Flash gun 'foot' mount broken

Hey all,

wondering if anyone knows of a quick fix for this? Dropped my camera and flashgun at the protest today and it came off the camera. I have all the piece i believe, but each side of the mount that'd normally slide under the hot shoe steel clips has broken off.


I'm wondering if perhaps a simple gluing is the best step forward here? It'sa Metz 48 AF-1. It cost me €180 and it still works, so I'm not throwing it to one side and forgetting about it.



I notice though, that a small portion of the flashgun at the bottom is a seperate piece that is screwed on. Is it possible to but a replacement mount area? Preferably a steel one or such?


Cheers to any one with any advice here. I'm thinking a simple glue job will suffice, but don't know if it'll be strong enough. Flash guns are quite top-heavy in their design.

Is this "SCA" the piece i need to replace?

http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius/pid/12695

zerohamster

Glue isnt such a good idea as it wont hold and you might just clog things up with glue shards aswell. I will have a look now and see if you can get that part seperately (a few mins and Ill post the parts number if there is one)

smelltheglove

Ooooooh, had a similar problem with a light trigger. I did glue it until I got a replacment but I have to be honest it was not reliable. I did need to glue and then wrap in sellotape until the glue set but it did have to be done 3 or 4 times over the course of a week or so until my replacement arrived. Needless to say I bought a spare also second time around.

Also beware of damaging the shoe mount on the camera with glue too. Best try and see if you can get a repair first before going to those measures.

Tried with glue to poor results. Didn't do any damage to the cameras hot shoe, and the foot seems OK (aside from being broke in three pieces, of course).

Cheers Zerohamster.

I think I'm gonna buy a yoko ono (or whatever theyre called) flash gun. TinyExplosions on here does be singing their praises and they're only about €60 i believe (as opposed to the €180 i paid for the metz).

zerohamster

Sorry I couldnt find the part number but if you ring them up they are should sort you out no problem. For such a common problem such as broken hot shoe mount it probably wont cost more then €10 for the part Id say.

Sorry I couldnt do more, I dont have the parts manuals for Metz flashes available to me unfortunately but as I said they should sort you out.

I cant guarrantee that they will get you the part but if they refuse then let me know and I can see what I can do

Service number for metz: 00441628799902
Service e-mail: service@intro2020.co.uk

CabanSail

The hot shoe on flashes are actually designed to be the weak link. It's a LOT cheaper to replace the base of a flash than the hot shoe on the camera.

Interesting point there Caban... can't you pay more for higher end flashguns that have a steel shoe, though?


Hamster, thanks a lot. I've belted them off an email (and also made an offer on ebay for a Yokozuna flash gun). The Metz group are based in the UK, so hopefully if they email me back a price or such, i can be fixing my Metz up within the week (though I just know it won't go that smoothly).

Have to take photos at a gig in three weeks I believe. So I need to have a flash sorted out quickly enough.

Thanks again for your help.

CabanSail

Deleted User wrote: »

Interesting point there Caban... can't you pay more for higher end flashguns that have a steel shoe, though?

Yes some did/do have metal hot shoe's and I asked the same question a few years back when I had a the same problem. It cost me about €40 for the part and repair. What I was told, and it's believable, is that if it were more solid then the part that broke may well have been the camera shoe. The cost of a repair there would easily be five times as much.

Thecageyone

Deleted User wrote: »

I think I'm gonna buy a yoko ono (or whatever theyre called) flash gun. TinyExplosions on here does be singing their praises and they're only about €60 i believe (as opposed to the €180 i paid for the metz).

Another vote for the Yoko flashes here

Cheap as, and do the trick. They all throw out the same sort of light sure ...

Bah, no luck with those intro2020 blokes.


"Dear Shane,

We do not sell or service Metz in the Republic of Ireland - we are the Metz distributors for the UK only. Please contact DML at info@dml.ie for your country's distributor/service agency.

Hope this information helps.

Regards
Service Department"



I checked that DML.ie site and it looks dodgy as fcuk. No mention of Metz on it, either.

