gblack67 Loc: Daytona Beach, Florida

I have a Canon SX 50 and when the camera calls for a flash it will nt fire. Any suggestions as how I can get it to work properly?

Haydon

Look to see if any of the pins are depressed more than others on the hotshoe. If one of them sticks, the camera might think you have an additional flash attached.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Regarding the on-camera flash, this may sound like a silly response if you've correctly used previously: but do you know you need to lift the flash manually? Your user manual will have more info.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

My wife's SX-50 did the same thing.
I cleaned everything, including blowing a dust bunny out of the space where the built in flash is attached and pivots. Still didn't work. So I did a factory default reset and then reset all the menus - after that it started working again. Oh, it did work with a flash on the hot shoe, it was the built in that wasn't working.
How ever my wife was so upset at the camera she said "I want a better camera." So I went on E-Bay and found a Canon 760D* (T6s in US/Canada) with four Canon lenses; 24 mm, 50 mm, 18-135, 55-250 plus two batteries/charger and a few other accessories which I haggled down to $600 for the package. Now I just need to get her to spend time with me and learn how to use it. That is before she comes to me 1 hour before she wants to use it and demands I teach her how to use it NOW.

*Canon Rep was at my local camera store, he looked at it and said I got that for just about the price plus tax of the 18-135 version I got and from the markings the camera was one made for a big European distributor who is known to send a lot of stuff to the US out of the regular distribution network as gray market.

rcarol

Make sure the plastic hot shoe protector is removed. I have a Canon G1X and the flash will not work until the protector is removed. I believe that is also true of the SX-50.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Remove the hot shoe cover. I just learned that. It should work then.

Haydon

I have had three SX50's and never had a hot shoe cover included.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I've had two sx50's, and ditto to your reply.

OP, if you are talking about a separate flash, check this out:
http://www.funtechtalk.com/which-speedlite-flash-works-best-with-canon-powershot-sx50-hs-camera-list/

.

rcarol

Did you buy them used or new?

Haydon

Two refurbished and 1 new. The refurbished ones came directly from Canon.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

I think mine had the hotshoe protecter but it was guickly lost on the trail

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

There's another topic on this same subject.

I don't know about other brands, but on Canons with built-in flashes (pop-up or on front of camera) the hot shoe has a little mechanical switch on one side under the pressure-spring. Anything that slides in and depresses the switch will deactivate the built-in flash. Like an external flash, a hot shoe protector, or a bubble level.

If you cut or file a notch in the shoe protector or bubble level (both plastic) so that it clears the switch when it's all the way in, problem solved!

jdub82 Loc: Northern California

My SX50 (purchased new) did not have a hot shoe cover included either.

gblack67 Loc: Daytona Beach, Florida

Thanks!