Swivel Mount Issue

I received a sweet umbrella + stands kit from BH recently and I'm very satisfied with both the build quality and overall feel of the kit. Being teh n00b I completely failed to make sure that it comes with Hot-Shoe-ready swivel mount. It came with two swivel mounts with umbrella brackets but those are for moonlights and are missing the hot shoes

I've searched around and could not find separate hot shoes that can be added to the swivel. I want to tap into the unparalleled collective powers of online forum knowledge to help me out here.

Is there anything I can get to solve it, or should I just simply spend more $$$ and buy swivels with hot shoes already attached?

Picture below shows the part that's missing for the visually challenged:

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You can get something like this.

René Damkot wrote in post #5536311
You can get something like this.

NO!!!! Please, get anything BUT that! It's a piece of crap!!!!

Here's one source with many different types of cold shoes:

http://flashzebra.com/​hotshoes-shoes/index.shtml

I should have mentioned there are better variants on the theme

René Damkot wrote in post #5536434
I should have mentioned there are better variants on the theme

I'm surprised B&H even carries that thing. I would have thought they quality test the things they carry.

Discov3ry wrote in post #5536189
I received a sweet umbrella + stands kit from BH recently and I'm very satisfied with both the build quality and overall feel of the kit. Being teh n00b I completely failed to make sure that it comes with Hot-Shoe-ready swivel mount. It came with two swivel mounts with umbrella brackets but those are for moonlights and are missing the hot shoes

I've searched around and could not find separate hot shoes that can be added to the swivel. I want to tap into the unparalleled collective powers of online forum knowledge to help me out here.

Is there anything I can get to solve it, or should I just simply spend more $$$ and buy swivels with hot shoes already attached?

Picture below shows the part that's missing for the visually challenged:

It is not clear exactly what you wanted.

If you wanted a hotshoe with a PC connection, others (Rene & Leo) have given you choices.

If all you wanted was something that you can mount a flash unit, I would suggest this:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tails&Q=&sku=50​546&is=REG
It screws on to one of the "studs" that come with the unbrella mount.

jrsforums wrote in post #5536480
It is not clear exactly what you wanted.

If you wanted a hotshoe with a PC connection, others (Rene & Leo) have given you choices.

If all you wanted was something that you can mount a flash unit, I would suggest this:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tails&Q=&sku=50​546&is=REG
It screws on to one of the "studs" that come with the unbrella mount.

And the winner is: jrsforums!!!

That's it! I actually looked at it before on their website. But never assumed that it screws to the swivel studs.

Thanks to all for your input...

Discov3ry wrote in post #5536825
And the winner is: jrsforums!!!

That's it! I actually looked at it before on their website. But never assumed that it screws to the swivel studs.

Thanks to all for your input...

And what was wrong with the ones I point out at the flashzebra site? They look exactly like what you were asking for?

I wanted to be the winner.

PacAce wrote in post #5537353
And what was wrong with the ones I point out at the flashzebra site? They look exactly like what you were asking for?

I wanted to be the winner.

Leo...

Ya lose some, ya tie some....and the rest are rained out....

Actually if you dont have the hot shoe adapter you might try building or buying something like this.

http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …2458835646_7a8c​e54d15.jpg

Just bungee it on there, Having broke one hot shoe I decided even a cheepie $80.00 flash can get spendy if you have to replace it more than one time. Well that and not knock your light stands over. LOL

and you can also put 2 flashes on it if you make them wide enough.

http://farm3.static.fl​ickr.com …2458005603_3cf5​0c5108.jpg

made mine form aluminum plate and the setscrew is flush. I will be adding a little more padding that the flash rests on later this week. With the new padding and bungee it is actually more secure than the plastic hotshoe ears.

Despite the Strobist propaganda

Despite the strobist propaganda, if you are shooting with A/C current available - even some of the el-cheapo studio strobes beat the pants off trying to turn hotshoe flashes into pseudo-studio strobes.

Studio type strobes are set up to be used on a light stand and need no extra adapters

Studio type strobes don't need adapters to fit light modifiers and many times will do a much beter job. This is especially true when using a softbox. A studio strobe with a removable reflector will do a much better job that trying to diffuse a the light of a hotshoe flash that has already been concentrated by the reflector of that flash.

Studio type strobes will have built-in optical slaves

Studio type strobes are most often more powerful than the hotshoe types

Studio type strobes are powered by A/C, not by anemic AA batteries. Recycle time will stay the same, not increase as the batteries are drained.

Studio type strobes can be a LOT less expensive than buying Canon 550ex, 580ex, 430ex or 420ex strobes and then having to spend additional money to modify them so that they can limp along pretending to be studio strobes. They are even les expensive than buying a 383 and trying to equip it as a studio light.

Adorama's Flashpoint Monolights run $130 for 150 WS and $200 for 300 WS models...

FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANT: Studio type strobes are equipped with modeling lights.

Sure, you can get decent imagery with hot shoe flashes, I have a pair. However I use them for their intended purpose. I could haul gravel in a Ford Focus by covering the back seat with plastic but, that isn't the way I would go.

Strayz wrote in post #5562045
Actually if you dont have the hot shoe adapter you might try building or buying something like this.

http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …2458835646_7a8c​e54d15.jpg

Just bungee it on there, Having broke one hot shoe I decided even a cheepie $80.00 flash can get spendy if you have to replace it more than one time. Well that and not knock your light stands over. LOL

and you can also put 2 flashes on it if you make them wide enough.

http://farm3.static.fl​ickr.com …2458005603_3cf5​0c5108.jpg

made mine form aluminum plate and the setscrew is flush. I will be adding a little more padding that the flash rests on later this week. With the new padding and bungee it is actually more secure than the plastic hotshoe ears.

I thought about it as well. But then again I don't own any bungees and the hot shoes were only $4 per piece so that was a no brainer.

RPCrowe wrote in post #5562980
Despite the strobist propaganda, if you are shooting with A/C current available - even some of the el-cheapo studio strobes beat the pants off trying to turn hotshoe flashes into pseudo-studio strobes.

Studio type strobes are set up to be used on a light stand and need no extra adapters

Studio type strobes don't need adapters to fit light modifiers and many times will do a much beter job. This is especially true when using a softbox. A studio strobe with a removable reflector will do a much better job that trying to diffuse a the light of a hotshoe flash that has already been concentrated by the reflector of that flash.

Studio type strobes will have built-in optical slaves

Studio type strobes are most often more powerful than the hotshoe types

Studio type strobes are powered by A/C, not by anemic AA batteries. Recycle time will stay the same, not increase as the batteries are drained.

Studio type strobes can be a LOT less expensive than buying Canon 550ex, 580ex, 430ex or 420ex strobes and then having to spend additional money to modify them so that they can limp along pretending to be studio strobes. They are even les expensive than buying a 383 and trying to equip it as a studio light.

Adorama's Flashpoint Monolights run $130 for 150 WS and $200 for 300 WS models...

FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANT: Studio type strobes are equipped with modeling lights.

Sure, you can get decent imagery with hot shoe flashes, I have a pair. However I use them for their intended purpose. I could haul gravel in a Ford Focus by covering the back seat with plastic but, that isn't the way I would go.

All of it is a good advice but for now all I need is something portable, small, and relatively cheap (I already owned a 580). I don't have a need to use any modifiers (no gels, no snots, no barn doors), and even if I do then a bunch of note cards and rubber bands will do.
Monolights will definitely follow in the future but they are simply not suited for what I want to start with for now.