I'm hoping that someone can guide me to where I can find a flash shoe adaptor that will interface a HVL-F56AM with a swivel umbrella adaptor. I only need the mechanical interface as I intend to use the wireless flash sync.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike

Many swivel umbrella adaptors have a 3/8 inch thread for flash units on top, or a 1/4 tripod thread. The flash shoe foot for the guns has a thread. The alternative is the FS-1200 - old Minolta adaptor, not continued by Sony, which converts a regular ISO hot shoe to accept a Minolta flash. The off-camera flash shoe has the same function and also fits a tripod in its base - it will fit a standard shoe, or a 1/4 inch thread. This is still made by Sony. Finally, a very useful wee device is the Seagull SYK-6 (look on eBay). This has an ISO shoe and brass tripod thread on the bottom, and a Sony flash shoe on top, and a built-in slave cell. It is not switchable, and the slave is no use at all with wireless/built-in triggering because it is intended for use with manual flash (single burst) only. You would need to tape over the flash contacts with a single layer of sellotape to disable the slave function - or trigger your flash set to manual power, using a manual gun or an adapted infra-red trigger on the camera.

David.

Thanks for the help at least now I have some options. I am looking at a Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Lite-Tite) that will mount on the stands I have and have 1/4-20 thread to interface to a shoe adaptor. It's not hard to find 1/4-20 to standard flash shoes but hard to find any for the proprietary Sony shoe. The flash comes with a plastic stand that has a 1/4-20 thread but it doesn't look very sturdy and it's an expensive flash to hold six feet in the air with plastic thread.

It looks like your suggestion of a FS-1200 will work ... there are a few selling on ebay but they are kind of pricy. By searching on FS-1200 I also found the Konica Minolta version of the flash stand MS-2 for $2.99 each. I may try to epoxy one onto a piece of aluminum with a 1/4-20 Riv-nut.
Mike

Get the SIGMA version of the stand. £16. I think I have one remaining for sale - we bought a dozen for stock. Not sure though, I could check if you want. It has a really good brass tripod thread and the whole stand is twice the footprint of the Sony/Minolta type so it supports the flash much better. It can also be used for mounting standard flash.

David

Well, the two MS-2 I found via Amazon.com were a scam. Cheap knockoff that didn't even fit the flash, standard flash shoe. Back to the drawing board. I may have to go with a hot shoe as that's all I can find.

your 56-am already has a 1/4-20 thread, won't that work ?

It works but it is already starting to discolor from plastic fatigue and I have only used it three times. Plastic 1/4 20 thread is not great to start with. Because of the length of the stud on the umbrella adaptor and the depth (or lack thereof) of thread on the flash stand, the interface is in shear rather than compression which makes it even worse. I was hoping to find some more and epoxy them to a piece of aluminum tube with a SS threaded insert.

I think I will email Sony and see if I can by more as replacement parts.

Mike

Like David said The Sigma one is better. the length of the 1/4-20 stud is supposed to be an ISO standard but I guess they don't apply it to umbrella stands. the sigma one has a brass insert instead of molded plastic. .. might be cheaper than sony through spare parts too and wouldn't wear as quick.

Would that be a Flash Stand FS-11? Looks like you can buy it direct from Sigma http://www.sigmaphoto.com/sigmaonlinemall/default.asp?id=72 but there is not much information.

Trust us, the Sigma stand is the best solution - it makes the Sony stand look like a toy.

See:

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2007/06/1 ... pha-dslrs/

A bit out of date now, I may need to revise this.

David

Yup thats the one. your pictures shows the top and is a silouette almost. David has shots comparing them and showing the bottom with the brass insert. this will also fit your ISO flash which slides on from the opposide direction of the minolta one.

Thanks for the feedback. I ordered a couple from sigmaphoto.com. They look sturdy, especially the metal insert versus plastic thread. The pictures are a bit confusing though as the picture from the bottom shows a "through" threaded insert while the top down picture does not.

Mike

nope it's not a through hole, mine is 9/32" deep

I received the Sigma FS-11 Flash Stands I ordered from Sigma. They are indeed more sturdy than the Sony version, as per David.
The one thing I don't like is that the brass threaded insert is blind and not very deep, as per Javelin. As you can see in the picture I had to add a 1/4 flat washer and split lock washer. This is still the weakest point other than the shoe itself.

My current plan is to get a piece of 1/4 aluminum plate , with a through hole, the same size as the stand and epoxy it to the stand.

Thanks again for the help I'll let you know how it goes.

Mike

Edit - with Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Lite-Tite) on cheap Interfit stand