Most secure way to mount 600EX-RT on a rod/pole for light painting?

[Valvebounce]

Hi YuengLinger.
My Canon one for the 550EX is plastic, my cheap Triopo flashes have a brass insert in the base, I'm not certain which I prefer from an engineering point of view. If the brass insert is only knurled on the outside although it would be unlikely to split I think it could pull out easily enough. The plastic moulded thread would probably be equally strong in tension.
If the brass insert has a substantial groove or ridge around the diameter then the brass would be way better, problem is the only way for me to know the answer to the manufacturing method is to destroy one, anyone with X-ray gear care to check? ;D

Cheers, Graham.

Two concerns: The included cold shoe/stand has plastic threads which can crack with overtightening, and with movement it can come lose from the boom just by unscrewing. I'd have no problem putting it on a stationary stand.

Depends on the flash. On the cold shoe/stand for the 600EX-RT (at least, on the four that I own), there's a threaded metal insert in that socket – I'd think that wouldn't crack and would allow effective tightening. OTOH, the cold shoe/stand that came with my 270EX II has plastic threads.

Interesting. What color is the insert? Obviously metal? I just double checked, mine are definitely just another shaped part of the plastic base. No insert. Stamped on the bottom of the stands is "V50-#5 >PA<" (Same as on the 580ex.) All made in Japan.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Two concerns: The included cold shoe/stand has plastic threads which can crack with overtightening, and with movement it can come lose from the boom just by unscrewing. I'd have no problem putting it on a stationary stand.

Depends on the flash. On the cold shoe/stand for the 600EX-RT (at least, on the four that I own), there's a threaded metal insert in that socket – I'd think that wouldn't crack and would allow effective tightening. OTOH, the cold shoe/stand that came with my 270EX II has plastic threads.

Interesting. What color is the insert? Obviously metal? I just double checked, mine are definitely just another shaped part of the plastic base. No insert. Stamped on the bottom of the stands is "V50-#5 >PA<" (Same as on the 580ex.) All made in Japan.

Apologies, I was wrong.

Looking at the socket of my 600EX stands (left panel), it appeared to be painted brass and looked different from the black plastic interior of the stand for my 270EX (middle panel). It was brass...but apparently it was brass rubbing off the 1/4"-20 threads of the Manfrotto studs onto which I mounted the stands. With the new 270 stand, I tried threading it on and off a stud ~5 times (right panel), and it started to look 'brassy', especially the contacts on the flat surfaces around the socket.

So I'll withdraw my recommendation for using the Canon stand as a cold shoe. :-[

I will say that I haven't used them much (when I'm mounting a bare flash or one with only a strap-on modifier, it's generally on a Novoflex 19P mini-ballhead), but it's surprising how much brass those light stand studs shed onto plastic!

 

[YuengLinger]

I held off ordering the Manfrotto widget because of comments on the item page stating it doesn't fit standard size mounts, which is confusing. But I have a few other questions for B&H's lighting department, so I'll ask about this too.

 

[cayenne]

Two concerns: The included cold shoe/stand has plastic threads which can crack with overtightening, and with movement it can come lose from the boom just by unscrewing. I'd have no problem putting it on a stationary stand.

Depends on the flash. On the cold shoe/stand for the 600EX-RT (at least, on the four that I own), there's a threaded metal insert in that socket – I'd think that wouldn't crack and would allow effective tightening. OTOH, the cold shoe/stand that came with my 270EX II has plastic threads.

Interesting. What color is the insert? Obviously metal? I just double checked, mine are definitely just another shaped part of the plastic base. No insert. Stamped on the bottom of the stands is "V50-#5 >PA<" (Same as on the 580ex.) All made in Japan.

Apologies, I was wrong.

Looking at the socket of my 600EX stands (left panel), it appeared to be painted brass and looked different from the black plastic interior of the stand for my 270EX (middle panel). It was brass...but apparently it was brass rubbing off the 1/4"-20 threads of the Manfrotto studs onto which I mounted the stands. With the new 270 stand, I tried threading it on and off a stud ~5 times (right panel), and it started to look 'brassy', especially the contacts on the flat surfaces around the socket.

So I'll withdraw my recommendation for using the Canon stand as a cold shoe. :-[

I will say that I haven't used them much (when I'm mounting a bare flash or one with only a strap-on modifier, it's generally on a Novoflex 19P mini-ballhead), but it's surprising how much brass those light stand studs shed onto plastic!

Hey Neuro...


A quick THANK YOU for all the advice here!! That painters pole adapter worked out GREAT!!

I'm currently using the canon cold shoe to hook to it, but gonna order the RRS cold shoe to screw adapter...

I think I got my first "real estate" shots using this rig to light paint in my kitchen...which by the way, had NEVER looked this clean before...hahaha.

Again, thank you to you and everyone for all the suggestions!!

Cayenne