Success! I was able to remove the screws with a long thin Phillips screwdriver from my box. They weren't very tight. Once inside it was obvious that the external plastic pin had broken off the plastic strut to which it was attached. The strut is retained on the metal locking pin by two nuts, so that the metal locking pin is lifted when the plastic pin is depressed. Once the flash was open, lifting the steel locking pin was a simple matter. The flash will still have to go to Pentax for repair (or alternatively I could order the part). But I think it's still under warranty.
Some people who've had this problem have simply eliminated the locking pin, but I don't trust the flash to stay in proper position without the pin. I had a lot of trouble maintaining good hot shoe contact with the Sigma 500. I think the pin is necessary. Too bad Pentax used a plastic release mechanism. It appears to be quite fragile. Paul On Jan 28, 2008, at 12:14 AM, Bob Sullivan wrote: > Paul, > The 4 screws that hold the male shoe onto the bottom of the flash are > sized Phillips #0. > If you can find a 1/4 inch ratchet wrench, a 6 inch extension rod, and > a #0 Phillips head socket, > you can get the bottom off and release the pin. Sears used to carry > that stuff... > Regards, Bob S. > > On Jan 27, 2008 3:20 PM, Paul Stenquist <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: >> Yes, it's true. I mounted the 540 flash on the K10D this afternoon in >> an effort to shoot some birdies, and now it won't come off. I tried a >> little bit of WD40 ( a light lubricant), lots of tugging and pulling. >> I'm guessing that a screw has come loose on the hot shoe and is >> locking it in place. Any ideas? I'm thinking I'm going to have to >> send camera and flash to Pentax. A pisser. >> Paul >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above >> and follow the directions. >> > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above > and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
