inbuilt flash on D90 will not lock down : SOLUTION

[matilda]

Some of you may remember that my d90 camera had to go into repairs as the shutter got stuck in the up position. well that fault has now been repaired (the whole shutter mechanism had to get replaced, thank goodness for insurance).

I have no acquired another d90 (yay me). And the inbuilt flash will not go down, i have check the mechanism and it's not broken. Does anyone know how i can get it to stay down, without having to tape it?

I don't use the inbuilt flash, I have an external flash, and when it's on the camera it deactivates the inbuilt flash, so it doesn't waste my battery, but it's still annoying.

[ving]

man, you are having no luck at all are you!... i cant suggest anything except for send in for repairs
sorry....

[reaction]

take it back for warranty
the locking pin is loose.

[matilda]

yeah me and d90's seem to be a no go!

as for warranty well the camera's where bought o/s and the warranty is out.

the only place that does repairs is in melb... i might see if camera house in horsham can fix it, esp if it's just the locking pins.

[TEITZY]

Blu-Tack

Cheers
Leigh

[dieselpower]

I have no acquired another d90 (yay me). And the inbuilt flash will not go down, i have check the mechanism and it's not broken. Does anyone know how i can get it to stay down, without having to tape it?

I have this exact issue with mine, just started a few days ago. It's going in for repair tomorrow as it's still under warranty.

I did find, however, that if I pushed the flash just right the locking pin would engage and it would stay down. Try this - as you hold the camera with the lens pointing away from you, push the flash down on the left hand side about halfway along the arm. When it's down push it firmly (but not too firmly!). If you listen carefully you might hear it click - but will depend how far out it is. Fortunately mine still engages with this procedure and the flash will stay down.

If you look at the camera from the left hand side with the flash up, you'll see a little hooked pin coming up from the flash saddle - this is the locking pin. You want to aim to push down over the top of this as much as possible.

If this works it'd be better than having to tape or blu-tak!

[dieselpower]

I just did some reading about this - it seems to be a common problem! There's an adjustment you can make inside the flash head which might be of interest to you.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=32513983 has a good thread about it and http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=32474446 is a link to an extract from the D50 service manual. It appears to be more or less the same as the D90 mechanism. Hope this is of help to you - I may yet try it myself before I send it away.

[dieselpower]

Matilda, I have some (maybe) good news for you. I have fixed my flash myself, took me all of about 3 minutes once I had the right sized allen key. I don't have to take it to Brisbane to get looked at now!

As the links I posted above mention, there's an adjustment cam for the latch mechanism. The problem is highly documented but the fix isn't. I'll do a write up tonight, with photos, on how to fix it (assuming that it hasn't loosened so much that it's come out completely).

[dieselpower]

Alrighty.

To do this you will need a 1.5mm Allen key. I got a set of 8 metric allen keys from Bunnings for $5.65.

Refer to the picture below:


This is the screw you need to adjust. I believe that it is just a screw with an out of center head on it - I don't think it actually winds anything up or down (but I couldn't be sure). If you shine a torch into the rectangular hole just above the screw while you're adjusting the screw you'll see the catch move.

I adjusted mine so that I could see that it was sticking out past the edge of the plastic and tried it, and it worked but you could also do it by feel. I would turn it 1/6 of a revolution at a time in one direction, trying the flash after each one. I would not go further than a full turn one way. If you get to that point and it hasn't fixed it, then turn it back to your start position and adjust the other way. Provided this screw is there, you *should* find a spot that works.

In the process of my adjustments I had it to a point where it wouldn't catch at all regardless of extra pressure (as I suggested in my initial post).

I hope this helps and best of luck!

[I @ M]

Well done trying to help out with posts and pics of a solution to the problem dieslepower

[dieselpower]

Well done trying to help out with posts and pics of a solution to the problem dieslepower

No worries. I had a vested interest since mine was doing the same. Just hope it helps out someone else one day.

[matilda]

oh thank you so much!

I have some visitor coming over so I can't go down to the hardware store to the the allan keys (ex took all the tools when he left, another story completely).

But I will try out all these suggestions and let you know.

Thanks you again.

[dieselpower]

Any luck Matilda?

[matilda]

i haven't had the chance to get allen keys.

we have all been hit with gastro, my son is clingy cause of a molar coming through and my daughter is sick with an ear infection, so no luck yet.

I tried all the other options and they haven't solved the problem.

But i will let you know how it goes.

thanks.

[matilda]

all fixed. half a turn of the correct sized allen key and all fixed!

yay, thanks so much.

[dieselpower]

Cheap and easy in the end for both of us!

[matilda]

yeah i know, the allen keys only cost me $3

[ricktas]

I have moved this thread to the Nikon forum and stickied it. Great result here guys. Well done Dieselpower for finding the solution and giving such concise and easy directions for others members.

[dieselpower]

There's a more detailed step by step description including the above pic on my blog, if that's easier to follow for anyone else following along.

http://dieselpic.wordpress.com/2010/...wn-how-to-fix/

[ving]

dieselpower, ur a legend mate