SB700- loose tilting head-want to disable lock button

[robert_stig]

<p>I have an SB700/800/900 and I also have yongnuo 565/568/560III flashes<br /> I enjoy using the yongnuo flashes when it comes to tilting and turning the head in stressed events because there isnt a lock button. I just love it.</p>

<p>anybody know a diy to remove the locking button on the nikon flashes? not worried about opeining the flash as ive replaced the hot foot on the sb800. yes im aware of the electricity shock potential. thank you</p>

<p>the other problem im having is specific to the SB700. its not holding tight well when I tilt the head up anywhere above the straight ahead 90º</p>

<p>any help appreciated.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>It's not uncommon that the flash head can't stay up when you have a heavy modifier on the flash head.</p>

<p>If you remove the lock button the flash head will also rotate by itself when you have some modifier attached.</p>

<p>If you remove the rubber cover (it's glued on) you could probably wedge a toothpick or something similar on the side of the button so it stays in. I have done something very similar on other Nikon speedlights.</p>

<p> </p>

[robert_stig]

<p>Thanks for the reply. no modifier on the flash. just out of wear I guess. ill have to open the head and see whats going on there. </p>

[5711]

<p>i am not so sure if that actually is a good idea because i think the other flashes might have more friction in the joints as a nikon flash will have after disabeling the lock.<br /> <br /> might be wobbeling all over the place.<br /> <br /> i also find it a very interesting concept.<br /> <br /> what do you need the wobbling head for?<br /> <br /> the lock button on the sb800,900,910 are easy to operate.<br /> actually you only need one hand to operate the sb 910.<br /> so what do you use it for?<br /> im curious to know</p>

<p>thanks in advance</p>

<p>edit<br>

if i need a flash to be mobile, i use an ettl chord.<br>

as a d3 with a 14-24 is a heavy thing..this is more sports than photography but great results.<br>

so i dodge the wobbly head because a d3 can be operated with one hand..</p>

<p>how do you apply this system of yours..i am curious ;)</p>

[robert_stig]

<p>hey Norbert</p>

<p>when shooting weddings under stress you cant believe how fast you need to work and turning the head to bounce up when youre shooting vertical is very time consuming even if for a half second delay. I lost shots before because of that. I will not shoot with the head straight on ever. </p>

<p><br />~~~what do you need the wobbling head for?~~<br>

what do you mean? my poist is the fact that its not as stiff to move up and down and if I flick the head, it will fall down. not enough friction. I dont think the lock button has anything to do with the friction of the head. </p>

<p>I use 6 yongnuo 622n slaves for off camera flashes I use for the dance floor or family formals. no ttl cord for years now. last time I used a cord was with my sb28/f5 era.</p>

<p>the 14-24 for sports? what sports? I shot with tele if I need to shoot athletes.</p>

[5711]

<p>a bit of a misunderstanding here.</p>

<p>okay, you use that for weddings and this is your style of shooting.<br /> cool, got it.</p>

<p>the sports thing...i was reffering to the three kilos in one hand and the flash in the other hand as sport.<br /> heavy lifting all day if you want :)<br /> i use this under very stressfull situations in between riot cops or metal concerts in the moshpit and i had been fine, so i guess your weddings are safe too ;)</p>

<p>i totally get you when saying ajusting the head takes too long,..thats the reason why i use it off camera on a chord as i dont want to use remote control as it always runs out of battery when you dnt need it..i can rely on the chord<br /> bounce it off the wall, the ceiling..straight in the face..from the site..zoom it in or out adjust ev..all with one hand while the other one can shoot, pressing the surpress flash button all the time (custom setting).</p>

<p>if set to master, your cls system will work also, su4 for that matter too.<br /> but this again is only for the static motives you were talking about, like families and stuff.</p>

<p>i would hardly suggest to not open a flash but use it on a chord or remote.<br /> <br /> as far as i can see it, what you are doing really is a very specific style of shooting and you shouldn deviate from it.<br /> that brings me to the sb700..<br /> you said the head doesnt lock..that could be because something at or near the lock button-mechanism (lets call it that) has snapped out of position and wont hold it.<br /> if you still have waranty, send it in. sounds like somethings broken..or as you mentioned above open it up.because as it seems youve got some experience in that already.<br /> your call i suppose..<br>

pete s. suggested a method..that seems really blunt to me, and ruins the good flash..but why not. wedding shooters got the money anyway :))</p>

<p>good luck</p>

 

[robert_stig]

<p>I didnt say it doesnt lock. the flash locks. I just want to disable the lock. its just a nuisance for me. love the yongnuo flashes where I just twist and go.</p>

<p>SU4 is old school for me. CLS is very limiting as well. ttl off camera flash is bad unless u go cable. and thats not even a consideration in my field. I could go ttl with my 622n, and I have for 2 full weddings and it sucks at best. only manual power for OCF. </p>

<p>ill have to open it and see what I can find. if Ill find anything.</p>

<p>seinfeld made a joke about how when the car breaks down, we lift the hood and look under like well find something evident for the cause like a big on/off switch. haha</p>

[5711]

<p>the seinfeld joke is quite acurate :)</p>

 

[robert_stig]

<p>hahaha. it stops running, we look under like for certain it will be a simple plug that fell out and just like that we fixed the car and were on our way.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Never understood why Nikon and Canon fit the annoying locks to the tilt/swivel action on their speedlights/speedlites- no 3rd party manufacturer does - not even Metz, who at one time were the pro's weapon of choice. They sensibly don't fit a lock for the very reason of speed of use. And the lock is only effective in the straight-ahead position, which gives the ugliest possible lighting. It doesn't affect the use of a modifier when the head is tilted or swivelled away from there.</p>

<p>Anyhow, all I can suggest is jamming the button in by some means. Not sure that gaffer tape would be strong enough for the job, but maybe Blu-Tack would do it. Super glue? That's if you never want to use the button ever again and you don't mind losing some 2nd hand value of the flash.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>Have a look at this video on SB600 repair. It's for the SB600 but the locking mechanism I believe are the same as the SB700.</p>

<p>It shouldn't be to hard to remove the lock. Under the square metal part that locks, there is a spring. Perhaps you only need to remove the spring. I'm sure you can figure it out after having the parts in your hand.<br>

<p>When I shot weddings I worked the same way as Robert. Bounce the flash off whatever that is available - which means a lot of rotation between vertical and horizontal and bouncing forwards, backwards and any possible direction. And then use several off camera flash whenever practical - manual mode only. I always shot with two cameras and had two speedlights for them (on camera use) and then I had 4-6 speedlights for off camera use and sometimes two monolights for reception as room lights.</p>

<p>I've also done the "hold the flash in your left and shoot with your right" but it didn't work for me shooting 12-15 hours straight on wedding days. Especially with zooms it just becomes too heavy in the end.</p>

 

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>OK. After watching the video - thanks for the link Pete! It looks like you could just wedge something under the rubber cover to permanently depress the catch. There should be no need to dismantle further than simply peeling the rubber off, pushing something like Blu-tak onto the catch plate and pressing the rubber back on.<br>

Not sure if the adhesive is re-useable though, but double-sided tape is good for sticking things like this back in place.</p>