Anyone got any idea now? I've checked ebay but they only sell the foot part for Nikon or Canon, I think. (though I'd be happy to get the canon one if that meant my Metz would be 'made for' Canon instead of Olympus. I just want a fully working flash gun!).

kensutz

DML dodgy? Nothing wrong with them tbh

nilhg

I think you'll find DML are OK.

Plenty of Metz on there too,

http://www.dml.ie/eMerchantPro/pc/viewCategories.asp?pageStyle=h&idCategory=689

Give them a ring, see how you get on.

zerohamster

DML are legit and helpful too (will clean your sensor for free and show you how to do it too).
Also, any ebay sellers will pretty much charge you double for the part.
If it requires soldering then give me a shout and ill sort it out for you

CabanSail

+1 for DML being a very good company.

Sorry, just thought the site looked dodgy as hell. Pop under ads, and the top of my screen reads "dml.ie is currently registered".

Just seems a bit odd. Layout of the site doesn't look the best either. But alas, I don't care. If they can help me then I'm happy enough. I've belted off an email to them and I'll let ye know what/if I hear back.


I'm about to buy a Yokozuna flash on eBay, too. Hopefully it will arrive within three weeks. Will need it by the 17th.

Just off the phone with DML.


Hmm.. Not sure. They offered me a new one at a reasonable enough price of €160 (as far as Metz go) but reckoned I'd be looking at €100 to get my current one fixed.

I'm not sure to be honest. €100 seems like it's a bit much. I might just contact Metz in germany and ask for a replacement. Seen a guide online where someone fixed his Canon flash gun's mount and it looked fairly straight forward so I'm happy to DIY it, I just need the relevant part.

kensutz

So you dropped the flash and want to ask Metz to replace it for you? I can only think of one answer they'll give you tbh.

kensutz

kensutz wrote: »

So you dropped the flash and want to ask Metz to replace it for you? I can only think of one answer they'll give you tbh.

Well most companies would usually offer the facility to purchase extra pieces when you've managed to break them. Especially on relatively expensive items.

Hardly unusual, in fairness.

zerohamster

Actually as a supplier I think they are supposed to also be the parts supplier as the UK branch dont deal with Ireland.
Just explain that you wish to purchase the part yourself and that the UK branch pointed you towards them for parts.
you could preliminarily ring the UK service line and ask them for the part number for the flash mount that you want and then ring up DML saying that you want to order part number "blah blah blah" for the metz flash and if they say "huh!?" then you tell them the UK supplier said that they were the supplier for Ireland and to ring them
Also €100 for the repair is steep :O

nilhg

What's broken on it, it seems there could be two different options, have a look here,

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/86000-where-find-replacement-foot-assembly-metz-48-auto-focus-1-a.html

zerohamster

kensutz wrote: »

So you dropped the flash and want to ask Metz to replace it for you? I can only think of one answer they'll give you tbh.

Actually for external parts most companies will supply you if you are general public and past that its really a matter of knowing the part number for other parts (in saying that it is always better to have the part number).

zerohamster

nilhg wrote: »

What's broken on it, it seems there could be two different options, have a look here,

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/86000-where-find-replacement-foot-assembly-metz-48-auto-focus-1-a.html

The part he will be looking for is the $2.00 one as he isnt trying to replace the chip (specific to camera brand).
the part number they have qouted is #MZ 795110284.A4 so if you ring DML and ask to order that part for the Metz flash you have they should get back to you with a price.

nilhg, that's me exactly. This photo is stole from that thread, but my flash looks pretty much identical;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xhanamaix/4252672833/



I'll try following the steps in that thread, but I reckon I'll get nowhere as I imagine whomever the poster contacted (the poster that got the piece and fixed it himself for less than €$10) won't help me as I'm outside the US.


Zero, I'll wait until Metz reply to me before I contact DML again. I'm certainly not planning to pay €100 to repair it.

zerohamster

zerohamster wrote: »

The part he will be looking for is the $2.00 one as he isnt trying to replace the chip (specific to camera brand).
the part number they have qouted is #MZ 795110284.A4 so if you ring DML and ask to order that part for the Metz flash you have they should get back to you with a price.

