Metal flash shoes, not a problem?

Airedrifter

I've bought a couple flash units, a couple of light stands, an umbrella, a light box, and a couple of tilt heads/unbrella holders/flash mounts...

Anyway, the flash shoes are machined aluminum. I find it hard to believe that grounding out all the flash connections to the shoe has no effect. But, so far I've found nothing that addresses the issue. Is it really not a problem? The clearances are very tight and that makes it difficult to fit with a piece of electric tape and still get the foot to fit.

Just wondering...

padu

Airedrifter wrote:

I've bought a couple flash units, a couple of light stands, an umbrella, a light box, and a couple of tilt heads/unbrella holders/flash mounts...

Anyway, the flash shoes are machined aluminum. I find it hard to believe that grounding out all the flash connections to the shoe has no effect. But, so far I've found nothing that addresses the issue. Is it really not a problem? The clearances are very tight and that makes it difficult to fit with a piece of electric tape and still get the foot to fit.

Just wondering...

I have the same setup. Never had a problem.

Art Scott

Airedrifter wrote:

I've bought a couple flash units, a couple of light stands, an umbrella, a light box, and a couple of tilt heads/unbrella holders/flash mounts...

Anyway, the flash shoes are machined aluminum. I find it hard to believe that grounding out all the flash connections to the shoe has no effect. But, so far I've found nothing that addresses the issue. Is it really not a problem? The clearances are very tight and that makes it difficult to fit with a piece of electric tape and still get the foot to fit.

Just wondering...

What flashes are you using?
Could you show photos of the shoe and flash, so we can see exactly what you are refering to?

There was a company several years ago making alum. shoes for the Vivatar 283/285 flashes and all I ever hear was rave reviews of the stronger shoe...not being one to breat my flash shoes I never invested in them but thought they were agreat idea.

Airedrifter

I have Canon stuff.
580 flashes.

The flash shoe is a typical dummy shoe machined out of aluminum.

The sync is through IR. My concern is that all the flash connections will be commonly grounded to the shoe. Apparently, it doesn't matter. I'm just always cautious about shorting out ANY electrical connections.

the godfather

I remember reading on a flash help site (I don't have the link) that many users of the flash stand/tripod head use electrical tape to protect the contacts. Not sure if it makes a difference...

SloYerRoll

You may go your entire life never having a problem w/ this. But creating shorts where leads that are not supposed to be connected, connect.... Doesn;t sound like it going to end up in a photography best practices book anytime soon.

Seymore

SloYerRoll wrote:

You may go your entire life never having a problem w/ this. But creating shorts where leads that are not supposed to be connected, connect.... Doesn;t sound like it going to end up in a photography best practices book anytime soon.

I have to totally agree with this statement. Not a good measure to make into a habit.

pathfinder

Interesting.

ReallyRightStuff.com sells a metal flash shoe that mounts in an Arca-Swiss clamp - the top of the flash shoe is black anodized aluminum, but the floor of the shoe looks to be black ceramic or plastic, and hence non-conductive. (Click on "accessory shoe" when you get to the linked page.)

I bought two of them so that I do not have to worry about harming a flash with a shoe with electrical contacts on the bottom.

ziggy53

Shorting out the flash contacts is what the camera does to signal the flash that it is time to fire. Unless the flash is constantly firing, I don't think there is any problem or danger.

I recently accidentally triggered an old flash (Sunpak 611, 250V trigger) by attaching an adapter cord, but I triggered it by making contact with my skin. :cry That'll wake you up in a hurry.

ian408

ziggy53 wrote:

I recently accidentally triggered an old flash (Sunpak 611, 250V trigger) by attaching an adapter cord, but I triggered it by making contact with my skin. :cry That'll wake you up in a hurry.

Ouch :eek1