Steve'sDigicams

Abhi0311 · Oct 22, 2006, 12:26 PM

Hi All,

I'm facing a strange problem with the flash of my S1 IS camera. It used to pop-up automatically till yesterday. But now the pop up is jamming.

Can anyone provide me with some pointers. It wll be highly apreicated.

Thanks

Abhi

pchidley · Oct 22, 2006, 9:45 PM

Abhi,

Read the previous posts. EVERYBODY with a Canon SI has or will have the same problem with the flash. Canon refuses to admit there is a problem but it your camera is under warranty they will fix it. If it is not under warranty they MAY fix it for free but not likely. Or just fix it yourself and don't buy another Canon. See instructions previously posted here.

Paul C.

bpbmike · Mar 30, 2007, 9:45 PM

Another happy customer, here. I have the Canon S1 and tried your fix. Worked flawlessly. Thanks for your help here!

donato · Mar 31, 2007, 4:30 AM

I came incidentally across this thread, owning a brand new Canon S3 IS. The S3 doesn't open the flash automatically - you do it always manually. In Auto mode it says on the LCD/EVF "Open Flash" if necessary, in the other modes there's a red symbol blinking if the flash is needed. Result: No Problemo!!

caligirl · Apr 18, 2007, 7:55 PM

thankyou I followed the advice about moving the washer , and it worked like a charm...it beats sending it to canon for repairs..I sent mine in and was called and informed that the repairs would run me somewhere between $150-200 ,I had them send it back without repair . Now im glad I did..If this is such a common problem I dont know why canon doesnt suggest this fix instead of trying to make more money off people..anyway thankyou again....another happy camper!!!!!!!

mlbailey90 · Apr 23, 2007, 11:39 AM

Thank you thank you thank you! With your help I have a working flash again after over a year just prying it open with my fingers (which apparantly doesn't permanently damage anything).

I wanted to include one further step I needed to perform to enable to flash to pop up automatically again (which may have something to do with the year's worth of manual opening which I mentioned earlier, lol!)

Along with placing the washer in between the black catch and the screw, I actually had to bend the end of the catch (the part that comes in contact with the release lever) further inward than it inheirently is.This brought it back to full functionallity, AND the flash now sits tightly against the camera when it is closed (rather than the "standard" 1/16" gap which seems to plague a majority of this model's stock).

Thanks again for the info!

Mark

mmboost · Jul 7, 2007, 1:02 PM

Some things to be aware of when doing this fix (yes, learn from my mistakes):

1) Make sure you screw the latch down ALL the way!!!

I cannot emphasize this enough. If the latch is loose the flash will NO LONGER OPEN no matter how much you nudge. I ended up taking the screws off the side of the flash unit (with some uneasy prying up of the unit) to remove the flash unit cover. After doing this I could see the latch from the side and realized that I had not tightened the latch's screw enough. The screw hole is a tight fit and therefore deceiving becase it feels fully scewed early on when replacing it. And since the case is plastic I did not want to put to much torque onto the the screw and ruin the threads. The solution to avoiding my blunder is to go slow and test often through your work that the latch is snug.

2) 2nd problem - After the fix the flash will not close at all!

(vocabulary: the latch is the piece on the flash unit and the hook is the part from the camera body that grabs the latch)

After I performed the suggested fix in this thread (and fixed my blunder in #1) the latch would not close at all! One extreme to another -- such is my life. Fortunately I still had the flash unit cover off and I could see that the hook was unable to move back into resting position when I closed the flash -- it just rested on the edge of the latch. My solution was to take some jewelry pliers and GENTLY, A LITTLE AT A TIME, BEND DOWN ONLY THE TIP OF THE LATCH that meets the hook. Be sure not to bend (or snap!) the entire latch assembly. Be patient, go slow.

Finally after 2 1/2 years of a broken flash release, its like new again! Time to sell and buy that Rebel XTi :lol:

scottnj1966 · Jul 9, 2007, 8:58 AM

Same thing seems to have happened to the s1's we had also.

This may be the reason Canon got rid of the auto popup of the s1.

It was a nice feature though. Missed it on the s2, s3, and now my s5

donivin44 · Mar 6, 2008, 8:24 PM

How do you do it?????

donivin44 · Mar 6, 2008, 8:31 PM

What can I do I have the same problem.

Any heip would be appreciated.. Thank you.

