How to turn off external flash in camera?

[Pindrawan]

Hi guys

Please bare with me as Im new to the system. Recently switched from canon 5d mark iv to sony a7iii. On my canon i was able to switch off the external flash without having to physically turn the flash switch off by going to menu and disable/enable flash. I think its so convenient whenever I wanna shoot with fill flash or if I only wanna get an ambient light with no flash. However in Sony I could not find a work around to it? Is it something possible? I know the fact when I switch to silent shooting, flash will automatically disabled. However when changing back to mechanical shutter theres a glitch in Sony (some are aware of this glitch) and flash wont fire until you turn off and turn it back on or sometimes even having to take it off from the hotshoe (defeats my purpose)

I dont know why the "flash off" option is always greyed out in P A S M mode? What's the purpose of having that then? 

So the question is

Is there any way for us to disable the flash temporarily by going into the menu without having to physically switch off the button on the flash?

My flash is godox tt685s

 

Thanks

[tinplater]

11 hours ago, Pindrawan said:

Hi guys

Please bare with me as Im new to the system. Recently switched from canon 5d mark iv to sony a7iii. On my canon i was able to switch off the external flash without having to physically turn the flash switch off by going to menu and disable/enable flash. I think its so convenient whenever I wanna shoot with fill flash or if I only wanna get an ambient light with no flash. However in Sony I could not find a work around to it? Is it something possible? I know the fact when I switch to silent shooting, flash will automatically disabled. However when changing back to mechanical shutter theres a glitch in Sony (some are aware of this glitch) and flash wont fire until you turn off and turn it back on or sometimes even having to take it off from the hotshoe (defeats my purpose)

I dont know why the "flash off" option is always greyed out in P A S M mode? What's the purpose of having that then? 

So the question is

Is there any way for us to disable the flash temporarily by going into the menu without having to physically switch off the button on the flash?

My flash is godox tt685s

 

Thanks

What is wrong with physically turning off the flash?  That seems easier than going into the menu and hunting for flash on off?  However if you really want to do that check out the menu section devoted to flash.  On my A9 it is camera 1 tab page 10/13 "flash mode".  There you have multiple options including "flash off".

[Pindrawan]

9 minutes ago, tinplater said:

What is wrong with physically turning off the flash?  That seems easier than going into the menu and hunting for flash on off?  However if you really want to do that check out the menu section devoted to flash.  On my A9 it is camera 1 tab page 10/13 "flash mode".  There you have multiple options including "flash off".

Thanks tinplater

I consistently need my flash to be on and off due to my interior work. Back in Canon when I didn't know that this feature was actually available through camera menu (enable/disable flash), I ended up breaking two sets of flash (one internally and one the on and off button) for doing it excessively. Just trying to avoid this from happening to my new system.  

The "flash off" that you mentioned is always GREYED OUT in P A S M mode, which I think defeats the purpose for them being there

 

[Pieter]

 

5 hours ago, Pindrawan said:

The "flash off" that you mentioned is always GREYED OUT in P A S M mode, which I think defeats the purpose for them being there

Have to agree with you that this is pretty odd... Didn't know this untill you started this topic, but it's the same on my a6500. What's even more odd is that it isn't greyed out when in Auto-mode.

Menu-diving is not needed by the way: you can put flash mode on a custom button or in the quick menu. No idea how to fix your issue though so that doesn't help you much. Might wanna spam Sony about it so they might fix it in firmware or in a future camera.

[tinplater]

Works on my A6400...and A9.  Are you in silent shooting mode?  Sounds like you have a conflicting parameter checked like silent shooting.

[Pieter]

Nope not silent mode, mechanical shutter with EFCS on. External flash can be turned off in Auto mode but option is greyed out in any of the PASM modes just like Pindrawan.

[tinplater]

You are correct!  I was just looking at the icon for flash off, didn't actually press to activate.  It appears for whatever reason you can only use the flash off / on function from the menu when in green auto mode...wonder what the rationale for that is?  

[Pindrawan]

8 hours ago, tinplater said:

Works on my A6400...and A9.  Are you in silent shooting mode?  Sounds like you have a conflicting parameter checked like silent shooting.

Thats weird. I guess it means ur very lucky. None of us has the features to do this unless in auto mode. Mind sharing a video maybe?

Silent shooting is the only way to disable the flash at the moment. But when switching it back off to mechanical shutter theres a software bug that causes the flash to not turned on unless you power cycle 

[Pindrawan]

13 hours ago, Pieter said:

 

Have to agree with you that this is pretty odd... Didn't know this untill you started this topic, but it's the same on my a6500. What's even more odd is that it isn't greyed out when in Auto-mode.

Menu-diving is not needed by the way: you can put flash mode on a custom button or in the quick menu. No idea how to fix your issue though so that doesn't help you much. Might wanna spam Sony about it so they might fix it in firmware or in a future camera.

Correct mate! Its weird....i dont need to menu dive as flash mode is pretty much a custom function away. BUT if its still greyed out and im unable to use it, its pretty much useless is it???

[Pindrawan]

6 hours ago, tinplater said:

You are correct!  I was just looking at the icon for flash off, didn't actually press to activate.  It appears for whatever reason you can only use the flash off / on function from the menu when in green auto mode...wonder what the rationale for that is?  

Yep. Which i think is stupid. Turning off and on flash or trigger physically is not ideal. I dont wanna end up braking them by excessively power cycling it. What upsets me the most is other manufacturers are able to turn them on and off in camera itself. Well the options are THERE. But the fact that its greyed out in P S A M mode is plain dumb. Defeats the purpose of manual modes.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Pindrawan

[tinplater]

I use Nissin flashes and it is s simple easy to execute button press on/off..no danger of breaking the flash.  Just touch the button.

[Pindrawan]

1 minute ago, tinplater said:

I use Nissin flashes and it is s simple easy to execute button press on/off..no danger of breaking the flash.  Just touch the button.

Thanks tinplater. In the end its not the end of the world for me. Im just trying to find the best solution for my style of shoot and ive learnt the hard way braking two units for abusing them.

Im more interested with how Sony can handle customer feedbacks such as this. Surely not everyone is in the same boat as mine but im sure for those who are would appreciate the changes in software update. Though still hoping theres still a workaround for this