External Flash Problem

Canon is having a problem with its digital Rebel XT (350) in conjunction with the Canon Speedlite 580 EX external flash. The flash fires spontaneously while attached to the camera. Photos taken shortly after the malfunction are under exposed. This is an especially bad problem when in group settings such as Church and Meeting situations. The early erratic flashes draw attention to you instead of the object of the photograph and the shot is usually underexposed so much that it is unusable.

I have found this problem on 2 different Digital Rebel XTs with 2 different Canon Speedlite 580 EX external flashes. I have personally sent in my camera 5 times to the Canon factory service center along with a video tape of it mal functioning. The tape was taken at a Canon dealership; and my hand positions were noted by the canon dealership and on the tape. No I am not pushing any buttons. In fact once the flash starts firing spontaneously it will continue to do so by just rocking it back and forth.

Canon does not acknowledge that it has a problem and will not allow me to switch to a different product even with me paying any difference. They say that they can’t duplicate the problem but I’ve been able to make both camera and flashes malfunction in five minutes or less.
:mad:

hey, I thinks that problem happen to me once with the 580ex . it about six month ago while I m shooting a wedding inside , right after I take one shot and trying to see if the picture came out right or not and I notices that my flash started to blinking like a light buld was going to go out. and I was alway wonder why is that, since than it did not happen any more. I believe what you said, cause it does happen to me too, and I really want to know why? maybe someone else can share there though about this...