I think my K7 has been permantently modified...

Dubious Drewski · 11-02-2009, 10:54 AM

After shooting a wedding two nights ago, I went home and tried to take my AF540 flash off of my K7 body, but it's stuck. It's very severely stuck. This flash has been difficult to take off before, but after some muscle, I have been able to free it. But not this time. I have been wiggling, retightening/untightening, yanking, pulling, grunting and cursing, and none of it is working.

Has anybody heard of this happening? I fear that if I continue to muscle it too hard, I'm going to actually break something.

jeffkrol · 11-02-2009, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Dubious Drewski

After shooting a wedding two nights ago, I went home and tried to take my AF540 flash off of my K7 body, but it's stuck. It's very severely stuck. This flash has been difficult to take off before, but after some muscle, I have been able to free it. But not this time. I have been wiggling, retightening/untightening, yanking, pulling, grunting and cursing, and none of it is working.

Has anybody heard of this happening? I fear that if I continue to muscle it too hard, I'm going to actually break something.

See this:
Re: AF540 flash stuck on K10D: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=23847376
Also (not my quote):
Russell,
From memory, the lever that pushes the pin down into the recess on the flash shoe has broken inside the flash and will not lever up the pin that locates into said hole.
What you will need to do is to undo the four phillips head screws that hold the flash shoe of the flash onto the flash body itself. This may require the butchering of a small phillips head screw driver by bending the end at right angles, but you can pick up some reasonable quality ones from Dick Smith or Jaycar etc.
Once you have the body of the flash off the flash mounting shoe, you should be able to see the pin and pull it up thus allowing the removal of the shoe assembly.
I think you can manufacture a better system of levr for the pin arrangement so this will not occur again.

RBellavance · 11-02-2009, 11:11 AM

Sorry to hear that, but it seems to be a fairly common problem. Here is some information that may help you:

Pentax AF540FGZ flash Stuck on hotshoe
Pentax AF-540 FGZ Locking Pin problem survey

It seems unlocking and removing the flash while holding everything upside-down might help in some cases. Otherwise I think you have to consider unscrewing the base of the flash and lifting the locking pin manually.

Or sending everything to Pentax to get it fixed, naturally.

*Blue* · 11-02-2009, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by RBellavance

. . .

Or sending everything to Pentax to get it fixed, naturally.

And be sure to include a note the asks: "What the hell . . .?"

bymy141 · 11-03-2009, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Dubious Drewski

After shooting a wedding two nights ago, I went home and tried to take my AF540 flash off of my K7 body, but it's stuck. It's very severely stuck. This flash has been difficult to take off before, but after some muscle, I have been able to free it. But not this time. I have been wiggling, retightening/untightening, yanking, pulling, grunting and cursing, and none of it is working.

Has anybody heard of this happening? I fear that if I continue to muscle it too hard, I'm going to actually break something.

This "problem" was my single most important reason to buy a Metz 58....

*Canada_Rockies* · 11-03-2009, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Dubious Drewski

After shooting a wedding two nights ago, I went home and tried to take my AF540 flash off of my K7 body, but it's stuck. It's very severely stuck. This flash has been difficult to take off before, but after some muscle, I have been able to free it. But not this time. I have been wiggling, retightening/untightening, yanking, pulling, grunting and cursing, and none of it is working.

Has anybody heard of this happening? I fear that if I continue to muscle it too hard, I'm going to actually break something.

This is, as you will have noted from the other replies, not an uncommon problem. However, here is one method to try to get the flash off the camera without surgery, and if it works, good!

Unlock the flash with the lever
Push the flash hard forward (toward the lens)
Turn the camera hot shoe down
Play with the lock lever
Gently pull the flash off.

The only time mine stuck this worked. I suspect that I had pulled the flash so that the pin was binding in the hot shoe. Before I put the flash on the camera again, I am going to remove the pin.

*Ash* · 11-03-2009, 12:56 PM

This thread started by Will some time ago goes into the issue in some detail.
540 FGZ stuck in hot shoe - a post mortem

It will be a recurring problem if not dealt with, so consider removing this pin, which will make the flash less secure on the hotshoe, but it's gotta be better than damaging the camera's hotshoe...

Arpe · 11-03-2009, 02:08 PM

Has anyone who has removed the pin had the flash fall off? Not that I know of, it seems a bit superfluous. Does the Pentax flash have the wind down washer-like thingy that also helps keep it on as per the Metz units? I think that alone, combined with the friction of the shoe itself, is way enough to keep it on.

*Canada_Rockies* · 11-03-2009, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Arpe

Has anyone who has removed the pin had the flash fall off? Not that I know of, it seems a bit superfluous. Does the Pentax flash have the wind down washer-like thingy that also helps keep it on as per the Metz units? I think that alone, combined with the friction of the shoe itself, is way enough to keep it on.

Yes, it sort of clamps to the hot shoe, as did every other flash I have attached. I think the pin is a bit of overkill, myself. There is no engagement of the pin on the mount that comes with it to stand the flash while using it wirelessly, and I do have to un-fix the lever to get it off.

song_hm · 11-03-2009, 08:09 PM

Does the AF360 have the same problem, and solution?

frank · 11-03-2009, 09:13 PM

This happened to my K20D and 540 flash. Had to send to service center to take the flash off. After that, I just glue the lock pin on the flash back in to the hole, and it won't come out again.

Oh btw, the cure for this is exactly as jeffkrol post above, that's what our Pentax service guy told me.

Dubious Drewski · 11-03-2009, 09:30 PM

Ok, I've purchased a set of small screwdrivers tonight. After I get home from work, I'll get right to work. Wish me luck.

HGMonaro · 11-03-2009, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Arpe

Has anyone who has removed the pin had the flash fall off? Not that I know of, it seems a bit superfluous. Does the Pentax flash have the wind down washer-like thingy that also helps keep it on as per the Metz units? I think that alone, combined with the friction of the shoe itself, is way enough to keep it on.

no, mine is still hard to get on/off and the locking arm does what the wind down thingy's do, just easier!

AdrianN · 11-04-2009, 08:34 AM

It's pretty easy to remove with a set of jeweller's screwdrivers. My 540 got stuck after a wedding and I just removed the stupid plastic locking pin and haven't had a problem with the 540 sliding off - it's pretty tight even without the screw-down lock.

Dubious Drewski · 11-05-2009, 09:21 PM

Fixed.

Yeah, that was pretty simple to do. I just taped the internal lever thing permanently to the side. Now That pin will never slide down again. You guys are right, the flash absolutely does not need that pin to stay firmly attached to the body. Silly outsourced design.

Thanks everyone!