Around Christmas last year, the flash on our Nikon D60 stopped working. The flash was tapped while it was up and stopped working after that. The flash made a clicking sound every time we tried to use it, but the flash wouldn’t fire.
After calling the the local camera shop, they said it would probably cost $170 (we heard some people reporting $250) just to send the camera into Nikon to be fixed.
Oh, those were the days before the Internet. After a search on the Internet, we found a video tutorial (shown below) of how to fix this exact problem.
The issue was a small trigger in the flash mechanism came off the hinge it pulled back. Simply taking off the flash top cover and placing the trigger back on the hinge did the trick.
A few tips though, open the flash, turn off your camera, and take out the camera’s battery (you may get a little shock otherwise).
I used the Husky 8-in-1 Precision Screwdriver
Nikon D40 Flash Fix from Northern Light Films on Vimeo.
So thanks to Northern Lights for the video tutorial above!
– Sidenote Update –
I thought I’d mention that my sister also purchased a Nikon DSLR. Her model is newer than mine and can record video (you almost wish they wouldn’t update those cameras so fast! It makes you feel like your brand new purchase is out of date too fast).
Anyway, she asked me what kind of case to get for the camera. Her Nikon came with a carrying case, but come on, those cases are usually way too big and too bulky to take out with you. They might be good for traveling and storage, but not for taking with you on your daily excursions for your photo safari.
I’ve been happy with the bag I purchased on Amazon made by tamrac. Rather than just a bag, it’s a sling pack that makes it easy to take around and get the camera out in a jiffy. I’ve noticed that holsters and sling bags have become pretty popular for carrying SLR cameras with just the bare necessities.
As I searched for a bag, I wanted to find one that would protect my camera. There are a lot of very small bags out there that don’t offer a lot of padding and protection. I decided to go with the Tamrac 5766 Velocity 6x Compact Sling Pack.
The bag is small enough to be comfortable to wear. and easy to take with you to sporting events, on a hike, or to family events. The camera I use is the Nikon D60 which is more compact than other DSLR cameras, so check how your camera compares to the D60 in size. If the body of your camera is ridiculously big, it might not fit in the bag very well. The D60 I have had room to spare in the bag.
The bag can be slung across your chest and worn at the side of your hip or cinched up as sling/backpack. So once you get your camera fixed, make sure you have a good bag to keep it in so the flash is less likely to get damaged again.
To read the reviews on Amazon for the bag, click here. You can also search search Amazon
