Olympus muji ii flash not firing when on flash mode

[Emily l]

Hi

my camera flash isn’t firing when on flash mode or auto but it will fire when you put it to the red eye reduction mode. Does anyone know if this can be fixed? the red light comes on in the view finder but then the flash just doesn’t fire!

 

[AgX]

Have the camera with fresh batteries on flash mode for some tine, for about twenty minutes. Unless you hear a strange sound from the camera.
Then release again.

If the flash still will not fire, get yourself another sample of mju II, a repair would cost more than the camera. Unless you are willing to pay current Ebay prices for a sample...

 

[Emily l]

Thank you. What do you mean release again?
I’m doing it now.. I’ve just selected the flash mode and am waiting for 20 minutes.
I only bought it on eBay a couple of months ago

 

[AgX]

Well,... I overlooked that you stated that the preflashing at the anti red eyes mode works and that this preflashing is handled by the flash proper.

This means that the flash can be fired. In this case my advise on having the flash charge for a long time is useless.

The best I can say is that you may operate the respective button repeatedly, in case there might be a switch contact error. However if the respective flash mode symbol shows up at the display, what seemingly is the case, the error is within the electronics. Then you have to have it repaired. Which might involve the repairer needing in addition a donor camera...

 

[Emily l]

Thank you. Yes all the symbols come up fine. Do you know anywhere that repairs these? So I can contact them. I’m happy to send it off if needs be depending on price

 

[Chan Tran]

I couldn't find the manual but I suspect that some settings prevent the flash to fire.

 

[Don_ih]

Setting the camera to flash (little lightning bolt) should always fire the flash. The electronics in all those cameras are going wonky. Use it outside - it takes great photos - and set it to red-eye if you're inside and need flash.
My mjuii always fires the flash unless it's set to "no flash" - even if you point it at the sun. Other than that, it's great.

 

[Emily l]

Thanks don! Good idea! Is the inside pictures good with the red eye flash!? I haven’t had my film developed yet so I haven’t a clue what they will be like! I’ve just took them all without flash! I didn’t realise the red dot in the view finder meant the flash would fire so I’m new to all this!

 

[AgX]

In nearly all flash settings your flash should fire. But you said it only fires at red eye reduction mode.

The flash actually firing and a flash ready indicator lighting up are two different things.

 

[Emily l]

That’s true agx. Which I find strange as it’s firing on that setting but no other setting

 

[Don_ih]

The flash "flickers" on red eye and then fires. Check to see that it does that - the flash is much brighter than the flickering. It's possible the capacitor that drives the flash is not what drives the red eye reduction (flickering).

 

[AgX]

Then to me there is something wrong as described at post 4.

Though in some settings the ambient light must be low for the flash to fire, but this can be tested in a darkened room.
But even if the capacitator cannot take full charge, it still must fire always at least in the fill in setting, which should work at any ambient light level.

 

[Emily l]

Mine fires then flickers I think with the red eye setting! I might need to get a new capacitor then? I’ll see how the pictures turn out using the red eye setting. So disappointing as I only bought it

 

[pentaxuser]

Mine fires then flickers I think with the red eye setting! I might need to get a new capacitor then? I’ll see how the pictures turn out using the red eye setting. So disappointing as I only bought it

I have one and to answer what you asked a few posts ago the red-eye reduction flickering does do a pretty good job in eliminating "red eye" I don't know what might be wrong however

pentaxuser

 

[Emily l]

Thanks @pentaxuser does it do a good job for lighting if my normal flash doesn’t work?

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to Photrio.
Usually, a red eye reduction mode involves a small pre-flash first (which causes subjects' iris' to contract) followed by the main flash which exposes the film.
Red eye reduction can sometimes reduce the maximum range of the flash and/or the total battery life - some of the stored power is used up in the pre-flash - but otherwise the flash works the same in both modes.
That is assuming of course that the flash is working correctly in red-eye reduction mode.

 

[wiltw]

The command from camera to flash 'preflash' or 'redeye flash' might actually be sent to the flash via a communication pin, not the main Trigger line. So the flash could fire the red-ey preflash upon command, but not sense the Trigger circuit closing.. The 'flash ready' light is simply a voltage that comes from flash thru a different communication pin, causing the light to light up in the camera viewfinder.

You can test basic Trigger circuit function (removing the camera or flakey hotshoe contact as a point of failure) simply by shorting the large center pin in the flash foot to the outside metal (or metal contact) on the flash hot foot itself, using a small segment of wire. Shorting the Trigger contact to Ground should always cause the charged up (flash ready) flash to fire, regardless of the mode the flash is in.

 

[Chan Tran]

The command from camera to flash 'preflash' or 'redeye flash' might actually be sent to the flash via a communication pin, not the main Trigger line. So the flash could fire the red-ey preflash upon command, but not sense the Trigger circuit closing.. The 'flash ready' light is simply a voltage that comes from flash thru a different communication pin, causing the light to light up in the camera viewfinder.

You can test basic Trigger circuit function (removing the camera or flakey hotshoe contact as a point of failure) simply by shorting the large center pin in the flash foot to the outside metal (or metal contact) on the flash hot foot itself, using a small segment of wire. Shorting the Trigger contact to Ground should always cause the charged up (flash ready) flash to fire, regardless of the mode the flash is in.

I think the OP is talking about built in flash. The camera doesn't have a hot shoe.

 

[Don_ih]

If the flash doesn't fire after the red-eye flickering, the photos will be underexposed unless the lighting situation was correct to exposing at whatever settings the camera uses when firing flash (which would be a coincidence). It sounds like the flash is never firing - only the red-eye preflash. So, use the camera on no-flash in enough light. If it's the 35mm f2.8 version, it can be handheld with good results in a lot of different lighting situations when you have iso400 film loaded.

And maybe you should try to return the camera, since the flash doesn't work and it was expensive.

 

[Emily l]

Yes it’s like a flash goes off then there is flickering and then that’s it. Thank you for all this info!

I got it on eBay in august so the time to return it has passed unfortunately! I’m nearly sure I tried everything when it arrived and the flash did work but now I’m doubting myself!

 

[Don_ih]

I’m nearly sure I tried everything when it arrived and the flash did work but now I’m doubting myself!

It's completely possible the flash worked then and doesn't work now. It likely can be fixed by someone - it would probably be difficult to find someone who can do it, though.

 

[AgX]

It sounds like the flash is never firing - only the red-eye preflash.

This should be easy to be detected by looking through the lens in a dark room at releasing. The exposing flashing then would be visible.
Maybe though there is a door contact hampering, then this must be activated manually first.