Camera won't work when the mode dial is set to A (automatic); there's a flashing "f" in the control panel

You have to hold down the exposure compensation button at the same time as turning the control dial.
The values appear on the control panel screen.

I found this on page 33 of the manual...
Set the mode dial to M and turn the control dial to set the value.
• To set the shutter speed: Turn the control dial.
To set the aperture value:Turn the control dial while holding down the
[+-](exposure compensation) button.

The exposure level indicator appears on the control panel screen, showing the difference (ranging from -3 EV to +3 EV) between the exposure value calculated by the currently selected aperture
and shutter speed compared to the exposure value considered optimum by the camera.

If you have set the main dial to the green camera logo, with automatic in bad light, and the flash still does not pop up, you could start worrying. The mail mode dial is very easy to turn, even without knowing. It happens to me more often than I would like. My next camera must have a special button to lock this dial.
When you chaco the manual, you will see there are settings the flash won't pop up and even when it is up it won't flash, because that menu excludes the flash.

Hello. If you're shooting in Auto mode and you have turned off the flash, your camera will remember that setting and the flash will not fire. If you switch the dial on top of your camera to another mode and then back to auto it should clear the setting and the flash should now fire, if needed. The other thing to try is to hold down the the flash popup/mode button while, at the same time, turning the rear control dial. You can watch your top display and the flash modes should cycle through different options.

As long as jog dial is set to M or manual, the flash will not pop up automatically. Be reminded though because you have to set everything manually. If you want the auto settings without the flash, set the jog dial to the icon that looks like a lightning with stop/ no sign

Hi,

Check if the Flash unit in the Camera is popping up automatically.
Check if the Flash is set to Flash Forced Off. If it is set to Off, then set it to Forced On.
Please check if the Camera is not set to the following settings:
REC MODE is set to Burst or Exposure bracket mode.
Scene Selections modes like:
ISO High Sensitivity mode.
Advanced Sports Shooting mode.
Twilight mode.
Fireworks mode.
Set the flash to Flash Forced On when the mode dial is set to M or when Landscape mode, Beach mode or Snow mode is selected in Scene Selection mode.

This should resolve the issue.

Thanks for using FixYa.

Hi,
Let's try some troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue with the Flash in the Camera. The Flash in the Camera will work only with the settings which is selected.
1. Make sure that the Camera flash is set to Forced Flash ON. (Press the right arrow control button of the Camera continuously to select the Forced Flash to ON.
2. The Flash in the Camera cannot be used when the REC MODE of the Camera is set to BURST or EXPOSURE BRACKET. (To select the REC MODE, select Menu button in Camera Shooting Mode. Set the REC MODE to NORMAL).
3. Flash will not work with modes like ISO(High Sensitivity Mode), Twilight Mode, ISO+(Extra High Sensitivity Mode), Fireworks Mode.
4. Try to set the Flash Mode to Flash Forced ON when the Mode dial is set to M, Landscape mode, Beach Mode, and Scene Mode.

This will resolve the issue with the Flash in the Camera.

Thanks for using FixYa

In the Basic Zone modes, you don't. The camera automatically sets the ISO in the range 100-800.

In the Creative Zone modes (P, Tv, Av, M, and A-DEP), press the ISO/Flash Exposure Compensation button (rightmost button in front of the top LCD panel). This will display the current setting on the top panel. While looking at the top panel or in the viewfinder, turn the command main dial (just behind the shutter release button) to change it.

The camera fails to control the flash output automatically due to the high intensity of Macro ring flash, causing the image to be over-exposed. Please set the camera as below to prevent a undesired result. Camera and Flash Settings - Set the sensitivity to ISO 100 using the function dial of the camera. - Set the flash metering of the camera to Pre-Flash TTL from the recording-mode menu. MACRO RING FLASH 1200 - Set the camera exposure mode to A or M mode. - Set the aperture to f/6.7. - Attach a ND filter x4 (0.6D) to the camera lens. MACRO TWIN FLASH 2400 - Attach a diffuser to the flash tube units. In case the flash tube and the subject is too close, eg. Not using the arms, set the camera exposure mode to A or M mode and the aperture to f/6.7. A subject at minimum distance may still be overexposed. Use exposure compensation to obtain the best result.

Yes, set the camera mode dial to P, A/S/M or any shooting mode except the movie mode. Turn on the extension flash unit's power then select the camera's flash mode. The flash mode button on the camera controls the built-in flash as well as the extension flash. Only the built-in flash and the Olympus FL-20/FL-40/FL-50 extension flash can use the red-eye reduction flash mode. All flash units can use the fill flash, flash off, and slow-sync flash modes.

Yes, set the camera mode dial to P, A/S/M or any shooting mode except the movie mode. Turn on the extension flash unit's power then select the camera's flash mode. The flash mode button on the camera controls the built-in flash as well as the extension flash. Only the built-in flash and the Olympus FL-40 extension flash can use the red-eye reduction flash mode. All flash units can use the fill flash, flash off, and slow-sync flash modes.