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Off camera cord- how to connect it to cold shoes?

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sagittariansrock

Sep 20, 2012
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15,226
Portland, OR
#1
Hi all
I am assuming at least some of you use the newer cold shoes that don't screw on but allow the flip-lock system a la Canon to both tighten down on metal rails as well as push the locking pin in (e.g., Nisha is the brand I have, linked below- but Frio will have the same problem)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/764592-REG/Nisha_HTS_C_Accessory_Flash_Shoe.html
However, my off camera cord just has a square plastic plate at the bottom that is too loose in the cold shoe above. I am leery of using a screw-type cold shoe as it is too unstable and tightening it too much might break the plastic plate above.
So I was wondering, what is any solution have you all come up with?
Thanks in advance.
S
 
#2
I guess I'm not understanding you. Wouldn't the Frio solve the problem? The problem being, you're looking for a cold shoe that will lock to the plastic foot on a flash cable? I don't know of any other type of locking cold shoe, other than the traditional Stroboframe type, or the Frio type.

The other option... ditch the cable ;)
 
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#5
sagittariansrock said:
privatebydesign said:
Yes the Frio would solve the problem.

The Frio has a positive lock clip that the Nisha does not have, so your OCC would be locked into the Frio.
Click to expand...

I have heard problems with the 600EX-Rt locking collar with Frio.
Seems like it is way too tight?
Click to expand...

Some people have been saying the Frio is too tight since they came out. The couple I have used have been fine, but I don't own one and I never tried putting a 600 on one. But I have put 580 II's on them and I didn't have an issue and I can't see the 600's being that different.

I got all my cold shoes back in the year 0 long before this stuff was an active market with competition! And though I have had issues with plastic feet with my original style Stroboframes when I have overtightened them, they are solid, never wear out and I can't ever see the need to replace them.
 
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#6
So you want to connect the off camera cord to a cold shoe...to what is the cold shoe attached? Could you directly connect the off camera cord using the 1/4"-20 female threading?
 
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#8
Hi all,
So the cold shoe (as I mentioned, the Nisha brand) is fixed on a) Umbrella swivels and b) Modified 175 clamps (regular Manfrotto clamp modified to a Justin clamp with a Giottos ballhead and screw).
I don't have a ST-E3-RT, so when I need my commander to be off-camera, I will need it to be on one of the cold shoes via the off camera cord- hence the need to attach the base of the flash end of the off camera cord to one of these cold shoes.
Neuro, I can take off the cold shoe and attach it directly to the 1/4-20, but I will invariably lose the loose cold shoe and it is a little fiddly if I want to replace the commander with one of the slaves, for then I have to put the shoe back on.
Halfrack- I already have a longer (5m) straight cord and even the OCF one doesn't have a locking foot (although it does look like metal).
PBD, I agree the plastic foot will probably be fine on a screw-type cold shoe forever, but I will have to buy one of those anyway- I have already invested in a bunch of Nisha ones (plus I personally don't like the screw ones).
Ok, so I figured out a solution (in case anyone is interested):
Vivitar makes these replacement metal feet. They cost about $ 7 on ebay. I plan to buy one of them and then screw it semi-permanently to the base of the flash end of the off-camera cord. This is a metal foot with a locking collar, so it will work with the Nisha shoes (or any shoe for that matter).
Incidentally, I found afterwards that Michael Bass designs will sell you these things, for a whopping $ 60!!! :o
Nope, I'd DIY mine for $ 7...
Here's a picture... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CRxbBKkoqIY/TLXAdI-abRI/AAAAAAAACKw/ZWxm7-5r6p8/s200/OC-E3_MetalFoot.jpg
 
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#9
Frio cold shoe is pretty tight, but I can get the flash on and off, so that's what counts. Flash won't pop or slide off the Frio accidentally - one has to push down hard to get the Frio to release. For some reason I find it easier to unscrew the Frio from the stand and then remove the Frio from the flash.
 
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#10
NancyP said:
Frio cold shoe is pretty tight, but I can get the flash on and off, so that's what counts. Flash won't pop or slide off the Frio accidentally - one has to push down hard to get the Frio to release. For some reason I find it easier to unscrew the Frio from the stand and then remove the Frio from the flash.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't really want to go through the unscrewing process while shooting, period.
Which is why I bought a bunch of these shoes. Fortunately, the ones I purchased are a lot cheaper than the Frio and easy to slide on or off (talk about a double edged sword!).
Anyway, found this on ebay for $ 3.50 for a pair that will probably work even better than the Vivitar replacement shoe option:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151561760940?var=450775815221

This is basically a 1/4-20 screw with a metal foot on the other end, and a couple of nuts in between. You screw the 1/4-20 end to the bottom of your off camera cord flash end, and tighten one nut- then you slide the foot into a cold shoe and tighten the other nut. Pretty nice.
 
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