| Author |
Message |
    
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 12:05 pm: | 
|
Hi folks,
My first post here. Glad to have found this site. I've visited Oly's website and find that they do not list any parts for the XA. I also googled the capacitor info -- 330v 180mF, made by Rubycon, and had no luck.
Well, not entirely. I did find this site during my google search.
I picked up this minty XA with flash and manual at a garage sale for a few bucks. The batteries were dead, but upon replacement, I found that the camera works great. Haven't run any test rolls through it yet, but the shutter speeds sound about right and the aperture works.
Unfortunately, the flash doesn't work at all. It has been my experience with old flashes that the flash capacitor deteriorates after a while and gives up the ghost. I'm assuming at this point that this is the case with the A11's cap. I tried testing it with my DVOM -- no capacitance settings -- and am getting a very high resistance value. Like 1000k ohms. Interestingly, the resistance climbs as I hold the leads to the terminals. I'm not an electronics expert, so I don't really know if this is significant or not.
So basically, I'm looking for a source for this flash's capacitor. Bound to be somebody out there who sells it.
Anyway, I'm glad I found this place. I took a camera repair class offered at a commmunity college in Woodland Hills, CA, almost 20 years ago. Learned just enough to get myself in all sorts of trouble 
Best,
Michael |
Nickon51
Tinkerer
Username: Nickon51
Post Number: 48
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 10:10 pm: |
|
Hi Michael
Finding a 180uF 330v capacitor won't be that hard, getting one that will fit in the case may be. Google with the 2 terms in the search bar but use 180uf not 180mf, there is a large difference.
When testing a capacitor with an ohmmeter, what you are observing is normal. The resistance appears to change as the capacitor is charged by the voltage across the meter probes. Always short the capacitor terminals before measuring the resistance.
The resistance should rise slowly on the high ranges and gradually get faster as you switch down thro the lower ranges.
With the meter set to 500VDC or so, clip the probes across the capacitor, and switch the flash on. A voltage of around 300V should appear across the capacitor terminals and should stay there for a long time after you switch the flash off.
Take care not to touch anything when the flash is on. Those voltages can be lethal.
Cheers
Greg |
Steve_roberts
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_roberts
Post Number: 25
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 04:29 am: |
|
Michael,
As Nickon51 says, your capacitor is behaving as I would expect it to. If I remember correctly, the flash has to engage an interlock of some sort when it is secured to the side of the XA (I have one but it's at home and I'm at work). Have you tried shorting the flash contacts off the camera as opposed to firing the camera with the flash mounted on it, ie could it be the camera's flash contacts that are faulty or some aspect of the connecting mechanism?
Steve |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2009 - 12:44 am: |
|
Thanks for the input guys.
Greg, I had a real DOH! moment when you pointed out the obvious. What, no Greek letters on my keyboard? I'll try out your suggestions and see what's up.
Steve, the flash can only be activated when it's mounted on the camera -- by pushing up the aperture lever to the flash setting, which causes the ready light on the flash to pop up. One of the things I tried was activating the flash, and then dismounting it from the camera. The ready light never lit and I couldn't hear the whine that I expect to hear when a flash charges up. I'll give your suggestion a try, though. Sure couldn't hurt.
Best,
Michael |
Ethostech
Tinkerer
Username: Ethostech
Post Number: 104
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 - 06:05 am: |
|
The XA is a wonderful little camera and they still command quite high prices. The XA-2 and XA-3 models are lesser featured and are not particularly useful. They can be picked up very cheaply on eBay or other sources. As one respondent has pointed out - finding an aftermarket replacement capacitor which is a physical fit would be difficult. To which I would add "impossible".
The XA-2 and XA-3 models use the same or similar flash attachments but irrespective of minor operational differences their employ identical capacitors. So I suggest you route to procurement is self evident.
Hope this helps. |
Msiegel
Tinkerer
Username: Msiegel
Post Number: 77
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 - 09:19 am: |
|
I don't have an A11 but only the A16 flash but mechanic should be the same.
You can pop up the "ready light" be depressing the center of the metal piece on the side of the flash (above the screw) with the tip of a ballpoint pen.
