Broken 580exII foot

So I was shooting a model today, with my 580exII in a bracket up on a light stand.

Of course, it tipped over. The assistant was moving something else at the time, and BOOM.

The flash fell off, and left the foot behind. the metal plate popped off - all the cables still in place, but it's mounting pins are bent.

Can I buy a new one? It looks like I can simply unscrew and unplug it. Flashzebra sell one for the 580ex, but it's a screw lock with no weather sealing.

If you contact Canon Parts In NJ you can order the whole foot assembly from them.

Is this what you need
http://www.flashzebra.​com/canon580ex_footass​embly.shtml

catalyst412 wrote in post #11072572
Is this what you need
http://www.flashzebra.​com/canon580ex_footass​embly.shtml

That is for the 580 EX, the MkII version is totally different. Though I'm thinking of picking one up for my MkI, the sync cord port could be useful.

Cali Agent wrote in post #11072515
If you contact Canon Parts In NJ you can order the whole foot assembly from them.

I'll do that, thanks!

my story is stranger... happened 2 days ago on an engagement shoot...

had the 580exii on a lightstand... was taking some pictures, not using the light at the time, decided to move to a new location... i was talking away, telling some story, not really thinking about much else, when I realize that I'm holding my 580ex in one hand, and the light stand in another. Then I see some colored wires hanging down out of the bottom of the light, and the foot still attached to the light stand. I have no memory of how this occured. Very, very odd!

I had an electrical expert re-solder the wires back on. Brought it home, the wiring is good and it works, but the foot is loose. I later found a little pin in my camera bag, must have fallen out after the accident. Hope this is what I need to re-tighten it. Haven't tried fixing it yet but I'm hopeful I can. But I've gotta say, thank goodness for back-up gear!

i've never tried to buy a foot, but when the 580exII came out, you couldn't just buy a replacement foot/parts like you could with the 580ex. you had to buy the whole bottom assembly. i think it was $50+ just for that.

Pearlallica wrote in post #11079237
my story is stranger... happened 2 days ago on an engagement shoot...

had the 580exii on a lightstand... was taking some pictures, not using the light at the time, decided to move to a new location... i was talking away, telling some story, not really thinking about much else, when I realize that I'm holding my 580ex in one hand, and the light stand in another. Then I see some colored wires hanging down out of the bottom of the light, and the foot still attached to the light stand. I have no memory of how this occured. Very, very odd!

I had an electrical expert re-solder the wires back on. Brought it home, the wiring is good and it works, but the foot is loose. I later found a little pin in my camera bag, must have fallen out after the accident. Hope this is what I need to re-tighten it. Haven't tried fixing it yet but I'm hopeful I can. But I've gotta say, thank goodness for back-up gear!

That pin came out for me too and is bent, it won't go back in. The plastic parts that hold the metal foot on look sheared.

The whole thing works - but it's really loose in the hotshoe, I don't dare leave it like that.

pcj wrote in post #11073882
I'll do that, thanks!

No problem. I've learned that Canon has really great customer service over the phone and especially for parts.

Cali Agent wrote in post #11081023
No problem. I've learned that Canon has really great customer service over the phone and especially for parts.

They do - just called them, ordered a replacement foot assembly. $37+shipping

They did say it was on backorder till Friday, and would be shipped Monday - but I wouldn't be charged until it ships. Just had an email from my bank saying I've been charged ... now I can't help wondering if it's shipped already

pcj wrote in post #11088961
They do - just called them, ordered a replacement foot assembly. $37+shipping

They did say it was on backorder till Friday, and would be shipped Monday - but I wouldn't be charged until it ships. Just had an email from my bank saying I've been charged ... now I can't help wondering if it's shipped already

