Fujifilm HS30 hot shoe external flash not working

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

I have a Fujifilm HS30 EXR and I bought an external hot shoe flash unit.
Does anyone have any ideas how these work?
I think they only work in manual mode? I managed to enable the external flash mode on the menu system, but it doesn't flash (even in the dark)?
The flash unit flashes perfectly if I bridge the pins, so I don't think it's faulty.

Any ideas?

[Simpo Two]

First, is it compatible with the camera (ie Fujifilm not Chunkyo) and did it come with instructions?


ETA apparently a small opening that lets light in and rhymes with blink is a bad word

[Upatdawn]

you could use a slave flash instead...