# 430ex2 on 5d3 fires before first curtain



## knw (Dec 17, 2014)

Hallo to everybody, may I introduce myself: long time reader, first time poster, no native speaker. using canon digital since g3, eos 100 before, taking pictures since 1981.

My 2,5 years old 430ex2 spontaneously started to fire before first curtain today (on eos 5d3). No apparent reason, no impact, fresh batteries.
I can actually see the flash through the viewfinder before mirror release. this does not change with 2nd curtain sync. Reset of all settings did not improve the situation.

I think it always fires 1/1, but there is absolutely no effect of flash apparent on the pictures.
also pre-flash is not a strobe anymore.
I can reproduce this on my old 40d.
hooking up to my elinchrome skyport though, it syncs alright.

Is this a known issue in any way? I can not even explain to myself how it should work.

Is there an easy cure? Is it worth sending it in for repair?

Thank you.


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## Marsu42 (Dec 17, 2014)

knw said:


> Is there an easy cure?



Depends on what the disease is. Can you get hold of another flash to debug if the flash or the camera is to blame? Did you test if the flash still works as an optical slave w/o repair?



knw said:


> Is it worth sending it in for repair?



Hardly, at least with the cps service prices around where I live. Look at the 430ex2 prices on ebay and decide. 

It's a nice flash, but 430ex2 doesn't have rt capability, and you get "big" 600ex flash clones from 3rd party manufacturers very cheap these days. Unless you positively want a "little" flash w/o master capability, get a new one with warranty.


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## knw (Dec 20, 2014)

Have been to the store and we cross-checked everything. They knew some combination of buttons to reset the firmware of the speedlite. Nothing worked. The thing is broken.

The symptoms remind me of the known issue with the 580ex ii that are detailed here: 

http://lpadesign.com/580EXII.pdf

Punchline is that the IGBT for regulating the current flowing to the flashbulb has been killed, which might be connected to uncontrolled discharge between the bulb and the reflector, a design-flaw.

Does anybody know if this has been described for the 430ex ii as well in the meantime?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 21, 2014)

knw said:


> Have been to the store and we cross-checked everything. They knew some combination of buttons to reset the firmware of the speedlite. Nothing worked. The thing is broken.
> 
> The symptoms remind me of the known issue with the 580ex ii that are detailed here:
> 
> ...


 
That link was a excuse made up by LPA design because their product (Pocket Wizard) was frying flashes. It basically happened when using a pocket wizard. Certainly, components in flashes can fail, and there can be incorrectly assembled products. Few flash users had the issue compared to a high number of PW users.


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## Marsu42 (Dec 21, 2014)

knw said:


> They knew some combination of buttons to reset the firmware of the speedlite.



They do? What are these :-o ? And what's resetting a flash as simple as the 430ex2 supposed to achieve?



knw said:


> Does anybody know if this has been described for the 430ex ii as well in the meantime?



A flash is a flash, and a cracked tube is a cracked tube. 



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> knw said:
> 
> 
> > The symptoms remind me of the known issue with the 580ex ii that are detailed here:
> ...



My understanding is that this is a problem with the 580ex2 in general when working a lot in high powered hss. I researched that when buying my flashes, and it has been fixed on the newer 430ex2 and 600rt units.


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