Canon Digital SLR rebel XT and Speedlit 580 firing spontaneously

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tom - 24 Jan 2006 18:48 GMT

Howdy all,

Is anyone having a problem with an external flash, I'm using a canon
speedlite 580EX, and the canon digital rebel XT? My problem is that
the external flash fires spontaneously, particularly when I shift from
landscape to portrait mode. I carry the camera at my waist and swing
it up to my eye to take the photograph. If I alternate between taking
a landscape then swing it up counterclockwise to take a portrait the
flash sometimes fires spontaneously. I've sent it to the factory in
Jamestown, NJ four times and they have even sent me a new camera but
the problem continues. They say that there is no known problem -
I'm asking you if you are having the same problem.

Tom

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Charles Schuler - 24 Jan 2006 22:02 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> the problem continues. They say that there is no known problem -
> I'm asking you if you are having the same problem.

You have to be very careful where your fingers/thumb touch the back of the
camera! Too many buttons!

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Steve Wolfe - 24 Jan 2006 23:17 GMT

> Is anyone having a problem with an external flash, I'm using a canon
> speedlite 580EX, and the canon digital rebel XT? My problem is that
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> the problem continues. They say that there is no known problem -
> I'm asking you if you are having the same problem.

You might be bumping the... oh, I forget Canon's name for it - the tiny
button on the side of the lens mount that activates the aperture. When you
have an external flash hooked up, it will cause it to fire.

steve

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C J Southern - 25 Jan 2006 03:09 GMT

> You might be bumping the... oh, I forget Canon's name for it - the tiny
> button on the side of the lens mount that activates the aperture. When you
> have an external flash hooked up, it will cause it to fire.

Depth -of-Field Preview button?

Also, hitting the FEL button will fire a pre-flash.

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Brian - 25 Jan 2006 14:34 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Tom

Aside from the other suggestions in here, which are more likely, are you
definitely shoving the flash all the way onto the hotshoe? Are you
tightening it enough also? If the flash can move even slightly across
the contacts on the hotshoe, this can fire the flash.

Regards,
Brian

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tom - 30 Jan 2006 18:47 GMT

Howdy all it's Tom Again,

I've now tried tested a different flash on a different camera with the
same problem. Once the spontaneous flash happens I can just observe
where my hands are placed and watch the camera continue to mal
function. Once the first flash happens then others follow shortly
after with little provocation. I am not pressing any of the buttons to
set off this problem. The testing was done at a Canon dealership and
video taped.

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