I took that part number and emailed it to DML, asking if they can supply me with it and a price.

Hopefully they'll be able to sort me out, now.

zerohamster

Oh I didnt mean order it from the US but considering that DML are the Metz suppliers for Ireland they should order the part for you if given the part number as I think it is their duty as the supplier for the country.
If you have trouble with the repair you could always post it down to me with the part and I could sort it out for you.

Oh, I know what you meant

I didn't bother contacting the US guys. If DML are not able to help (and as you say, they're the Irish Metz dealer so they should be able to) then I'll follow the US route (though I just know they won't help me).

I appreciate the offer to help too. If I get the part sorted and I get stuck, i'll send you along a PM no doubt.

It's just getting the part that's the issue.

DML replied to my at lightning speed earlier. But they're taking a little while now I'd have thought they'd just have a catalogue of parts and pieces.

zerohamster

No problem

Actually I would say they would have to ring their supplier for that info as they probably dont get asked often/ever to supply parts to people and would probably be waiting on a reply from their supplier now before they contact you.

Well hopefully that's what it is.

I'll be sure to keep ye all updated in painstaking detail as I whinge and moan my way around fixing my Metz :P

Thought I'd just throw an update in here;

DML haven't contacted me back yet. Nor have Metz. Must be the snow :rolleyes:


Manfrotto, however, in the US, have gotten on to me and even corrected me on the part that I need (apparently the number used in the thread so far isn't a piece for Olympus).

So they gave me the right number, and said the part costs $4 plus shipping, but they generally don't ship outside of the US. So I asked if they would ship to me, and they said they could send it with UPS international, but they'd just give UPS my credit card and they could charge me the costs.

So I ran through the UPS site and it quoted me $95 for shipping. Balls to that. It's the size of a Lego block!


So now, whilst DML have done a disappearing act, I have to rope in an american somewhere who can accept the part from Manfrotto, and get them to send it to me.


What a run-around!

zerohamster

I would say its the snow delaying things, Email DML with the correct part number or try give them a ring as you will get results much quicker

Good luck in the parts quest

cnocbui

KKV - this thread might be of interest to you regarding shipping from the US:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055204527

I don't know about DML to be honest. I'll just leave it until/if they contact me. I'm after getting the product and the price before them? Doesn't seem right.


Cnocbui; that thread seemed to have gone a bit awry toward the end, and the site that is linked to in the OP seems a bit... odd. Selling welding and aliminium supplies?

I used to run a Wrestling Figure proboard, and a few of the core members are still good online-friends. There are one or two Americans in there, so I'm gonna see if I can get one of them to help.

I think I'll buy two parts though. So if this happens again (and I'm sure it will at some stage) I can avoid this hassle when I need it in a rush.


Still waiting on a Yongnuo from eBay. Hope the snow clears up soon, so An Post can get back to it.

nilhg

Just wondering how you got on with your flash repair? Looks as if I'm going to need the same part for my AF58-1

nilhg

nilhg wrote: »

Just wondering how you got on with your flash repair? Looks as if I'm going to need the same part for my AF58-1

Still waiting for it. Had to get Manfrotto in the US to sell it to me and post it to a bloke I know in the US. I got two pieces, at $4 each and $4 for shipping, so that's $12.

Just waiting on the guy to post the two pieces on to me now and will hear from him to see how much that costs.


DML wanted about €50 for the piece shipped to me, and when I told him i could get it from Manfrotto for $4, DML guy said he couldn't get it for that price, so fair play to me.

So yeah... still just playing the waiting game, really.

nilhg

Deleted User wrote: »

Still waiting for it. Had to get Manfrotto in the US to sell it to me and post it to a bloke I know in the US. I got two pieces, at $4 each and $4 for shipping, so that's $12.

Just waiting on the guy to post the two pieces on to me now and will hear from him to see how much that costs.


