Question about Nikon D50 Digital Camera

2 Answers

Flash: PCB Replacement v. New Bulb!?

The pop up flash has stopped firing on my 18 month old D50. The flash metering is still reading ok but the bulb is not going off. I suspected the bulb had gone but Nikon's service department stated the flash PCB needed replacing - at some expense. I had the camera returned un-fixed and the D50 is still controlling an external mounted flash gun. I'm not sure how Nikon did its diagnostics but, in lieu of investigating a mis-diagnosed repair job, does anyone know whether I can replace the pop-up flash bulb at home / DIY?

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  • Anonymous Nov 11, 2007

    I have exactly the same problem with my nikon d50. The flash pops up, but there is no light coming from it.

  • Anonymous May 12, 2008

    I have the nikon D 50 and my pop up flash is very dull compared to when i bought it. I was looking around for a replacement bulb but no luck. All the stores said i would have to send it in for repair and it would be around $200-$250 and would take 6-8 weeks. Is there a better way?

  • Anonymous Oct 26, 2008

    Man, that sucks. My mother just gave me her "hand me down" D50 and the flash never worked. Maybe I can get her to foot the bill for a new flash or an aftermarket flash. This sucks!!!!

  • oliveiis Jan 05, 2009

    Ok so it seems that everyone on here has the same problem with their Nikon D50. My husband bought it for me for xmas 2007 and I had used it alot all through 2008 just fine. Until.... xmas morning 2008 it just stopped working. Talk about bad timing! And my sister in law just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and now I don't have a camera! It's the same problem, it takes pictures, but no flash. I used to be a manager of Ritz camera, and we sent out for repairs all the time. Some results were good, and well lets just say some customers were not happy after waiting 1-3 months! So basically i'm stuck with trying to have it fixed. I am going to call Nikon and reference this website about this problem to see how far I can get. I will let you all know what kind of news I get. You are all very helpful. Thank you.

  • htdghogan
    htdghogan Nov 07, 2012

    Secret Service dropped my d60 flash acts like its going off, won't though... I should send a letter to Obama right?

  • htdghogan
    htdghogan Nov 07, 2012

    Secret Service dropped my d60 and the flash hasn't worked since. I figure the blub broke I should send a Letter to Obama right?

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I had the same issue. The flash is set to go off, the camera assumes it went off, (as the record metadata shows) but it doen't go off at all, and the piture is underexposed.

I bought the 100 page repair manual, which is ONLY a dissassemble/reassemble manual with NO diagnostics. (Got it on ebay) So I was atleast able to get to the capacitor and flash bulb. I saw 300V across the capacitor leads, and the same 300Volts across the flash bulb leads. SO I am assuming that there is a transistor or relay that drops to ground to fire the flash that isn't working, or the electronic signal to drive that isn't working.

It seems most people replace the entire flash circuit board(which is near the capacitor under the left hand side). But it seems Nikon only sells parts to it certified repair facilities.

Ugh.... Looks like I'm buying a SB-600, as this is the cheepest solution. Too bad, because the on-board flash is more than decent. I hope the SB-600 thrills me enough to change my mood. :)

Posted on Oct 07, 2008

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I just read a few forums about this, and apparently it is a common problem on D50s. The flash pops up with such force that eventually the wiring and/or bracket that pops it up comes loose or breaks, and the camera needs to go in for repair. It probably isn't the bulb.

I'm looking into getting a D80 or better anyway once I have some money saved up, but until then I am using my SB-600. I'd suggest taking it to a repair center if it's still under warranty. If not it will run you around $150-160 to get it fixed, and takes about a month, according to what I read.

Hope this helps!

Posted on Oct 14, 2007

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1 Answer

Flash of my Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS not working at all
Has the camera been dropped at all? It may need a new bulb. Most camera stores replace them rather cheap.. But if you want to do it yourself..
How to Replace Your Digital Camera Flash Bulb Like any light bulb, your camera flash bulb can blow at any time. The rest of your camera might be state of the art, but the flash bulb itself is relying on some pretty old fashioned technology. Unlike a light bulb, however, replacing a flash bulb can be a little difficult. Depending on the type of camera or flash you have, some dissection might be required.
Step 1: Choosing the Bulb There are literally dozens of different shapes, sizes and connectors used for camera flash bulbs. These will typically vary depending on the manufacturer. However, be warned, many manufacturers will use different types of bulbs in different cameras. Just because you have a Fuji camera, for example, doesn't mean you can buy any Fuji flash bulb.
Step 2: Safety First Camera manufacturers will never advise you to replace the camera bulb yourself unless you know exactly what you are doing. This is because your camera's flash uses very high voltages. A capacitor will be charged up in order to fire the flash. This capacitor can stay charged for months, if not years. If you're not confident doing this job yourself, then you will need to take it to a camera repair shop.
Sometimes if the camera is too old, you might consider using it as an excuse to upgrade it for a newer model rather than repairing it.
Step 3: Dismantling the Camera Now, you will need to dismantle the camera carefully so that you have access to the flash bulb itself. This may be time consuming and nerve-wracking. One false move could end up breaking the delicate plastic case of your camera.
Once the camera is dismantled, you should then discharge the capacitor safely so that you can continue to work on the camera.
Step 4: Removing the Old Bulb Most bulbs are soldered directly onto the circuit board. In this case, you will need to use a soldering iron to heat up the solder at the back of the bulb and carefully pull it away from the board. This can be difficult, as you need three hands to do it properly. With the old bulb removed, try to clean up the solder pads as much as possible so that the new bulb can fit properly.
Step 5: Replacing the Bulb Push the legs of the replacement flash bulb in position through the holes in the circuit board. Then, using a soldering iron and some solder, fix it in place. Be as accurate as possible to prevent shorting out the circuit. With the bulb in place, cut back the legs of the flash bulb so that it doesn't stick out too far from the board.
Step 6: Reassembly With the replacement flash bulb fitted in the digital camera, you will then need to reassemble your camera. This will be easier if you kept all of the screws in a safe place.This is the one occasion where it's a good idea to assemble before testing simply because of the high voltages involved.
Step 7: Testing Now, put the battery back in the battery and try taking a photo with the flash. Check whether it works; if not, you will need to investigate the cause of the problem