My A16 does not "whine" when charging and charging is quite slow which made me think it was broken the first time I tried it. But suddenly the ready light came on.
You can shorten the contacts to test the flash then (I did it with the tips of a pair of scissors with insulated grips). |
Puderse
Tinkerer
Username: Puderse
Post Number: 25
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2009 - 08:13 am: |
|
I have an XA and an XA-4 and 2-A11's and an A16. One A11 doesnt work and I'll send it to you for parts if you pay the postage.
I can fix almost anything but mechanical but electronics give me a headache! |
Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 86
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 03:51 am: |
|
I know this is old thread, but google still finds it. A11 flash hat a common problem of bad contact between the battery lid and the small contact in the clip hole. If the flas doesn't seem to work, try removing battery lid and shorting the exposed battery pole to the small tab in where the lid clicks in. If it starts, its the lid. Just clean contacts and bend the tab a little.
Marek |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 232
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2010 - 10:00 am: |
|
Adding to the above, I have also had a couple of these flashes that made poor contact at the pop-up switch. If it doesn't work right off, tap the switch a few times, enough to push it down a bit but not enough to turn it off. Sometimes it will start up then. |
Jeffmassey
Tinkerer
Username: Jeffmassey
Post Number: 4
Registered: 07-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 10, 2010 - 12:44 am: |
|
Here is a possible web page for strobe kits;they can be cannibalized for parts if a capacitor is needed,etc.
Jeff.
http://www.chaneyelectronicsstore.com/servlet/the-Electronic-Kits-cln-Strobe-Lig ht-Kits/Categories |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 234
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 10:10 pm: |
|
By the way, I would differ strongly with Ethostech on the usefulness of the XA-2 and 3. I actually rather prefer them to the original XA, as they give up very little if any image quality for their point-and-shoot convenience. An XA2 is a great camera to have along as a sidekick when at weddings, gatherings, etc., since it can be fired without adjustment, quietly and with no lag. |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 61
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 12:10 pm: |
|
Guys,
I was a bit surprised to see this old thread of mine resurrected. Thanks for the additional info. I ended up just storing the flash in a plastic baggie and setting it aside. Thanks also to Puderse for sending the spare A11.
I'll give your suggestions a try. Perhaps this is all it needs. In the meantime, I've been using the XA in natural light settings, and have really enjoyed having a pocket-sized camera that can deliver such good photos. Its great for candids, especially when held at chest height or so. I just pay attention to hyperfocal distances, pretend like I'm fiddling with it and nobody's the wiser. One of my daughters doesn't like her picture taken and always makes a face when I try, so this has worked as a great work-around to that problem. |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 235
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 11:03 am: |
|
Cooltouch, glad you are using it. It really is about the ideal hip-shot camera. |
Davejoern
Tinkerer
Username: Davejoern
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 27, 2010 - 08:38 pm: |
|
Greetings to all.....amazing group to have floatin' out here....
My question is this....I am missing that pesky batter cap/lid for the A11 flash.....anyone with an extra lying around? Was working great with my trusty little XA.
Dave |
Francis_otto
Tinkerer
Username: Francis_otto
Post Number: 40
Registered: 12-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 01:59 pm: |
|
I might as well add my two penn'orth: I have sometimes found with flashes, that leaving them with fresh batteries in and switched on - as much as overnight - will sometimes 're-condition'a degraded electrolytic: oh, the joy mingled with surprise, on coming down in the morning, and seeing that little neon faintly glowing! |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 68
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 04:45 pm: |
|
Ah, once again, I pop into this invaluable forum and find that my thread is still alive! With new info even! Francis, I've heard of doing this, and funny thing is, just the other day it occurred to me that I need to dig that flash out and see if a bit of reforming the cap is all that's needed. That and the fixes Mareklew and m_curie pointed out, which I'm ashamed to admit, I haven't tried yet. I'm here today on a completely unrelated mission, but visiting this place is kinda like reading from a dictionary -- you can't read just one entry before you leave it behind.
Best,
Michael |
Francis_otto
Tinkerer
Username: Francis_otto
Post Number: 43
Registered: 12-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 01:42 pm: |
|
... and just think, Cooltouch, what an invaluable resource this site is/will be/must be for those as yet unborn! |
