What Is Wrong With the Built-in Flash of Sony Alpha A55?

I am trying to shoot some photos of people
in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
What goes wrong?
Thanks!

sherman

"sherman" wrote in message
...
I am trying to shoot some photos of people
in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
What goes wrong?
Thanks!

sherman

Normally, the flash would take some time (several seconds) to recharge
after it is fully discharged. Perhaps that explains what you are
observing?

David

On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:48:17 -0500, sherman wrote:

I am trying to shoot some photos of people
in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
What goes wrong?
Thanks!

You should Read The Fine Manual.From p182:

The flash takes too long to recharge.
• The flash has been fired in succession in a short period. When the
flash has
been fired in succession, the recharging process may take longer than
usual
to avoid overheating of the camera.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:54:40 -0500, me wrote:

On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:48:17 -0500, sherman wrote:

I am trying to shoot some photos of people
in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
What goes wrong?
Thanks!

You should Read The Fine Manual.From p182:

The flash takes too long to recharge.
• The flash has been fired in succession in a short period. When the
flash has
been fired in succession, the recharging process may take longer than
usual
to avoid overheating of the camera.

No way SONY manufactured a camera that takes forever
to recharge after 3 shots with the built-in flash.
Thank you, anyway.

On 2011-12-16 16:16 , sherman wrote:
On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:54:40 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:48:17 -0500, sherman wrote:

I am trying to shoot some photos of people
in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
What goes wrong?
Thanks!

You should Read The Fine Manual.From p182:

The flash takes too long to recharge.
• The flash has been fired in succession in a short period. When the
flash has
been fired in succession, the recharging process may take longer than
usual
to avoid overheating of the camera.

No way SONY manufactured a camera that takes forever
to recharge after 3 shots with the built-in flash.

He's right. The capacitor that stores the flash charge depletes a lot,
and quickly on each shot. It takes much longer to re-charge the
capacitor. After a few shots at low ISO it would be all but empty.

That's why the manual says what it says.

A few things you can do that might help get a couple more shots in
before the capacitor is depleted:

- use a larger aperture so less flash energy is used for each shot.

- use a higher ISO setting so less flash energy is used for each shot.

- Maybe: shoot closer with a wider lens (within reason) so less flash
energy is used on each shot.

- and of course, shoot at a slower pace so the capacitor has time to charge.

Remember that with Pre-Flash TTL metering the camera/flash system
compute the amount of flash needed for the shot with the given aperture
and ISO setting.

You could get an accessory flash like the 58AM. Shoot at high ISO
settings and wide apertures and you'll get many more shots before the
huge capacitor in there is too depleted to keep up. Use NiMH batteries
- they deliver higher current than alkaline batteries.



--
"I see!" said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:20:01 -0500, Alan Browne
wrote:
: On 2011-12-16 16:16 , sherman wrote:
: On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:54:40 -0500, wrote:
:
: On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:48:17 -0500, sherman wrote:
:
: I am trying to shoot some photos of people
: in front of the Christmas tree with my SONY Alpha A55.
: Here is the problem. I am in manual mode and the camera
: stops shooting at all after 3 or 4 photos are taken.
: It happened many times, and it was pretty embarrassing!
: Is it because the camera cannot focus properly, or because
: the camera gets too hot after a few shots?
: I do get to use it again, for 2-3 times if I change the focus
: or just ... move the camera around a little bit.
: What goes wrong?
: Thanks!
:
: You should Read The Fine Manual.From p182:
:
: The flash takes too long to recharge.
: • The flash has been fired in succession in a short period. When the
: flash has
: been fired in succession, the recharging process may take longer than
: usual
: to avoid overheating of the camera.
:
: No way SONY manufactured a camera that takes forever
: to recharge after 3 shots with the built-in flash.
:
: He's right. The capacitor that stores the flash charge depletes a lot,
: and quickly on each shot. It takes much longer to re-charge the
: capacitor. After a few shots at low ISO it would be all but empty.
:
: That's why the manual says what it says.
:
: A few things you can do that might help get a couple more shots in
: before the capacitor is depleted:
:
: - use a larger aperture so less flash energy is used for each shot.
:
: - use a higher ISO setting so less flash energy is used for each shot.
:
: - Maybe: shoot closer with a wider lens (within reason) so less flash
: energy is used on each shot.
:
: - and of course, shoot at a slower pace so the capacitor has time to charge.
:
: Remember that with Pre-Flash TTL metering the camera/flash system
: compute the amount of flash needed for the shot with the given aperture
: and ISO setting.
:
: You could get an accessory flash like the 58AM. Shoot at high ISO
: settings and wide apertures and you'll get many more shots before the
: huge capacitor in there is too depleted to keep up. Use NiMH batteries
: - they deliver higher current than alkaline batteries.

Also, try Googling "reforming capacitors flash".

Bob

On 2011-12-16 23:07 , Robert Coe wrote:

Also, try Googling "reforming capacitors flash".

I doubt that's the issue in this case. Sounds like someone with a new
camera that they haven't groked yet.


--
"I see!" said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

"Gettamulla Tupya" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:16:58 -0500, sherman wrote:

No way SONY manufactured a camera that takes forever
to recharge after 3 shots with the built-in flash.
Thank you, anyway.

He is 100% correct. The solution to the problem is to use an external
flash.


And quite a lot of other possibilities. The flash is clever enough not to
completely discharge if it does not need to, but once the capacitors are
empty (after say 3 to 4 shots) he will have to wait for them to recharge.


Possibilities not mentioned: -

Use a longer exposure time even with a tripod if more than about 0.03s.

Puts some lights on in the room or shoot in the day time.

Use NiCd batteries that can provide lots of current for rapid recharge.

If all else fails read the instructions or RTFM for short...

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:57:53 -0000, "R. Mark Clayton"
wrote:

Use NiCd batteries that can provide lots of current for rapid recharge.

Try again? Suggest you RTFM for the camera in question. Where is one
supposed to put these?

On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:16:58 -0500, sherman wrote:

No way SONY manufactured a camera that takes forever
to recharge after 3 shots with the built-in flash.
Thank you, anyway.

If I was as uninformed and accepting as you I might think the same of
Nikon in regard to my D70, D200 and D300. NOT! All in camera flashes
suffer from this at some level. I'll also hesitate a guess in this
instance you are pushing your in camera flash as hard as it goes,
which will exacerbates the issue.