Nov 03, 2010 | Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital Camera

2 Answers

Nikon d40 flash won't fire
Hi,

If it clicks when the flash is already open, it seems there would be a problem with the flash open sensor. The camera thinks the flash is closed, so it tries to open it again and it refuses to fire, because firing in the closed position would blow the bulb.

The D40 flash is a bit different, but if you open it (just unscrew the two little screws in front) you'll recognize the sensor clips. Open and close the flash and see if the make contact when open.

(And DON'T fire the flash when open, or at the very least don't touch anything in there when firing or you'll get zapped.

Goodluck..

May 16, 2008 | Nikon D40 Digital Camera with G-II 18-55mm...

1 Answer

My D50 nikon with 18-55 nikon lens takes a beautiful photos in day ligth. but in dark place in auto mode when use automaticaly the pop up flash the photos are very dark (looks like the flash ligth does...
Use manual shutter speed is 80 n apptur is 5.6 ok...

May 20, 2010 | Nikon D50 Digital Camera with 18-55mm Lens

1 Answer

How to replace bulb in flash for a Kodak z710
How to Replace Your Digital Camera Flash Bulb Like any light bulb, your camera flash bulb can blow at any time. The rest of your camera might be state of the art, but the flash bulb itself is relying on some pretty old fashioned technology. Unlike a light bulb, however, replacing a flash bulb can be a little difficult. Depending on the type of camera or flash you have, some dissection might be required.
Step 1: Choosing the Bulb There are literally dozens of different shapes, sizes and connectors used for camera flash bulbs. These will typically vary depending on the manufacturer. However, be warned, many manufacturers will use different types of bulbs in different cameras. Just because you have a Fuji camera, for example, doesn't mean you can buy any Fuji flash bulb.
Step 2: Safety First Camera manufacturers will never advise you to replace the camera bulb yourself unless you know exactly what you are doing. This is because your camera's flash uses very high voltages. A capacitor will be charged up in order to fire the flash. This capacitor can stay charged for months, if not years. If you're not confident doing this job yourself, then you will need to take it to a camera repair shop.
Sometimes if the camera is too old, you might consider using it as an excuse to upgrade it for a newer model rather than repairing it.
Step 3: Dismantling the Camera Now, you will need to dismantle the camera carefully so that you have access to the flash bulb itself. This may be time consuming and nerve-wracking. One false move could end up breaking the delicate plastic case of your camera.
Once the camera is dismantled, you should then discharge the capacitor safely so that you can continue to work on the camera.
Step 4: Removing the Old Bulb Most bulbs are soldered directly onto the circuit board. In this case, you will need to use a soldering iron to heat up the solder at the back of the bulb and carefully pull it away from the board. This can be difficult, as you need three hands to do it properly. With the old bulb removed, try to clean up the solder pads as much as possible so that the new bulb can fit properly.
Step 5: Replacing the Bulb Push the legs of the replacement flash bulb in position through the holes in the circuit board. Then, using a soldering iron and some solder, fix it in place. Be as accurate as possible to prevent shorting out the circuit. With the bulb in place, cut back the legs of the flash bulb so that it doesn't stick out too far from the board.
Step 6: Reassembly With the replacement flash bulb fitted in the digital camera, you will then need to reassemble your camera. This will be easier if you kept all of the screws in a safe place.This is the one occasion where it's a good idea to assemble before testing simply because of the high voltages involved.
Step 7: Testing Now, put the battery back in the battery and try taking a photo with the flash. Check whether it works; if not, you will need to investigate the cause of the problem

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2 Answers

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1 Answer

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Try pushing the flash forward just a tiny bit. this model of Nikon has a built in problem with the flash popping up too hard. You can also try to "soften" the pop-up action with your finger instead of just letting it snap up into position.

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1 Answer

Nikon D50, digital SLR, I was using my camera at a wedding and the flash just stopped working. The camera thinks the flash is going off - it pops up and takes them quickly but no light goes off.... do...
good day,

it seems that your built-in flash is busted. you can go to your nearest nikon service center and have it replaced. or you can purchase an external flash that you can attach to your unit. when looking an external flash better use a nikon flash, however if you are looking for other brands/manufacturers, just check if it is compatible with your unit.

i hope this will help

Sep 27, 2008 | Nikon D50 Digital Camera

1 Answer

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Best way to find out if it's broke or not: put your camera on Auto, go into a dark room, and take a photo. If the flash pops up and takes a shot w/o firing, you know it's broke. If it doesn't pop up at ALL, you've probably got a bigger problem

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I have the same problem on my D50. I found this forum, which sounds like it may fix that problem. I am going to try it out. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=22761542

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