I recently joined the forum, but have always cruised around here. I am trying to find a way to attach my new nano focus light to my rig. I have a Canon G10 with the Ikelite housing and a DS-160 strobe. Right now, i have the light attached to the arm of the strobe with a RAM mount (kind of a cheap set up). I am trying to move it to the top of my ikelite housing, but it unfortunately lacks a cold shoe.
Does anybody have an idea of how to attach it here? I was thinking of possibly gluing a cold shoe to the top of it, maybe with some type of superglue or epoxy.
Thanks in advance for your imput
I would suggest not mounting anything directly on the housing, especially a molded one. If the housing was accidently dropped or fell on a light mounted on a cold shoe, the housing could be damaged or cracked. My Nexus aluminum housing ships with a cold shoe attached. I removed it. My focus light mounts on top of a housing handle (which is very sturdy) with ULCS parts.
My Nexus aluminum housing ships with a cold shoe attached. I removed it. My focus light mounts on top of a housing handle (which is very sturdy) with ULCS parts.
JCCLINK,
You talking about the black plastic piece on the front right for the cold shoe? I had an aluminum one machined and was planning on putting my Big Blue on it. You think this is not a good idea?
I agree with JCC about the molded housing. I always connected my light to the arms when using a P/S and liked it.
Dave
I had good success with steel epoxy reinforced with shredded fiber and my OEM housing.
Held up very well under normal diving conditions.
It fell off when I stupidly took the housing out in 6 degree weather, but it held up over two separate one-week dive trips with 2-3 dives a day.
Dave,
The "cold shoe" I referred to on my Nexus is the "hot shoe" type mount on top center of the housing. The black mount (mine was aluminum) on the front right (looking from rear) was also removed. I only mount things to housing handles, which are very sturdy with a large mounting screw. My fear is that if something mounted directly on the housing & it takes a major hit, damage could occur to the housing itself. Fasteners could be broken off, possibly requiring machining to remove/repair. Ok, maybe worse case, but I'm a little paranoid about this sort of thing.
As far as gluing to a molded housing, if subjected to impact what will actually happen - nothing, glue joint fail or cracked housing? I would just not take the chance. Remember - Murphy is also a diver
If you do use epoxy you might consider putting a safety lanyard on the strobe. The physical size of the housing can change at depth, just like cold weather, and it might pop the epoxy off. If you have a safety lanyard it means you just have to re-attach it later. If not, you could lose a nice strobe.
Dave,
The "cold shoe" I referred to on my Nexus is the "hot shoe" type mount on top center of the housing. The black mount (mine was aluminum) on the front right (looking from rear) was also removed. I only mount things to housing handles, which are very sturdy with a large mounting screw. My fear is that if something mounted directly on the housing & it takes a major hit, damage could occur to the housing itself. Fasteners could be broken off, possibly requiring machining to remove/repair. Ok, maybe worse case, but I'm a little paranoid about this sort of thing.
As far as gluing to a molded housing, if subjected to impact what will actually happen - nothing, glue joint fail or cracked housing? I would just not take the chance. Remember - Murphy is also a diver
Personally, my take on the matter is (a) don't drop your housing, that's bad no matter what! and (b) how much "extra" damage do you really think we're talking about, vs the damage of the impact itself?
I think Murphy would have to be in serious force and effect for any extra damage over what would have happened from the impact anyway. I'm ok with those odds, and apparently other housing manufacturers are, too, since more and more of them are putting cold shoes on the camera for accessory mounting these days. Ikelite (as one example) used to offer it only as a custom option and now it's standard on many of their housings, and their housings are probably the most susceptible to the potential damage you're describing.
If you do use epoxy you might consider putting a safety lanyard on the strobe. The physical size of the housing can change at depth, just like cold weather, and it might pop the epoxy off. If you have a safety lanyard it means you just have to re-attach it later. If not, you could lose a nice strobe.
He is talking about a $35 flashlight ... and I had the exact same thing attached to mine ... a cheap little light.
But point taken.
Thanks for the posts everybody. Just as an update, i bought a hunk of delrin on ebay that i will fit over the shaft of the quick release ball on my ike handle. Ill fabricate this into a mount, possibly incorperating a RAM mount that i have laying around here. The delrin should be arriving soon, so ill post picts when its done.
and (b) how much "extra" damage do you really think we're talking about, vs the damage of the impact itself?
