Pentax auto 110 flash does not work when connected to the camera

orilla · Oct 24, 2023

hi! i have been using a pentax auto 110 with its flash which. used to functioned w/o any problem, however recently noticed that it doesn't fire when connected to the camera. yet it fires when i push 'TEXT' botton.
i suppose that the connection b/w flash and camera is having some issue.

anyone has had the same or similar issue? and how could it be fixed?

ty

neilt3 · Oct 24, 2023

Have you tried cleaning the contacts?

Chan Tran · Oct 24, 2023

Yes clean the contacts. If that doesn't work isolate the problem and see if it's the flash or the camera. As I just typed it I realize that the 110 doesn't have a regular hot shoe and thus it could be difficult to verify if it's sync contact is good.

neilt3 · Oct 24, 2023

Chan Tran said:
Yes clean the contacts. If that doesn't work isolate the problem and see if it's the flash or the camera. As I just typed it I realize that the 110 doesn't have a regular hot shoe and thus it could be difficult to verify if it's sync contact is good.

I'm thinking toothpick and electrical contacts cleaner .
And be gentle!

wiltw · Oct 24, 2023

You can use a paper clip to short the center pin of the PC cord to the outside metal surround, to test fire the flash itself without the camera...that is similar to using the Test button on the flash.
If shorting the contacts of the PC cable of the flash works, then you know your issue could be the PC port on the camera or the shutter contacts.

xya · Oct 24, 2023

wiltw said:
You can use a paper clip to short the center pin of the PC cord to the outside metal surround, to test fire the flash itself without the camera...that is similar to using the Test button on the flash.
If shorting the contacts of the PC cable of the flash works, then you know your issue could be the PC port on the camera or the shutter contacts.

There is no PC socket and no PC cord, as said, it's a special connection https://www.subcompactcam.com/110_pentax_auto.htm

orilla · Oct 24, 2023

thank you so much guys for your advice! cleaned up the connection and still did not work and ended up figuring out that the battery was dead hahaha
it fires once i changed the battery with new ones

i´ll consider both the contact part and the battery life nect time

wiltw · Oct 24, 2023

xya said:
There is no PC socket and no PC cord, as said, it's a special connection https://www.subcompactcam.com/110_pentax_auto.htm

And if OP looks inside the camera socket for the flash, he would see a center contact surrounded by a metal surround...on the mating part of the flash, you will find matching contact points...so simply short one of the contacts to the other on the flash itself, and it should flash...just like pressing the Test button.
Glad OP figured out the 'problem' was merely no power, dead battery... absence of the Ready indicator should have triggered awareness of unit not ready to be flashed. Keep that in mind for the future.

Pentax auto 110 flash does not work when connected to the camera

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