Flash is totally stuck in hotshoe...

Rick · 05-12-2007, 06:58 PM - **1 Like**

Slugtaco, add my name to the list of K10D owners who find the 540 to be a VERY tight fit. I have to patiently wiggle it into the hotshoe, and then equally as patiently wiggle it out.

I have pondered using a miniscule amount of some plastics-friendly lube, but for now have settled for seeing if the flash-shoe will eventually wear in with each other.

Given that everyone seems to report the fit as being very tight, and being as the 360/540 flashes have the tensioning ring, it seems kind of crazy to have them that tight.

oller · 05-13-2007, 01:11 AM - **1 Like**

Hi slugtaco,

send the camera in. The security pin is probably stuck. I had the same problem (K10&540), I don't think you can solve that on your own.

There is no spring to retract the pin . On my 540 there is a little (tiny) "bumb" on to of the security lever. That bumb shoves a pin upwards. That pin must somehow be connectet to the security pin.

If you look a the front of the flash you can (or probably can't in your case) see that pin. It is a little left from the center of the flash. In the "crack" between lever an flashbody.

-oller

izzyinstl · 05-13-2007, 07:03 AM - **1 Like**

Hello

We purchased 2 k10d's and my fiance has the same problem. Just this weekend her 540 flash is now stuck to the body. We have tried everything to get off but its stuck. This is the 2nd problem with the k10d she has. The other is that the autofocus motor runs when in manual focus. I am now starting to regret purchasing pentax. I thought I made a great choice.

kskjon · 05-13-2007, 08:02 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by izzyinstl

Hello

We purchased 2 k10d's and my fiance has the same problem. Just this weekend her 540 flash is now stuck to the body. We have tried everything to get off but its stuck. This is the 2nd problem with the k10d she has. The other is that the autofocus motor runs when in manual focus. I am now starting to regret purchasing pentax. I thought I made a great choice.

Are you sure the AF/MF-button is fully on MF?

Most K10Ds work flawlessly, so don't write the model off just because of one lemon.

izzyinstl · 05-13-2007, 08:28 AM - **1 Like**

yes...we think thats where the problem is the switch doesnt have a snap into feeling like my camera does. I feel each setting from afs afc and mf. Her camera the switch just is one smooth flow from each. So I expect its in that switch.

clm · 05-13-2007, 10:44 AM - **1 Like**

I only have a 360, so I don't know if this applies to your flash. At the front of the flash shoe lock ring there is a small black pin that is linked to the pin at the bottom of the flash shoe. It is only visible when the flash lock ring is in the fixed position. Lock the flash, push the black pin up, unlock the flash, and try to slide the flash off.

edit:It's the pin Oller referred to. If that is what is causing the flash to stick, you should be able to see it.

blende8 · 05-13-2007, 11:50 PM - **1 Like**

This pin failure seems to happen quite often.
We had two reports recently on a German forum.
I don't use the clamp anymore, the flash is fixated good enough without it.
Or perhaps one can remove the pin completely?

jnorth · 05-14-2007, 10:46 AM - **1 Like**

I'm saving wear and tear on my flash's lock ring. I'm not using it until my flash is actually loose enough to move 1/10,000" after being smacked. Once it gets that loose then I'll exert that extra bit of energy and millisecond of extra time to secure the flash with the lock. Mine is quite tight and I'm always afraid of bobbling it into a fall onto the floor when I finally wiggle it free.

bennyw · 05-21-2007, 11:58 PM - **1 Like**

Hi All...

my first post here but just wanted to add another voice to the complaint regarding the 540FGZ flash getting stuck on the hot shoe...

I've had my K10D most of 2007 and absolutely love it, but bought the 540FGZ on the weekend as a birthday present to myself. Second time I had put the flash on I couldn't get it off. Looks like the lock pin is problem and have tried everything to get it off. So rather than damage either the flash or the body, I took it in to get serviced at my local Pentax repairer. He said he'd never heard of it happening before but said he'd take a look and get back to me.

He phoned later in the day to advise that it would have to be sent off to Melbourne to the specific K10D techo to take a look at. At this stage they have told me they will need to break (!- their word not mine) the flash near its base and then replace the flash and the hotshoe if it gets damaged in the process.

So looks like a fairly serious problem, so thought I'd warn anyone else that this happens to that you might want to be a bit cautious trying to fix it yourself. Send it off to the service people and let them break it!

Notwithstanding my above issue, the flash worked very well and resulted in very nice photos. I've for years avoided flash photography but now i'm itching to get my body and flash back to start experimenting!

stewart_photo · 05-22-2007, 12:13 AM - **1 Like**

You may want to ask if they can remove the pin entirely when reassembling the flash, bennyw. Most seem to feel the flash is locked in place firmly enough without the pin and the pin removed entirely would clearly eliminate any chance of this ever happening again.