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Oct 22, 2006, 12:26 PM	#41
Abhi0311 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3	Hi All, I'm facing a strange problem with the flash of my S1 IS camera. It used to pop-up automatically till yesterday. But now the pop up is jamming. Can anyone provide me with some pointers. It wll be highly apreicated. Thanks Abhi

Oct 22, 2006, 9:45 PM	#42
pchidley Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2	Abhi, Read the previous posts. EVERYBODY with a Canon SI has or will have the same problem with the flash. Canon refuses to admit there is a problem but it your camera is under warranty they will fix it. If it is not under warranty they MAY fix it for free but not likely. Or just fix it yourself and don't buy another Canon. See instructions previously posted here. Paul C.

Mar 30, 2007, 9:45 PM	#43
bpbmike Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1	Another happy customer, here. I have the Canon S1 and tried your fix. Worked flawlessly. Thanks for your help here!

Mar 31, 2007, 4:30 AM	#44
donato Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 30	I came incidentally across this thread, owning a brand new Canon S3 IS. The S3 doesn't open the flash automatically - you do it always manually. In Auto mode it says on the LCD/EVF "Open Flash" if necessary, in the other modes there's a red symbol blinking if the flash is needed. Result: No Problemo!!

Apr 18, 2007, 7:55 PM	#45
caligirl Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1	thankyou I followed the advice about moving the washer , and it worked like a charm...it beats sending it to canon for repairs..I sent mine in and was called and informed that the repairs would run me somewhere between $150-200 ,I had them send it back without repair . Now im glad I did..If this is such a common problem I dont know why canon doesnt suggest this fix instead of trying to make more money off people..anyway thankyou again....another happy camper!!!!!!!

Apr 23, 2007, 11:39 AM	#46
mlbailey90 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1	Thank you thank you thank you! With your help I have a working flash again after over a year just prying it open with my fingers (which apparantly doesn't permanently damage anything). I wanted to include one further step I needed to perform to enable to flash to pop up automatically again (which may have something to do with the year's worth of manual opening which I mentioned earlier, lol!) Along with placing the washer in between the black catch and the screw, I actually had to bend the end of the catch (the part that comes in contact with the release lever) further inward than it inheirently is.This brought it back to full functionallity, AND the flash now sits tightly against the camera when it is closed (rather than the "standard" 1/16" gap which seems to plague a majority of this model's stock). Thanks again for the info! Mark

Jul 7, 2007, 1:02 PM	#47
mmboost Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 18	Some things to be aware of when doing this fix (yes, learn from my mistakes): 1) Make sure you screw the latch down ALL the way!!! I cannot emphasize this enough. If the latch is loose the flash will NO LONGER OPEN no matter how much you nudge. I ended up taking the screws off the side of the flash unit (with some uneasy prying up of the unit) to remove the flash unit cover. After doing this I could see the latch from the side and realized that I had not tightened the latch's screw enough. The screw hole is a tight fit and therefore deceiving becase it feels fully scewed early on when replacing it. And since the case is plastic I did not want to put to much torque onto the the screw and ruin the threads. The solution to avoiding my blunder is to go slow and test often through your work that the latch is snug. 2) 2nd problem - After the fix the flash will not close at all! (vocabulary: the latch is the piece on the flash unit and the hook is the part from the camera body that grabs the latch) After I performed the suggested fix in this thread (and fixed my blunder in #1) the latch would not close at all! One extreme to another -- such is my life. Fortunately I still had the flash unit cover off and I could see that the hook was unable to move back into resting position when I closed the flash -- it just rested on the edge of the latch. My solution was to take some jewelry pliers and GENTLY, A LITTLE AT A TIME, BEND DOWN ONLY THE TIP OF THE LATCH that meets the hook. Be sure not to bend (or snap!) the entire latch assembly. Be patient, go slow. Finally after 2 1/2 years of a broken flash release, its like new again! Time to sell and buy that Rebel XTi :lol:

Jul 9, 2007, 8:58 AM	#48
scottnj1966 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 14	Same thing seems to have happened to the s1's we had also. This may be the reason Canon got rid of the auto popup of the s1. It was a nice feature though. Missed it on the s2, s3, and now my s5

Mar 6, 2008, 8:24 PM	#49
donivin44 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3	How do you do it?????

Mar 6, 2008, 8:31 PM	#50
donivin44 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3	What can I do I have the same problem. Any heip would be appreciated.. Thank you.