My canon 500d won't take pictures anymore - no matter what setting it's on. the flash pops and blinks a few times but nothing is registered.

Try a factory reset. In the menu go to the third spanner and select 'Clear settings'

To pop up the flash put the camera in manual mode (M) and press the flash release button and it should pop up.

Hi, I have to Canon Rebel t1i and I had the same problem (built in flash not working). I tried a number of remedies I found on forums etc but none worked. I then tried this. In the external flash housing is a metal sprung plate which surrounds the five circular pins (one big, four small at the rear). If you get a small straight headed screwdriver and lift the front of this plate and at the same time pull it back towards you it will come out altogether.
I then removed the four small screws being careful not to drop them and took off the mount for the external flash and then tried the flash it opened straight away. I then cleaned all the area of the mount and the two plates and replaced them all ensuring I fitted them exactly as before. I then checked the camera again and presto working fine. I hope this helps everyone with the problem.
Kevin (East riding of Yorkshire)

The 500D doesn't have any internal memory for picture taking. It won't store any pictures unless you insert an SD card in the slot just above the battery on the right side of the camera (when you are looking at the screen)

To autofocus the sensor needs a fair amount of contrast (light and dark eges) to operate. If you're trying to take a photo in a dim room of a dark colored subject for instance the focus won't lock and the camera won't take the picture. Try switching your lens to manual focus and shoot that way.

I have the Canon Rebel t1i (500d) and I had the same problem (built in flash not working). I tried a number of remedies I found on forums etc but none worked. I then tried this with the camera pointing away from me as if taking a picture. In the external flash housing is a metal sprung plate which surrounds the five circular pins (one big, four small at the rear). If you get a small straight headed screwdriver and lift the front of this plate and at the same time pull it back towards you it will come out altogether. (In picture 2 I show this plate removed and sitting in front of the mount only so you can see it removed, it was brought out backwards so towards me from the camera).
I then removed the four small screws being careful not to drop them and took off the mount for the external flash and then tried the flash it opened straight away. I then cleaned all the area of the mount and the two plates and replaced them all ensuring I fitted them exactly as before. I then checked the camera again and presto working fine. I hope this helps everyone with the problem.

hi my problem is my canon 500d, the flash is not working.. even if i use full auto, i cant use the flash in darker room..

have same problem!!! please need help

Frustrating I am sure. I had the same problem on my first XTi. I cannot remember what the settings were, but I think I was set for portrait and had flash set as the white balance default source. Therefore the camera always popped up the flash assuming that I wanted or needed fill flash.

Change you white balance to sun/shade/tungston etc as is appropriate, choose a faster ISO speed in lower light levels and try using the P or Tv mode and use a shutter speed that generates a middle range aperature for your particular lens.

Really? the best solution available is to take the top of your camera off?
i don't think so.
Here's a very simple solution I found to get the flash to pop up without destroying your camera.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=31993875
the person suggests using a fingernail. (s)he must have long fingernails. I had to use a piece of paper folded in half. Swipe the paper from back to front, as in, from the eyepiece side towards the lens side.
Here's a picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougpardee/133066175/
good luck