Just got a Canon 7D. Attached my 430EX to the hot shoe and it won't fire. Tried new batteries and checked the contacts, and it still won't work. Put th 430EX back onto my Rebel XTI, where it has always worked, and it won't work anymore. My old 380EX works just fine on both. Any suggestions for my 430EX?

Check the hot shoe contacts and make sure they're clean. If that doesn't help, place the flash on your camera, turn both on and reset the camera to factory default through the menu settings. Also make sure the hot shoe on the flash and the camera isn't damaged. Have you tried the flash on another camera?

Not sure about the repair costs but why not invest in a Phottix Odin wireless system? I use them in my work and they perform flawlessly. Small and lightweight plus they are wireless which means that the camera can communicate through windows and walls etc.
Hope this helps

Clean the Hot Shoe and make sure there is no sulfur layer or dirt. MOst of the time its happens for Sulfur layer and not proper connection with flash shoe and camera shoe. Make sure all this and let me know. Also make sure the battery of the flash are fully charged and thats turn on mode.

The hot shoe was bent slightly causing the flash contacts to not touch those of the camera. By using a socket from a socket wrench set, place it over the grids of the hot shoe and tap firmly with a hammer to straighten it.

Hello

Thank you for using FixYa for your problem

Sounds like the flash tube has gone.
It should be taken to an authorized repair centre for a repair estimate.

Please rate our solutions and if you still have problems please call back for more ideas to help you

Thanks
Richard Scott
Technical Support
New Zealand

Hey i have a 430ex mk1 which when turned on did not fire and red pilot light did not show , i have had the flash since 2006,

i have also tired new batterys and the LCD Light works and the Txt shows up,

did you work out the problem and also how to fix it?

thanks

rick

email

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The problem with troubleshooting is that you have to try different things to see what changes when you do something different. Try new batteries, then try another set, then connect the flash to another camera and see if you have the same results. In my opinion, I'd have to say that it's probably the flash but like anything else, you have to try different things. Try using a different flash unit to determine if it's a flash issue or a camera hot-shoe issue. Once you find the culprit, then either replace the flash (hopefully this is the issue because it's cheaper) or it may unfortunately be the body. Hope this helps... just try a few things and cancel out what's working vs. what's not working.

I also own a Vivitar 285 that i used with my Canon F1 manual 35mm camera. Most older cameras before the advent of digital, had a hot shoe on top of the camera, or like in my case, the hot shoe went over the rewind knob. I also had to plug in a power cord from the 285 flash foot and the cameras PC connection in order for the flash to work on some other cameras. The Canon Rebel XTi has a TTL (through the lens) hot shoe usable with Canon's own EX flash units. You can buy a "hot shoe to PC connector" if the TTL camera hot shoe doesn't work, but be extremely careful, the only problem that exists with the older manual flash units was the trigger voltage is as high as 200+volts which would fry digital camera hot shoes. I tried my unit with a Wein flash trigger device on the PC cord of the flash and my Canon D60 with it's own flash. All shots were overexposed and washed out highlights.  Here's a copy of the hot-shoe review:h The EOS 400D's hot-shoe can be used with Canon and third party flashes (although sync only on most third party units). The hot-shoe is E-TTL II compatible. Compatible flashes include Speedlite 220EX, 380EX, 420EX, 430EX, 550EX, 580EX, Macro-Ring Lite, MR-14EX, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX and Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2.  The Canon Rebel XTi doesn't have a PC socket to plug in a manual flash trigger cord which common sense tells me there is no provision to step up the voltage to trigger manual flashes - so my answer is this combination is not a good idea on a Canon Rebel XTi. Hope this helps.

the best will be to take the flash to a canon repair center

you can try to repair it yourself, you will need a peace like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-420EX-430EX-580EX-HOT-SHOE-FOOT-LOWEST-INTL-SHIP_W0QQitemZ370071354531QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116