Ikelite Hotshoe Connector

Hi Guys n Gals,

I'm on a dive trip and had my strobe stop firing from one dive to the next. Strobe batteries new, and strobe showing ready light on.

Set-up is as follows- Ikelite 5D housing connected to an Inon z240 (with another inon as slave on optical). I've tested the sync cord for continuity and appears to be OK, have also examined the pins and sockets for damage/corrosion and all also appear OK.

I suspect that the problem may lie with the hotshoe connector. I was wondering if anyone else has had a problem with these connectors and if so whether you were able to resolve them in the field. I was considering opening it up and seeing if I could fix it. Minor soldering work should be OK. It's a plastic connector and it looks like the top part is glued on.

Or should I just wait till I get home and send it in to be fixed? I'm UK based, so presumably this would mean I would have to send it over to the states.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Fergus

i had a nikon fit one form a problem where it wouldn't go on to the hot shoe to easily, and one of the connections failed. an email to ikelite and they sent me a replacement free off charge and i fitted it my self. not totally straight forward, you need to be a little careful fitting it.

Hi Guys n Gals,

 

I'm on a dive trip and had my strobe stop firing from one dive to the next. Strobe batteries new, and strobe showing ready light on.

Set-up is as follows- Ikelite 5D housing connected to an Inon z240 (with another inon as slave on optical). I've tested the sync cord for continuity and appears to be OK, have also examined the pins and sockets for damage/corrosion and all also appear OK.

I suspect that the problem may lie with the hotshoe connector. I was wondering if anyone else has had a problem with these connectors and if so whether you were able to resolve them in the field. I was considering opening it up and seeing if I could fix it. Minor soldering work should be OK. It's a plastic connector and it looks like the top part is glued on.

Or should I just wait till I get home and send it in to be fixed? I'm UK based, so presumably this would mean I would have to send it over to the states.

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Fergus

Both of my ikelite housings have the same problem, one for a Sony and the other for an Olympus. I solved the problem with a small section of cork (or any similar material) between the hotshoe cable connector and the housing to keep it from popping loose. Ikelite refuses to believe they are the problem and will gladly look at your housing and fix if needed, but a small section of cork,rubber,etc. is cheaper and works just great. Just make sure it is not too long to stress the camera mount or some of your selection actuators might not make a good contact with the camera.

OK thanks for the suggestions. In my case pressing down on the connector didn't seem to help, so maybe I'll just order the part from ikelite, and in the mean time try a bit of diy on the existing one.

OK thanks for the suggestions. In my case pressing down on the connector didn't seem to help, so maybe I'll just order the part from ikelite, and in the mean time try a bit of diy on the existing one.

I also have a 5D housing and had the same problem as you. The housing fit is so close, that when the backplate with the camera and the hot shoe conncted is inserted in the hosuing, the connector is pushed ever so slightly backwards, causing erratic flash behaviour. As suggested above, a small piece of something pushresistant (for me a piece of rubber eraser) inserted between the hotshoe connector and the backplate solves the problem. This seems to be a fairly common problem with Ikelite huosings, and due to the very small displacement of the connector, it is really hard to find if you do not know what to look for.

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