I haven't had this problem, but have studied the bottom of my flash to attempt to figure out which pin everyone is talking about. If I can figure that out, the next step is to see if I can head the potential of this off by disabling that pin in some simple & safe way.

stewart

bart_hickman · 05-22-2007, 08:57 AM - **1 Like**

I was looking at how that pin works on my 540 and the lock pin doesn't fully retract until the lever is all the way to the left--there's a slight detent. I wonder if people have maybe not quite pushed it all the way in such that when the pin sticks out it's under tension and then it's difficult to retract.

Another thing I've noticed is some of the black paint on the socket comes off after one or two uses--could a piece of that paint be getting stuck somewhere? Maybe it gets stuck in the rear preventing the flash from sliding completely into the socket resulting in the pin being slightly off-center.

FYI, my 540 fits in pretty smoothly--it's snug, but goes on and off easily and quickly. I've used it dozens of times.

Just some thoughts.
Bart

HGMonaro · 06-01-2007, 08:38 PM - **1 Like**

anyone had one of these fixed yet? Mine did it today

vizjerei · 06-01-2007, 08:55 PM - **1 Like**

Can anyone post a pic of which pin costing the touble? I am planning to get my 540 soon, just want to have a headup, thanks

David Benson · 06-02-2007, 05:22 AM - **1 Like**

I have just had this problem with my 540 which just totally jammed in the K10D I am going away tomorrow so did not fancy having to carry my camera around permanantly with the flash attached. So I set about sorting itv out myself, there are four screws attaching the base to the main body of the flash easily removed except when jammmed on the camera. You will require a good quality small cross head screwdriver or a medium sized watch makers screw driver to undo them after you have undone the four screws the main body of the flash easily comes away from the base with only one wired plug to release to totally seperate the main body. Now you will see the problem the small pin that drops down into the recess in the cameras hot shoe is lifted up by the action of a small cam on the locking lever this whole mechanism is very flimsy and will easily breack in a number of places and leave the pin in place and you then have a problem removing the flash.
My solution was to just remove the pin mechanism completely I just do not think it is nessesary at all.
I would advise anyone with this flash to do this bofore it becomes a problem. A solution would be to push the pin into the base of the flash and put a drop of super glue on it and hold in till dry just a few minuits so no need to open up the flash.

David

HGMonaro · 06-02-2007, 06:38 AM - **1 Like**

thanks David, will give it a go tomorrow!

Cheers, Nige

05-13-2007, 07:03 AM - 1 Like	#18
izzyinstl Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 17	My Fiance has the flash stuck also Hello We purchased 2 k10d's and my fiance has the same problem. Just this weekend her 540 flash is now stuck to the body. We have tried everything to get off but its stuck. This is the 2nd problem with the k10d she has. The other is that the autofocus motor runs when in manual focus. I am now starting to regret purchasing pentax. I thought I made a great choice.

05-21-2007, 11:58 PM - 1 Like	#24
bennyw Inactive Account Join Date: May 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1	Another flash stuck! Hi All... my first post here but just wanted to add another voice to the complaint regarding the 540FGZ flash getting stuck on the hot shoe... I've had my K10D most of 2007 and absolutely love it, but bought the 540FGZ on the weekend as a birthday present to myself. Second time I had put the flash on I couldn't get it off. Looks like the lock pin is problem and have tried everything to get it off. So rather than damage either the flash or the body, I took it in to get serviced at my local Pentax repairer. He said he'd never heard of it happening before but said he'd take a look and get back to me. He phoned later in the day to advise that it would have to be sent off to Melbourne to the specific K10D techo to take a look at. At this stage they have told me they will need to break (!- their word not mine) the flash near its base and then replace the flash and the hotshoe if it gets damaged in the process. So looks like a fairly serious problem, so thought I'd warn anyone else that this happens to that you might want to be a bit cautious trying to fix it yourself. Send it off to the service people and let them break it! Notwithstanding my above issue, the flash worked very well and resulted in very nice photos. I've for years avoided flash photography but now i'm itching to get my body and flash back to start experimenting!

06-02-2007, 05:22 AM - 1 Like	#29
David Benson New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ludlow England Posts: 2	removal of the pin I have just had this problem with my 540 which just totally jammed in the K10D I am going away tomorrow so did not fancy having to carry my camera around permanantly with the flash attached. So I set about sorting itv out myself, there are four screws attaching the base to the main body of the flash easily removed except when jammmed on the camera. You will require a good quality small cross head screwdriver or a medium sized watch makers screw driver to undo them after you have undone the four screws the main body of the flash easily comes away from the base with only one wired plug to release to totally seperate the main body. Now you will see the problem the small pin that drops down into the recess in the cameras hot shoe is lifted up by the action of a small cam on the locking lever this whole mechanism is very flimsy and will easily breack in a number of places and leave the pin in place and you then have a problem removing the flash. My solution was to just remove the pin mechanism completely I just do not think it is nessesary at all. I would advise anyone with this flash to do this bofore it becomes a problem. A solution would be to push the pin into the base of the flash and put a drop of super glue on it and hold in till dry just a few minuits so no need to open up the flash. David

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05-12-2007, 06:58 PM - 1 Like	#16
Rick Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE BC and NE Montana Photos: Gallery Posts: 198	Slugtaco, add my name to the list of K10D owners who find the 540 to be a VERY tight fit. I have to patiently wiggle it into the hotshoe, and then equally as patiently wiggle it out. I have pondered using a miniscule amount of some plastics-friendly lube, but for now have settled for seeing if the flash-shoe will eventually wear in with each other. Given that everyone seems to report the fit as being very tight, and being as the 360/540 flashes have the tensioning ring, it seems kind of crazy to have them that tight.

