flash won't shut off

xentarxentar
Posted in » Nikon D3100 Forum
HI, my flash won't turn off no matter what even if I close the flash. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks.

Comments

  • brutobruto
    What mode are you using? Certain modes, most notably the green auto, but also portrait and child, and I think macro, will take over the decision on whether to use flash and will pop it up automatically. Next to the "auto" setting is an "auto no-flash" setting. If you use that or the P,S,A, or M modes, or the Sports or Landscape modes, the flash should stay down unless you pop it up yourself.

    If in "auto no-flash" mode, the flash still pops up, there is a mechanical problem with the camera, since turning off the flash is the very thing it's designed for.
  • xentarxentar
    Thanks for the quick response I'm using manual and it stays down but the flash still goes off.
  • brutobruto
    That sounds like a hardware malfunction. There's a switch in there that should activate the flash when it's up and keep it off when down. I'm guessing that the switch has failed.
  • xentarxentar
    Do you know of any way to fix it?
  • brutobruto
    Sorry, no. I've never opened one up. Looking at the D3200, it's pretty clear that the switch is well inside. On the 3200, the flash can be almost all the way up before the switch turns it on, and it's definitely not actuated by the latch.

    But I'm wondering how you are noticing that the flash goes off. It should be pretty thoroughly blocked off when it's down, but since I don't have one that's malfunctioning, I can't see how much light comes through the cracks. I guess the next question is whether, in M mode, it is messing up the exposure, since it should default to fill flash when the exposure is correct.

    As a temporary measure, if it seems to affect exposure even when it's down, you might try switching to manual flash mode and setting the flash power to 1/32. That should, if nothing else, conserve a little battery power and might help prevent damage from the flash firing when it's closed.
  • xentarxentar
    Thanks for all your help, the reason I can tell it goes off is by sound mostly.
  • brutobruto
    I hadn't thought about that. My D3200 does not make the audible snap and whine you hear from some flashes, so I don't notice a sound, but if you're hearing it, then it's doing it.

    I would, just for final confirmation, suggest that you pop the flash up, and then hold it down half way or more, and fire a shot. It should not flash, and if it does, then at least if you take it somewhere for repair you'll have a way to show it.
  • xentarxentar
    Ok thanks for all your help.
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