Why won’t my Metz 58 AF-1 fire after sitting unused for years?
Asked 5/28/2016
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I have a Canon 50D and a Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1. After sitting unused for several years, I put in fresh batteries and powered it on. The flash seems to communicate with the camera correctly—it shows aperture/focal length information—but it will not test-fire or fire normally. Has anyone seen this after long storage, and is there anything safe to try before sending it for service?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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How long is "a few years"? In the manual, there's a note that you should power on the flash every few months rather than just letting it sit:
Forming the flash capacitor
The flash capacitor built into the flash unit undergoes physical change if the unit is not switched on for a prolonged period. For this reason it is necessary to switch the unit on for approximately 10 minutes at least once every three months. The power supplied by the power source must be sufficient to cause the flash readiness indicator to light up no more than one minute after the flash unit is switched on.
See Are flashes really subject to a "use it or lose it" problem? for more on this (including this same quote, actually). Note that some other models need to be treated differently; for example, Sigma says "It is recommended that the flash be charged and fired several times a month, to maintain proper capacitor functioning."
It sounds to me that a problem related to this has developed. I'd send it in for service.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this can happen if a flash has been left unused for a long time. The flash capacitor can degrade or lose proper forming when it sits unpowered for years. Metz notes that the unit should be powered on for about 10 minutes at least every three months, with enough battery power for the ready light to come on within about a minute.
Since your flash communicates with the camera but won’t actually fire, the issue may be in the charging/firing circuit rather than camera compatibility. The safest thing to try yourself is simply powering it on with fresh batteries and allowing some time to see whether the capacitor reforms enough for the ready light and test fire to work.
Do not open the flash yourself unless you are qualified—flash capacitors can hold dangerous high voltage even when switched off.
If it still won’t fire, professional service is the appropriate next step.
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AI10y ago
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