Choosing a flash cold shoe

Introduction

If your flash came with a foot/stand, many have a 1/4 inch 20UNC female mount on the underside, which can be screwed into the lightstand adapter. Then the flash can be attached to the foot.

If you are using remote triggers many have 1/4 inch 20UNC female mount on the underside. Screw the trigger onto the lightstand adapter and attach the flash to the trigger.

If you do not have a foot or use 3rd party triggers, you will need a cold shoe to attach the flash to your lightstand.

What to look for in a cold shoe

  • The cold shoe must not short circuit the flash, older style film era cold shoes can do this. Avoid them.
  • Have 2 points securing the flash, if possible.
  • Allow the flash to be removed or attached easily, but still be secure.
  • Make sure the cold shoe fits your flash. The Canon 600EX-RT seems to be a real challenge to find a good fit, because of its weather sealed foot.
  • Build quality, especially the ability of any thread to take wear and tear on “Screw-in” style cold shoes. If the thread or screw deteriorates the ability to hold the flash is compromised.

Types of cold shoe
There are three broad types of cold shoe: first a “Slide-in” cold shoe, where the flash foot simply slides into the shoe (common among Ebay cold shoes). Secondly, a “Clip-on” type shoe, where the flash foot is pushed over a clip and secured in place (like the Frio). Lastly, a “Screw-in” type shoe, like the Stroboframe.

Only the “Clip-on” and “Screw-in” type cold shoes have two points securing the flash head. The clip or the screw being the first and second the normal way a given flash is secured to a camera hot shoe.The “Slide-in” type cold shoe only has one point securing the flash, like a normal hot shoe on your camera.

Slide-in cold shoes
Think hard before choosing this option, as it only has one point securing the flash to the shoe. The Doc would limit himself to cold shoes customised to a given flash like those from Really Right Stuff or ProMediaGear.

Clip-on cold shoes
The most well known is the Frio V2. There is also a Chinese knock commonly known as the Fish-bone and also the NiceFoto FLH-15.

The Frio, while popular, is not without critics mostly around the plastic Frio breaking too easily. There are also reported problems with fitting a Canon 600EX-RT flash and some Nikon flashes to the Frio.

The Fish-bone, some say, is better quality than the Frio but is criterised as being a functional copy. Like the Frio there examples of the Fish-bone breaking.

The well-made NiceFoto FLH-15 is a different design again.

Screw-in type shoes
For Screw-in cold shoes, the screw knob needs to be big enough to tighten or loosen easily. Strobframe make a respected Screw-in cold shoe, as does Vello and Phottix.

Recommendation
Each person needs to pick the one best suited for their needs and their budget, but the Stroboframe, ProMediaGear and NiceFoto are worth considering. I use the RRS and ProMediaGear shoes.

Currently evaluating a new contender the SmallRig Multi-Functional Cold Shoe Mount with Safety Release 2797. Look here.