05-13-2007, 01:11 AM - 1 Like	#17
oller New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 1	Hi slugtaco, send the camera in. The security pin is probably stuck. I had the same problem (K10&540), I don't think you can solve that on your own. There is no spring to retract the pin . On my 540 there is a little (tiny) "bumb" on to of the security lever. That bumb shoves a pin upwards. That pin must somehow be connectet to the security pin. If you look a the front of the flash you can (or probably can't in your case) see that pin. It is a little left from the center of the flash. In the "crack" between lever an flashbody. -oller

05-13-2007, 08:02 AM - 1 Like	#19
kskjon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ålesund, Norway Photos: Gallery Posts: 170	Originally posted by izzyinstl Hello We purchased 2 k10d's and my fiance has the same problem. Just this weekend her 540 flash is now stuck to the body. We have tried everything to get off but its stuck. This is the 2nd problem with the k10d she has. The other is that the autofocus motor runs when in manual focus. I am now starting to regret purchasing pentax. I thought I made a great choice. Are you sure the AF/MF-button is fully on MF? Most K10Ds work flawlessly, so don't write the model off just because of one lemon.

05-13-2007, 08:28 AM - 1 Like	#20
izzyinstl Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 17	yes...we think thats where the problem is the switch doesnt have a snap into feeling like my camera does. I feel each setting from afs afc and mf. Her camera the switch just is one smooth flow from each. So I expect its in that switch.

05-13-2007, 10:44 AM - 1 Like	#21
clm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 220	I only have a 360, so I don't know if this applies to your flash. At the front of the flash shoe lock ring there is a small black pin that is linked to the pin at the bottom of the flash shoe. It is only visible when the flash lock ring is in the fixed position. Lock the flash, push the black pin up, unlock the flash, and try to slide the flash off. edit:It's the pin Oller referred to. If that is what is causing the flash to stick, you should be able to see it.

05-13-2007, 11:50 PM - 1 Like	#22
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	This pin failure seems to happen quite often. We had two reports recently on a German forum. I don't use the clamp anymore, the flash is fixated good enough without it. Or perhaps one can remove the pin completely?

05-14-2007, 10:46 AM - 1 Like	#23
jnorth Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 230	I'm saving wear and tear on my flash's lock ring. I'm not using it until my flash is actually loose enough to move 1/10,000" after being smacked. Once it gets that loose then I'll exert that extra bit of energy and millisecond of extra time to secure the flash with the lock. Mine is quite tight and I'm always afraid of bobbling it into a fall onto the floor when I finally wiggle it free.

05-22-2007, 12:13 AM - 1 Like	#25
stewart_photo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 1,864	You may want to ask if they can remove the pin entirely when reassembling the flash, bennyw. Most seem to feel the flash is locked in place firmly enough without the pin and the pin removed entirely would clearly eliminate any chance of this ever happening again. I haven't had this problem, but have studied the bottom of my flash to attempt to figure out which pin everyone is talking about. If I can figure that out, the next step is to see if I can head the potential of this off by disabling that pin in some simple & safe way. stewart

05-22-2007, 08:57 AM - 1 Like	#26
bart_hickman Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Oregon, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 49	I was looking at how that pin works on my 540 and the lock pin doesn't fully retract until the lever is all the way to the left--there's a slight detent. I wonder if people have maybe not quite pushed it all the way in such that when the pin sticks out it's under tension and then it's difficult to retract. Another thing I've noticed is some of the black paint on the socket comes off after one or two uses--could a piece of that paint be getting stuck somewhere? Maybe it gets stuck in the rear preventing the flash from sliding completely into the socket resulting in the pin being slightly off-center. FYI, my 540 fits in pretty smoothly--it's snug, but goes on and off easily and quickly. I've used it dozens of times. Just some thoughts. Bart

06-01-2007, 08:38 PM - 1 Like	#27
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	anyone had one of these fixed yet? Mine did it today

06-01-2007, 08:55 PM - 1 Like	#28
vizjerei Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,418	Can anyone post a pic of which pin costing the touble? I am planning to get my 540 soon, just want to have a headup, thanks

06-02-2007, 06:38 AM - 1 Like	#30
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	thanks David, will give it a go tomorrow! Cheers, Nige

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