Lazy flash?

This probably ought to be in the flash section but as it pertains to my DL, I thought I'd post it here.

Formally, the built-in flash wouldn't hesitate to pop up when required but despite fully charged batteries and no changes to settings, it is now very reluctant to pop up at all.
The flash doesn't want to activate automatically and I have to press the manual release repeatedly in order to get it to do so. I've tried various exposure modes and I don't think I've disabled anything that would cause the flash to be so unresponsive.
Anyone else experienced this with a DS/DL? - or indeed any other camera with an auto pop-up function!

When I have managed to activate the flash, it has fired perfectly and the release mechanism seems to be ok but I guess it could be sticking with the gun retracted

Update: I've just discovered that it takes about 30sec. for the flash to pop-up after I press the manual flash button, with fully charged 2100mAh batts., this can't be right surely? (I'm assuming that the flash head needs charging before it'll pop-up - in order to fire a pre-flash for low-light AF, although RTF's normally begin charging once up!).

When I have managed to activate the flash, it has fired perfectly and the

Update: I've just discovered that it takes about 30sec. for the flash to pop-up after I press the manual flash button, with fully charged 2100mAh batts., this can't be right surely? (I'm assuming that the flash head needs charging before it'll pop-up - in order to fire a pre-flash for low-light AF, although RTF's normally begin charging once up!).[/quote]
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Kimbo.
I am not sure but in lots of cases although rechargable batteries are high powered, check to see if the voltage is the same as over the counter batteries..in lots of cases, rechargable ones are only 1.2 volts as opposed to 1.5 volts for over the counter batteries..

Just a thought as to why maybe your flash gun is slow to respond..

John