash. I reset the MyMode super macro setting and reset the flash for external only. Still nothing. I thought about using the reset button and starting from scratch with all new settings, but I'm a little worried this will screw up something else. Any ideas? Next step is to try it with my backup camera.

 

[pennywise]

Hi Larry,

If it works the same as in 5060/5050 (and I'm quite sure it does) you'll have to choose the "slave" option for your flash....it's a cam setting you'll find in the manual.

Suc6!!!

 

[Larry C]

It will fire on slave, but I never had to use it before. It's always worked on external only as well. I can't use ttl with slave and I think it will always fire the internal flash on that setting, which I prefer not to do. Thanks for the suggestion, however.

 

[Larry C]

OK, fixed it, sort of. Good news, good news, bad news, good news.
1. Tried my back up camera and it worked fine.
2. Got out my little Oly flash and stuck it in the hotshoe of my first cam. Set it for ttl and it flashed fine on external setting.
3. Opened the housing and stuck the HW circuit board in the hotshoe, turned the strobes on and it fired.
4. Tried it again and it didn't.
5. Put the Oly strobe back on and it worked.
6. Tried the Sea & Seas again and it not only worked, but the flash-off sign was no longer showing (I think what happened originally, was I pushed the flash-off/force flash button when I was testing things in Fiji, then for some reason when I pushed it again it would only give me the choice of flash off, even when I turned the camera off, recycled it and changed the MyMode settings around.)
So, maybe the little Oly flash sends a signal that you're shooting ttl and the camera knows it's supposed to fire externally in S.macro mode. Anyway, hopefully it stays fixed. If it fails again, I'll just switch to the back-up and use the other one for the odd topside pic and future insurance against flooding as I now do with the back-up.

 

[RockyHeap]

Larry.

I know you're very well versed with the in's and outs of all the camera settings, but I don't think the oly flash sent any signal back to the camera to reset anything.......I use external strobes on land via the hotshoe all the time.

Sounds like maybe the HW card could be the intermitant problem? You're trying alot of different variables / combinations of equipment and settings. Clean all the contacts on the hotshoe with a pencil eraser?

yeah underwater is the last place you want an intermitant issue with a camera during the dive. When my camera rig starts acting up, I just shut the camera rig down and enjoy the dive, for the dive, fix it on the surface, you don't need technical frustations at depth.

hope this helps,

Dood, you need to try the INON 165 AD mount lens, it ROCKS!
Dave - longggggggg time SP-350 owner as you are too!

 

[AndyT]

Larry - check the pins inside the HW bulkhead. I have had problems on two of mine in the past.
Two of them are not fixed - ie they are spring mounted. They would go in but not come back out again. It started as an intermitent problem, but then became permanent.

 

[Larry C]

Thanks Dave & Andy. We'll see how it goes tomorrow. I expect to get one dive in before taking off for a week long conference. Andy, I have had issues with those pins before a couple of times. Particularly corrosion on the one that doesn't pop up, but I don't think that was the issue this time. The thing that points me at the camera is that it only happened in super macro and that I got the no-flash indicator on the camera screen each time I turned it on until the problem sorted itself out. Also, it worked fine topside with my other camera. I will clean the hotshoe contacts, and we'll see what happens tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, I'm almost afraid to pull my synch cord again as the threads are so corroded that I'm not sure I'll be able to get it back together again and I'm not looking forward to spending another $300 on an HW converter and waiting a couple of weeks for installation.
PS: Dave, I bought the lens just before leaving for Fiji. I've only used it a couple of times, but it seems to get really nice results. When you use yours, do you keep the camera in super-macro or just macro? Do you zoom it? I've had trouble focusing in macro with it on, and I have yet to get even minimal focus while zooming. Maybe I should try it with manual focus.

 

[RockyHeap]

I use both super macro and macro mode. Sometimes if I remember I zoom in a smidge only to eliminate any cutting off of the corners with the 105 W/A lens. The Fisheye doesn't get it impacted as much.

I normally use soley macro, but have been been using super macro more with the new 165 fish eye with stunning results.

practice practice and practice some more...............just like manual white balance, most people don't use it but it opens up wide angle photo work getting large shots. I've never used Manual Focus, but that's an area I'd like to work on......

cheers