The locking assembly that is supposed to be waterproof makes a poor connection with anything other then the hotshoe on Canon cameras!! i have had connection problems with the flash on a bracket with Canon OC cords (both 2 and 3) and also the Yonguen (spelling) cords. Had it last night on an outdoor portrait shoot and i finally got sick of it and checked it out throughly. When in the OC shoe (or shoe on a stand etc.) the locking tab only goes so far. It does not make a tight connection like the 580 which is a knurl screw that makes a tight connection. The only way i could make a connection was to tip the flash back to take up the slack. When i let it go on its own no connection was made. This was consistent through all the cords i had. THE 580 WORKED FINE WITH ALL THREE CORDS!! The ex2 connects fine with the camera hotshoe probably because its flat and supported by the front of the camera. THIS PROVES THAT WEATHERPROOF CONNECTION IS CRAP!! Also the ex2 is heavier and leans forward in the oc shoe and causes the disconnect. This is a design error and i am writing and calling Canon about it. Now i suspect they may tell me it works fine with the camera shoe so there is no problem, but if it doesnt work with their own oc shoe, then its poor design. A lot of us use the flash off camera; we dont all shoot for newspapers or SI and shoot in the rain!! If the connection breaks off it maybe the weight of the heavier unit cannot be supported properly by the crap shoe connection. If yoiu have had similar problems please respond to this thread as i will take the lead in contacting Canon and demanding a fix. I will post photos of the connection problem later and also post in other threads. comments please!!

pictureperf wrote in post #11089213
The locking assembly that is supposed to be waterproof makes a poor connection with anything other then the hotshoe on Canon cameras!! i have had connection problems with the flash on a bracket with Canon OC cords (both 2 and 3) and also the Yonguen (spelling) cords. Had it last night on an outdoor portrait shoot and i finally got sick of it and checked it out throughly. When in the OC shoe (or shoe on a stand etc.) the locking tab only goes so far. It does not make a tight connection like the 580 which is a knurl screw that makes a tight connection. The only way i could make a connection was to tip the flash back to take up the slack. When i let it go on its own no connection was made. This was consistent through all the cords i had. THE 580 WORKED FINE WITH ALL THREE CORDS!! The ex2 connects fine with the camera hotshoe probably because its flat and supported by the front of the camera. THIS PROVES THAT WEATHERPROOF CONNECTION IS CRAP!! Also the ex2 is heavier and leans forward in the oc shoe and causes the disconnect. This is a design error and i am writing and calling Canon about it. Now i suspect they may tell me it works fine with the camera shoe so there is no problem, but if it doesnt work with their own oc shoe, then its poor design. A lot of us use the flash off camera; we dont all shoot for newspapers or SI and shoot in the rain!! If the connection breaks off it maybe the weight of the heavier unit cannot be supported properly by the crap shoe connection. If yoiu have had similar problems please respond to this thread as i will take the lead in contacting Canon and demanding a fix. I will post photos of the connection problem later and also post in other threads. comments please!!

Just for future reference the weather sealing can easily be removed temporarily, its just a bit of rubber sealing cushion. I purchased a used 580exII from a pawn shop and the sealing material was missing. Its a pressure fit so all you have to do is pull it loose if its causing you problems.

Also, for clarity - I have had zero issues with the connection to my camera, a third party OC cable or any cold shoe / light stand / bracket I've attached it too.

My damaged 580exII, if anything, would have been saved if the connection was bad - an 8' tall light stand blew over, and the flash twisted, snapping the plastic tabs behind the metal plate on the foot. If the fit was loose, it may have actually come out of the cold shoe, and not received such a blow!

pcj wrote in post #11089690
Also, for clarity - I have had zero issues with the connection to my camera, a third party OC cable or any cold shoe / light stand / bracket I've attached it too.

My damaged 580exII, if anything, would have been saved if the connection was bad - an 8' tall light stand blew over, and the flash twisted, snapping the plastic tabs behind the metal plate on the foot. If the fit was loose, it may have actually come out of the cold shoe, and not received such a blow!

OK. I see the situation with yours. The rubber is not the problem its the new connection screw vs. new. Its like a belt for your waist that needs another hole to be tight. Until last night the problem was intermittent. At a wedding Saturday it started at the brides house; (i didnt know the full extent of the problem then, i thought it may have been a dirty connection) and didnt do it again until the reception where it started firing at full power, or nat at all. I have read on this forum the exact same problem others were having. If it was the cords the 580ex wouldnt work with them; the ex2 works fine with the camera, but not with the cords and bracket. NOTE: the Stroboframe bracket is tilted slightly forward for lighting purposes... Again, i will post photos and if anyone has suggestions i will be glad to try anything. The flash functions perfectly as long as there is a good connection, but I still think the connection is the problem... If i can tilt the flash back and make a good connection it cant be anything else...

Amazing.

When I called Canon on Wednesday, they told me that it wouldn't be in stock till late this week, shipped until Monday, with me sometime next week.

It arrived today. Just swapped it out, works perfectly.

Amazing that a $500 piece of modern electronics can a) survive such a fall and b) has a $37 user replaceable part to fix it!