how do you stick your 580exII to a monopod?

[winterlim]

need some help!!

anyone has any suggestions on how to stick my 580exII to a manfrotto monopod 679B without using any 'specialty items' being that i live in asia and not many options available (only d-i-y i suppose). I will be using my st-e2, which i suppose means that i the IR receiver on the front of the speedlite needs to be exposed.

[slitherjef]

My 430ex came with a plastic foot that has a hole threaded on the bottom that will screw into a 1/4" screw. It was in a little pouch inside the flash case. Its called a "Hot shoe table stand"

B&H says this is included with the 58exII as well

The screw on the monopod is probably bigger then 1/4" to hold a ball head or something, but if you monopod is like mine (a manfrotto 681), you can push that larger screw down to expose the 1/4" screw

[winterlim]

wow!! awesome! thanks slitherjef. didn't realize it was there till now! perfect fit!

[René Damkot]

The plastic "foot" that came with the flash, has a threaded hole on the bottom. If it's the right thread, you can screw it to your monopod.

Not sure how stable & strong it'll be though.

Edit: Refresh before posting :p

[winterlim]

thanks rene.. the thread does look pretty short. think i will secure it with a tape or a string. last thing i want is to see is the endangered species of the flying speedlite.;)

[dave kadolph]

I use THIS ONE (http://www.smithvictor.com/products/detail.asp?prodid=33&id=7&pid=7&s1=Clamps%2C+Mounts+%26+Adapters++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++&s2=Clamps%2C+Mounts+%26+Adapters++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++&nm=SHOE+MOUNT)for mounting my remotes.

The ones I have are machined solid aluminum--well worth the $7.00 IMO.

[Sean]

I use THIS ONE (http://www.smithvictor.com/products/detail.asp?prodid=33&id=7&pid=7&s1=Clamps%2C+Mounts+%26+Adapters++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++&s2=Clamps%2C+Mounts+%26+Adapters++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++&nm=SHOE+MOUNT)for mounting my remotes.

The ones I have are machined solid aluminum--well worth the $7.00 IMO.

$7 is pretty steep I think ;)

[PacAce]

$7 is pretty steep I think ;)

That's a lot cheaper than paying to have the flash repaired or replaced because the cheap plastic foot that the flash came with broke off and sent the flash crashing to the floor. ;)

[winterlim]

on another note... what if i wanted the same setup, but this time if i were to get a pocket wizard, where should that one go?

[Familiaphoto]

You can use an umbrella bracket as well. Something like this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/298709-REG/Impact_3117_Umbrella_Bracket.html). That is what I do when using my monopod.

Which PW do you have? The new ones will use the hotshoe. The II's or multimax will hang off as usual.

[winterlim]

paul: right now i am still using the St-e2 transmitter, but looking into getting PWs, though not sure which ones. thing is, when i go for a wedding shoot now, i want to have an assistant running around with me holding the monopod/flash, so that the light will always be off camera. i wont be mounting it on my hotshoe anymore.

thats why both the flash (and perhaps one day soon the PWs) have to be secure in place because the assistant will be running and swinging it around

[Familiaphoto]

Will you still want ETTL when you have the PW's? If so you would be interested in the new PW which use the hotshoe so no issue there. If you want manual control only then you could go with the II's which don't use the hotshoe.

I'd be interested in seeing some of your results with assistant setup. When I do events and am roaming around I use my 580EX II on a flash bracket. Seems to work for me. Do you have standard positioning directions for your assistant?

[PacAce]

on another note... what if i wanted the same setup, but this time if i were to get a pocket wizard, where should that one go?

Instead of the shoe mount mentioned above, get a hotshoe to PC adapter like this one:

http://www.flashzebra.com/hotshoes-shoes/0065.shtml

You can then place the flash in the hotshoe and then plug the PW to the flash via the PC port on the adapter.

[winterlim]

Will you still want ETTL when you have the PW's? If so you would be interested in the new PW which use the hotshoe so no issue there. If you want manual control only then you could go with the II's which don't use the hotshoe.

I'd be interested in seeing some of your results with assistant setup. When I do events and am roaming around I use my 580EX II on a flash bracket. Seems to work for me. Do you have standard positioning directions for your assistant?

paul: i have seen it done by another photographer. the guy has an assistant who stands by him, just off camera right, similar to how he would position a studio strobe at around 45 degrees angle, slightly raised above the subject. the assistant needs to be alert at all times, but the photog has the camera set to usually just right or below the correct exposure, so that the flash appears natural and lifting only the shadows. even if the assistant were to miss a beat, the shot is still not a complete loss. the assistant in the end also packs up the gear and helps out a little here and there, a price 2 for 1 ;)

also, i have not really looked through the PW range. i didnt even know they had PWs with ETTL capabilities.

leo: thanks for the recommendation. i think that item that you recommended will help with the connection of the speedlite and PWs, but in terms of securing the PW to the monopod itself? i think i saw someone who mounted the speedlite onto the mopopod, and hanging below it, secured tightly onto the monopod is the PW.

[winterlim]

jurgen: the monopod will at all times be held by the assistant. it is never set or placed down. even when the family portrait comes in at the end, the assistant holds the speedlite mounted on the monopod, mimicking the standard studio 1 light setup. (however in this case, it's just a fill)

edit: i think the last post by jurgen has been removed