DML wanted about €50 for the piece shipped to me, and when I told him i could get it from Manfrotto for $4, DML guy said he couldn't get it for that price, so fair play to me.

So yeah... still just playing the waiting game, really.

Cheers, looks as if I'll be doing the same as you, though I might try for a price off the guys in the UK, won't tell them I'm over here though, intro 2020 are just off the M4, I know a guy who goes across to the UK regularly he might collect it for me if their price wasn't ridiculous.

nilhg

nilhg wrote: »

Cheers, looks as if I'll be doing the same as you, though I might try for a price off the guys in the UK, won't tell them I'm over here though, intro 2020 are just off the M4, I know a guy who goes across to the UK regularly he might collect it for me if their price wasn't ridiculous.

Well if you're contacting Manfrotto US, make sure you tell them what flash you have and what it's for (canon, olympus, etc.) because I had the wrong part number and they corrected it for me.

Better safe than sorry and all that. Manfrotto US were fairly speedy with email replies, too.

Quick update; got my two little "feet" from my US friend and they seem grand. All I need now, is to find the rarest, most obscure screwdriver imaginable, to try and open this thing up. Honest to god; could they not have just use regular screws? Feckin' Metz!

Quick snap from earlier;

tommyl2010

i have a 270ex flash that is broken (not the foot mount) if you want you could have it and take the mount off it and try fit it on yours!

tommyl2010

just seen you got sorted sorry never mind lol

nilhg

Deleted User wrote: »

Quick update; got my two little "feet" from my US friend and they seem grand. All I need now, is to find the rarest, most obscure screwdriver imaginable, to try and open this thing up. Honest to god; could they not have just use regular screws? Feckin' Metz!

Quick snap from earlier;


[img*]http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/3599/img9937v.jpg[/img]

Intro 2020 agreed yesterday to post me over 2, total cost £21 delivered inc VAT, I think the individual cost of the parts is £3, after I told them that DML don't expect to have stock for 3/4 weeks, TBH DML have gone down in my estimation over this, not much get up and go displayed.

I have one of those screwdrivers here, little torx, not sure of the size, took my flash apart one evening just to see what exactly I needed, takes about 20 mins altogether.


Untitled by cilldara, on Flickr

Nilhg, can I ask, you wouldn't know the name of the screwdriver or the size or such, so I can eBay it?

(alternatively, you wouldn't fancy lendinr, or preferably selling, your own?)


Pulled the house apart earlier looking for a screwdriver for it, and not one can open it. This is the last problem I ever expected to have.

nilhg

Deleted User wrote: »

Nilhg, can I ask, you wouldn't know the name of the screwdriver or the size or such, so I can eBay it?

(alternatively, you wouldn't fancy lendinr, or preferably selling, your own?)


Pulled the house apart earlier looking for a screwdriver for it, and not one can open it. This is the last problem I ever expected to have.

It's a torx t6 screwdriver, maplins or even woodies or B&Q should have them, I think I got mine when I bought a replacement screen for one of the kids mobiles.

No problem lending it to you, except I hope to be using it soon:D

You'll pick one up easily enough I think, come back to me if you can't.

Well Cheers Nilhg. I'll keep my eyes peeled and try a few of stores today or tomorrow, and let you know how I get on.

Cheers.

Went to a chemist today where a local Pro works (they sell cameras, gear, etc.) and he gave me a lend of a little tool kit that had the screwdriver I needed.

Took it home, made a bollocks of it, and brought it back to him.


When I wa closing it up, the screws that go through the chip inside, no matter how hard I turned, refused to go down the whole way, meaning the chip was able to move around the place. I eventually ended twisting so much that the threads in the screws got worn away.

The flashgun can now go onto a hotshow, but when it's screwed down, it rocks about the place a little too easily for my liking. I could never use it on a camera (though it may still be useful for on a lightstand or such down the line).

