problem with AF-360 FGZ Flash

I am having problems with my AF 360 flash - in essence it used to work properly and now it doesn't. Originally it would, when the camera was set to "P" mode, set the shutter speed to 1/180 and expose images properly. Now it seems to set the shutter speed to 1/90 and successful exposure is a matter of luck.

I've checked settings, including re-reading the manual, but nothing seems to help. Tried it on my other camera in case it was the body that was defective, but it made no difference.

Has anybody else encountered similar problems, and if so, is there a fix or is the flash unit effectively dead?

For info I'm using a K5, the flash worked OK on this, the K20D that preceded it and also the *ist DS that I had when I bought the flash.

Many thanks!

Ed

Is the left switch (over the word SYNC) in the far left position? If not put it there.
There is a contrast mode that will limit the shutter speed. I don't think that is your problem, but double check the switch isn't perhaps slightly one click over when it looks/feels like it is where is "should" be.

I'm not hat familiar with P mode, but I'm surprised it would fire at 1/180 in the first place.
For me, the shutter speed changed with light conditions whether the flash is on or not.
It might be the camera's MTF Program Line mode might have changed? (Camera menu #3 "Program Line").
This will change whether shutter, aperture, or some combo will be affected.


Perhaps it may be time to get out of P mode, and try Av or Manual mode.
P mode really results in a lot of guesswork by allowing the camera to do its own voodoo magic.
If you start taking control of the camera, the flash might respond in more predictable and sensible ways.
Although honestly... PTTL is pretty much a crap-shoot to begin with. But it seems much better in most cases with the K5.

Yes, the switch is where it should be - it's one of the things I checked!

1/180 is the sync speed.
I haven't checked the program line, but as the flash shows the same malfunctions on two different cameras on which it had previously worked correctly I don't think this could be the problem.

I do use the flash with the camera in manual mode, usually as a fill-in ... or I did but it's no longer working reliably. I tend to use "P" when using flash as the main light source, and it's worked OK for about 6 years on 3 different cameras, hence why I think the flash has developed a fault!

But thanks for your suggestions!

I guess I'd have to agree, if behavior was consistent and made sense for three years and is different now, sounds like a problem. The only thing I find that affects the shutter speed and might lock it at 1/90 is the trailing shutter-sync switch. It may be that the switch is faulty.
Although if that were true, the LCD on the back would probably have an icon for ">/" (arrows then lightning bolt) rather than the normal "/>" (lightning bolt then arrows)

At least repairs are fairly less expensive than a new flash. Just sad to be without it for the number of weeks to get repaired.

On P the camera will not necessarily use 1/180 but will change to match the ambient light. I have seen mine go to 1/45 so I don't think anything is wrong