Nikon SB-800 very loose in PocketWizard TT5 hot-shoe:

[studio460]

<p>I own three PocketWizard TT5 tranceivers, one SB-800, and four SB-600s. I use them all interchangeably, along with various monolights. So, no single TT5 necessarily mates with the same Speedlight at any given session. But, when setting up one of my TT5s with my SB-800 last night, I noticed that the SB-800 was very wobbly in the TT5 hot-shoe. The SB-600 was less wobbly (I simply don't recall if it was ever that tight to begin with). I've used the TT5s on only two paid shoots, so they haven't been that abused yet. Anyone else notice that their TT5's hot-shoe receivers aren't very tight, even when the Nikon locking pin is engaged?</p>

<p>Is there any DIY "fix" for this? The TT5 hot-shoe blades just seem too spread apart. I don't generally mount heavy modifiers on the Speedlights themselves, so I don't think I inadvertantly spread them through casual use, although I imagine that is one possibility. Any ideas?</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>Get SB900.</p>

[leighb]

<p>Did you screw down the retaining ring on the flash foot?</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[studio460]

<p>Thanks, Leigh, but there is no retaining ring on SB-800/600 Speedlights, just the lever-actuated locking pin.</p>

[studio460]

<p>The SB-900 is too bulky for me, Frank. I'm actually looking for another SB-800 since I now have two Quantum Turbos, and my SB-600s don't accept high-voltage battery packs.</p>

[krisheylen]

<p>I don't have TT5's, but I had a similar problem on my cheapo flash adapters.</p>

<p>In my case, there is a peace of bent metal that acts as a spring where the foot slides in. I had to lift this up a bit with a simple screwdriver, so this spring puts more pressure on the flash foot. </p>

<p>I hope your's can be solved as easily as mine.</p>

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[krisheylen]

<p>I meant "piece of bent metal" of course. Too much christmas food I guess :-)</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>The SB900 was supposed to have a bit thicker flash foot, contrary to some opinions.<br>

Seems fits more firmly in a camera flash shoe. <br>

However, putting SB900 on the top of TT5 or TT1, and all of that on the camera, makes it too wobbly and cumbersome to use.</p>

<p>The small and light SU800 commander would work better, or the Pockwt Wizard zone controller.</p>

<p>With the "cheapo" adapter, you could possibly loose the PW remote flash control capability, perhaps limitting PW to just triggering function?</p>

[krisheylen]

<p>Frank, I'm not suggesting to put a cheapo adapter in between, which would indeed lead to a loss of some (most) of the PW's functions. I only explained how I repaired mine (the cheapo), which was suffering the same problem, and it is now as steady as a rock. Well, as steady as the adapter can possibly get :-)</p>

<p>I don't know if the same can be done with the PW's, as I don't have them. At least trying this (you can see in a moment if it can be done or not) will be a lot cheaper than buying an SB900 or SU800, which is not really a solution to Ralph's problem... </p>