Sony flash problem

[Promomx2]

I have a sony a330, about two years old. About two months ago I noticed problems with the flash. On auto setting and the flash on auto, when I take a picture inside the flash goes off before the shutter clicks and it also goes off two or three times in a row. It's very disturbing trying to take pictures of my grandkids. Could it be the battery? The battery is fully charged.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That sounds like the red eye elimination feature. The flash will go off to constrict the pupil prior to the actual shutter release and corresponding flash to illuminate the picture. You can turn off that feature and will only get one flash. (At least I believe turning that feature off will still leave it off in the auto mode although I didn't test it.)

 

[photo_chick]

The flash on some cameras will also fire once or even burst multiple times before you actually take the shot to assist with auto focus. To get around that turn auto focus off and use good old fashioned manual focus.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The flash on some cameras will also fire once or even burst multiple times before you actually take the shot to assist with auto focus. To get around that turn auto focus off and use good old fashioned manual focus.

Or just turn off the auto focus assist rather than turn off all auto focus.

 

[photo_chick]

Or just turn off the auto focus assist rather than turn off all auto focus.

You can go that way but it's not easily done on some cameras. And if it needs an AF assist beam in the first place then chances are AF will have a hard time locking on to anything without it.

 

[Cafeen]

The flash on some cameras will also fire once or even burst multiple times before you actually take the shot to assist with auto focus. To get around that turn auto focus off and use good old fashioned manual focus.

Even though I take very few flash photos... this "feature" of my camera is what drove me to by a real flash. I popped up the flash once during the Boo-To-You parade last year, and annoyed myself (and likely the people around me). It's also the same thing that made it necessary to buy the 3rd level of Canon flash rather than the cheaper 2 . (Of course, I could likely have gone cheaper by off brand....but...)