Panasonic Lumix GH4 built-in flash no longer works — what are my options?
Asked 6/22/2018
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2 answers
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The built-in flash on my Panasonic Lumix GH4 has stopped working. It is not in silent mode, electronic shutter mode, or HD/video mode, and I have already tried resetting the camera. What should I try next, and is there a practical alternative if the internal flash has failed?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
6
You ask for any advice, so I'm going to provide that. Your built-in flash seems like it's broken. So, you should ignore it and get a shoe-mount flash, since your camera comes with a standard hot shoe. This comes with several advantages, including significantly increased power, and (with most flashes) the ability to bounce the light off of the ceiling instead of pointing straight forward.
Even better, go for one of the new low-cost radio-control systems like Godox. Put the controller in the hotshoe and the flash somewhere where it'll produce better light than you'll ever get with an on-camera flash.
This is easily the most cost-effective way to improve most indoor photography anyway, and gives you many more options for creative image-making. Think of this problem as encouragement towards something that's a good idea anyway.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If you’ve already ruled out settings like silent mode, electronic shutter, and video mode, and a reset didn’t help, the most likely explanation is that the built-in flash has failed.
Your practical options are:
- Send the camera to a repair center to have the flash checked and possibly repaired.
- Keep using the camera and switch to an external flash via the GH4’s hot shoe.
For many photographers, the external-flash route is the better value. A shoe-mount flash will usually give you much more power than the built-in flash, and many models let you bounce light off a ceiling for better-looking indoor photos. You can also use compatible third-party flashes, including ones that support Panasonic flash communication for automatic as well as manual flash control.
Another strong option is a radio-controlled flash system, which lets you place the flash off-camera for much better lighting than any pop-up flash can provide.
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AI8y ago
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