Fujifilm x-T2 flash

[wineman04]

Hi, all.  I bought a Fuji EF-X8 mini flash for my X-T2.  Fuji Support says it's compatible but I cannot get it to work.  I took it to B&H Photo.  They had another X-T2 and another EF-X8.  We tried every combination but couldn't get either camera or either flash to work.  My camera works for other flashes so we know the hot shoe works. Does anybody have any experience with the mini flash?  Thanks

[itchy shutter finger]

I'll venture a guess here that the other flash units you tried have their own battery power. Fujifilm cameras compatible with the EF-X8 have an extra pin to supply power to the flash, as the EF-X8 does not carry its own power onboard. It sounds to me that something is wrong in the power supply circuit of either the body or the flash.

If I remember correctly, EF-X8 compatible bodies have a pin to the top left of the hot shoe through which the body and flash communicate. I would also need to review the settings manual, because I don't know if it is possible through settings to de-energize that pin. Did B&H explore these avenues? I would be surprised if they didn't. I would expect that if anyone could run down the problem, it would be B&H.

To summarize, my off-the-cuff guesses range from a dirty communication pin to a circuit failure to that pin, or a menu setting de-activating that pin. I will review my info and post an update if I find anything.

For five years now, I use an EF-X8 for daytime close range TTL, but mainly as a commander to manage arrays of off-camera flash units, and so far the EF-X8 is 100% bulletproof.