So I need a new one, now. I think I'm just going to get rid of all my Olympus gear now altogether and stick with Canon. Need a feckin' job, first though, to pay for it.

nilhg

Deleted User wrote: »

Went to a chemist today where a local Pro works (they sell cameras, gear, etc.) and he gave me a lend of a little tool kit that had the screwdriver I needed.

Took it home, made a bollocks of it, and brought it back to him.


When I wa closing it up, the screws that go through the chip inside, no matter how hard I turned, refused to go down the whole way, meaning the chip was able to move around the place. I eventually ended twisting so much that the threads in the screws got worn away.

The flashgun can now go onto a hotshow, but when it's screwed down, it rocks about the place a little too easily for my liking. I could never use it on a camera (though it may still be useful for on a lightstand or such down the line).

So I need a new one, now. I think I'm just going to get rid of all my Olympus gear now altogether and stick with Canon. Need a feckin' job, first though, to pay for it.

The three screws that go through that board are slightly shorter than the other 4, you didn't get them mixed up?

nilhg

OK, got the feet for my flash in the post this morning and have just finished putting it all back together, everything seems to work OK:D


@KKV, I found similar to you, the three screws through the circuit board holding the foot in took much more effort going in than they had coming out, I think the threads aren't formed in the foot when it comes, the screw has to form them as it goes in. I found that if I did it gradually, going from screw to screw giving each a small turn then moving on to the next I eventually got it all nice and tight without having to exert more pressure than I was comfortable with. I suppose I learned from your misfortune.

If you still have one spare foot I'd suggest running the screws into the appropriate holes before you start the rebuild, at least you'll know that the threads are OK.

nilhg

nilhg wrote: »

OK, got the feet for my flash in the post this morning and have just finished putting it all back together, everything seems to work OK:D


@KKV, I found similar to you, the three screws through the circuit board holding the foot in took much more effort going in than they had coming out, I think the threads aren't formed in the foot when it comes, the screw has to form them as it goes in. I found that if I did it gradually, going from screw to screw giving each a small turn then moving on to the next I eventually got it all nice and tight without having to exert more pressure than I was comfortable with. I suppose I learned from your misfortune.

If you still have one spare foot I'd suggest running the screws into the appropriate holes before you start the rebuild, at least you'll know that the threads are OK.

Hey Nilhg. Glad to see you know what I meant, now, but it wasn't working for me. I tried putting them all down gradually, but i was still nearly breaking my fingers trying to turn the one at the front (the two beside each other at the back weren't too bad, though they still took an effort).

Two of the screws are quite literally threadless at the moment, so even opening it back up will be difficult.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a secondary flash now. If I leave the circular-thingy screwed up the full way, the flash doesn't bounce around (though it doesn't have the pin down, holding it in place), so i reckon if i buy a cheap ass wireless trigger set, I might be able to use some electrical tape to hold the flash onto the receiver permanently, and then buy a light stand down the line and use it as a backup.

It's a flash for Olympus, but I think it dying has killed my use for Olympus, too (without a flash, the E-420 is useless in poor lighting, as the noise above 800 ISO makes images unusable). Gonna get another 48 AF-1, but this time for my canon. I'll keep the Olympus stuff, but won't be investing any more money in it.

Poxy Metz.

nilhg

Pity not to get proper use out of a decent flash when you have all the bits, find a few similar sized screws somewhere and have a go with the spare foot you have, I'm sure that having had the experience of doing it once you'll be grand this time.


Having seen the way it's put together inside it's a good thing the foot breaks first, next in line would be that circuit board and it wouldn't be cheap.........

When I first rang DML, I think they thought I was looking for a whole circuit and they wanted to charge me €120 and send the flash to Metz in Germany for, an estimated, three weeks.

Wouldn't be nice.

I might take a look around for similar sized screws, but I don't know. I'm in two minds. If i end up making it worse I'll just annoy myself even further

chisel

If you know the thread size you can often pick up these tiny screws fairly cheaply on ebay. The guys who trick about with clocks and model engine stuff use them too. Might not get a torx one, but its likely you'd get an allen or even phillips one.