I recently purchased a Nikon 4004s. I know it isn't a favorite among Nikon owners but that's not the issue. When I look into the viewfinder, I see a green light on the far left (focus) then a blinking plus/minus sign and then a lightning bolt. My problem is this, the plus minus signs blink plus then minus, etc. and the lightning bolt stays lit. Now, I have my flash up and it won't snap a picture. Please tell me this means my batteries are dying because my warranty was only 30 days.

Thanks!

-- Jen Huls (levitron20@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001

Answers

Jen, I'm not familiar with the 4004 but here are a couple of things to try:

Check with you local Borders Books or Barnes and Noble. They might have a copy of the Magic Lantern Guide for you to peruse. I couldn't find a book specifically on the 4004 but they do have one on the 6006/8008. Perhaps, it might point you in the right direction for the 4004.

It sounds like to me that the camera and the flash aren't talking to each other. The lightning bolt means that the camera knows there is a flash. The plus/minus leads me to believe that the camera cannot control the flash. I thought the 4004 was TTL flash capable. Double check the settings. Make sure they both agree (TTL or manual flash mode). What kind of flash is it? Is it a Nikon Speedlight or a different brand flash that might need a sync cord (and not use the hot shoe)?

Just a couple shots in the dark (no pun intended),

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), February 26, 2001.

This is the flash the camera comes with, the little flip-up jammie. I don't use an independent flash (what is TTL anyway?). I know I've tried pointing the damn thing at a light and it still won't take a picture and I've also put it on manual mode too.... Oh, I so hope it's just the batteries!

-- Jen Huls (levitron20@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001.

> This is the flash the camera comes with, the little flip-up jammie. > Ooops, sorry about that! I didn't realize that the 4004 had a built- in flash! :-)

> I don't use an independent flash (what is TTL anyway?). > TTL is 'through the lens'. Instead of just metering the scene and dial-ing in the exposure, the camera tells the flash when to cut out by analyzing what it is getting to the meter inside the body of the camera. You get more precise flash exposures.

>I know I've tried pointing the damn thing at a light and it still > won't take a picture and I've also put it on manual mode too.... > Oh, I so hope it's just the batteries! > Try a different set of batteries and see if it still does the same thing. I'm not sure if your 4004 has this (not sure when Nikon made it a feature) but there is a focus mode switch (M, S, C switch). Some Nikons won't let you snap the shutter if the camera cannot focus lock on the subject (S mode).

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), February 26, 2001.

Bleh! Sorry about the horrible formatting! Here is what I meant to say:

Ooops, sorry about that! I didn't realize that the 4004 had a built- in flash! :-) TTL is 'through the lens'. Instead of just metering the scene and dial-ing in the exposure, the camera tells the flash when to cut out by analyzing what it is getting to the meter inside the body of the camera. You get more precise flash exposures.

Try a different set of batteries and see if it still does the same thing. I'm not sure if your 4004 has this (not sure when Nikon made it a feature) but there is a focus mode switch (M, S, C switch). Some Nikons won't let you snap the shutter if the camera cannot focus lock on the subject (S mode).

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), February 26, 2001.

Why not just fold the flash away to cancel the flash mode? Then you can take the camera outside in the daylight and see if it fires.
BTW, I don't have any of these problems with my F2As or FM.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), February 27, 2001.

Make sure your lens is set to its smallest aperture (highest number). I'm takling about the ring on the lens itself, not the aperture dial on the camera top.

JOSH

-- Josh Wertheimer (toastgood@hotmail.com), February 28, 2001.