How to replace wide flash adapter on SB-800 (and probably other models)

[darren_cokin]

I had my SB-800 for no more than 2 days before it went crashing to the floor. I

know, I'm a dumbass. The umbrella bracket I got came with a generic hot shoe

adapter, with a little screw on the side to "lock" the flash in place. But, it

just uses friction, it's not positively engaged in anything. I should have

known better. I went to adjust the umbrella, jostling the stand, and the flash

slipped out of the hot shoe. I managed to deflect it with my foot, so it didn't

hit the ground with full force, but the pop-out wide flash adapter / diffuser

was broken off.<br><br>

 

Bummer! <br><br>

 

(Okay, so now I know I ought to screw the AS-19 stand that came with the flash

into the umbrella bracket, rather than using the generic hot shoe. Or, I should

drill a hole in the generic hot shoe, so the flash's locking pin has something

to engage in.)<br><br>

 

Lucky for me, I don't live far from Nikon's west coast service center in El

Segundo, so I stopped by on my way to work Monday morning. I'm a heck-of-a-nice

guy, smile and say please and thank you, so they gave me the replacement part

for free. Nikon Service has always been good to me. <br><br>

 

It wasn't until later that I realized it was most definitely NOT designed to be

end user installed though... I guess the girl at the counter who gave me the

part didn't realize that either... I did manage to get it installed without any

disassembly, but only after a lot of frustration, cursing, etc... <br><br>

 

Don't attempt this if you are not mechanically inclined! <br><br>

 

The translucent part (that broke off) is attached to what I'll call a "slider".

You'll want to remove it, so you can have a look at it. It can't be pulled

straight out obviously, so you've got to rotate it sideways first. Make a hook

out of a paperclip to manipulate it. Be careful with the spring that's attached

to the front (that pops the diffuser down). <br><br>

 

You can now see how the diffuser attaches to the slider. The diffuser has two

hinge points, that slip into holes in the slider. (One of those points is what

broke.) Since neither of these parts is very flexible, you can't just pop them

together. One side of the slider has a notch behind the hole, so you can slide

the hinge point into place from the back. <br><br>

 

Now you need to get the slider back into place. And then, pulled out all the

way. Bend a paperclip to pick up those two hinge points, basically to make a

handle you can manipulate the slider with. Slide it in sideways, straighten it,

and pull it out. Be careful with that spring! <br><br>

 

With the slider centered, you can't get either side of the diffuser in place.

Push the left side of the slider in slightly, and you can make just enough room

to get the right side of the diffuser in it's hole. While you're doing this,

you need to be lifting the spring with a tiny jeweler's screwdriver. It needs

to be on top of the diffuser, you can see a little notch for it. This takes a

bit of dexterity. <br><br>

 

At this point, the right side of the diffuser is connected to the slider, and

the spring is pushing it down. Now, how the hell do you get the left side of

the diffuser in the hole? The notch is farther back, and is blocked by the

quick reference card and top of the flash! <br><br>

 

I considered <i>slightly</i> disassembling the flash head. I figured I could

just loosen the bolts, and separate the housings just enough to make room,

without actually taking the thing apart. But the screws were so tight! I was

worried I'd strip them. And I knew that would totally void my warrantee... <br><br>

 

The answer was a bit of elbow grease, and dexterity... With my smallest

jewelers screwdriver in the hole on the left side of the slider and acting as a

lever, I was pulling the slider out, so it wouldn't be forced back in. With a

slightly larger jewelers screwdriver, I was prying open a larger gap between the

slider and quick reference card. Basically, I jammed the end of that diffuser

in the gap between the quick reference card and the slider, and with a jolt, got

it back far enough to reach the notch and pop in place. Just a minor scuff on

the quick reference card. It all works fine now. <br><br>

 

Not easy! Hope I don't have to do it again. <br><br>

 

But, it is nice when you can fix your own stupid mistake so quickly!<br>

(And not have to leave your new toy at the repair shop for a week or more.) <br><br>

 

Darren<div></div>

[juan_parm_nides]

Really, thanks. Brave boy!!