5 replies to this topic

[stedes]

I have a Nikon D500 which I purchased back in June. Yesterday I purchased an SB500 flash. I turn both the camera and flash on, The flash is ready, The flash fires if I use the test firing button. But the flash ready indicator does not show in the camera viewfinder. When I take a picture the flash does not fire. 

 

When the flash sleeps (all indicator lights turn off) and I touch the shutter on the camera, the flash wakes up. So the two units are talking to each other. 

 

I am new to the D500, Am I missing something in the setup? 

 

Thanks 

[Merco_61]

Have you got the flash fully seated? I think the communication pins and ground make contact before the firing pin. Then the flash is new, the firing pin doesn't always slide onto the contact in the hotshoe like it should do.

When you turn the flash on, how far do you turn the switch? The first setting is what you want for on-camera use, the second is for video use and the rest are for off-camera use if I remember correctly.

[stedes]

I got the flash to work. I did a factory reset on the camera by pressing the two green buttons simultaneously.

I got it to work.. I did a factory reset and now the flash works... Press the two green buttons simultaneouly

[pbuckley]

I also encountered this problem last night with all symptoms reported above, and also "fixed" it with a total reset to factory defaults.

I've had the D500 for a year and a half (almost) and often use flash with the SB-910.

This has never happened before. There was some type of flash symbol in the Control Display just below the "Shoot" symbol.

I figured it was quicker to try a reset seeing I tried a remote cord and the flash worked on the D300s when tested there.

So now I searched and found this reported incident. So just adding here in case Nikon can report on the root cause and not having to do a reset if this occurs again.

 

[suskattis]

I am having the same problem.  An SB-500 with a D500 and the flash symbol does not show up in viewfinder.  Test flash is fine, camera seems to be communicating with flash fine (can change to manual and it recognizes). But no symbol in viewfinder and no flash when I depress shutter. Is the only option to reset the camera completely?  This seems very draconian.... Thanks!

[Tahlee]

Hi 

I know that this is an old subject BUT here is the easy solution if the flash does not fire on the D500.

 

If your flash mode is set correctly then when the flash is attached and turned on an orange bolt is shown on the far bottom right in the viewer ... if nothing appears there (or on the left of the Info screen you have a bolt with a cross over it ) then you need to set the Flash Mode to have the camera talk to the flash

 

There is no Flash Mode menu selection in the D500 menu (unlike the Z cameras)  .. On the D500 you have to get to Flash Mode selection via buttons on the back of the camera.

 

Here is how to get to and change the Flash Mode

 

1) attach the flash and turn it and the camera on

2) On the back of the camera on the RHS .. press the white and black lettered Info buttion (not the i button) and the info screen will appear ... you can adjust shuter and fstop here.

3)now press the info button again .... and it will take you to the flash info screen

4) On the back of the camera on the LHS you will see the zoom out button ... and there is a little lightening bolt beside it. Press the zoom out button and you will then enter the Flash Mode menu

5) use the rear wheel (the one you would normally use for shutter speed) to choose the flash mode in the lower left had coner... HINT ... just use the Bolt alone with the TTL mode.. dont worry about red eye or rear screen unless you understand the implications on shutter speed etc.

6) the front wheel adjusts the flash compensation in this menu ... read up on this before you use it though.

7) Push the I button to set the mode.

 

If you have done it right then the orange bolt will be on the viewing screen

 

I like TTL-BL-FP selected on the flash and camera

 

Good luck

 

Regards

 

Rob