Lost Flash Hot Shoe Cover

[b-a-k]

Wow,

Lost my hot shoe cover on my E-510 today.... Weird.... Couldn't remember and figure how it dropped....

After buying a replacement....Do you guys know how or if there are compatible covers that resists slipping off???

Must be when i took photos of the cat today.... Sianz....

[drakon09]

Actually the hot shoe cover is really non-essential.

[wrx_sti_22b]

$6 from the Olympus shop at High St building.

[Zoobiee]

I lost my E510's and I bought a Nikon one, cost me either $3 or $4 from Cathay Photo @ Peninsular Plaza.

It fits in fine.

Z

[wrx_sti_22b]

Wow, really? It fits in all the same huh ?

[Mikefellh]

Except for Minolta, hotshoes are all the same.

As for the issue of losing the hotshoe cover, just stick a folded piece of paper between the cover and the shoe...it will hold the cover in better as it's putting upward pressure on the shoe rails.

[Blu-By-U]

Lost mine on the 2nd day after the initial purchase and have not gotten a replacement since. Any reason why it should be covered?

[wind30]

I went for the D70 lesson last time when I had a D70, the instructor say hot-shoe cap is very impt as he had a camera died on him when he shot in the rain without hot shoe cover.

Being exposed electrical contacts, I think it is only an issue if you shoot in rain, which i sometimes do so it is a MUST for me.

[Blu-By-U]

Oh..never thought of that. So far no such problems..Will go out looking for a cheap cover this weekend.

[Zoobiee]

Agreed with Wind30. Its an exposed electrical point. You can have your camera short out on you or, with time, the contacts can be covered with dust and grime, which will probably make the contacts less than optimal when communicating with your flash.

Would be nice if company's devised a way to make hot shoe covers more convenient, such as a swing hinge instead of a sliding piece. Of course they both have pros and cons.

Z

[drakon09]

Use blu-tack then - it is more airtight than the hotshoe cover will ever be.

[Mikefellh]

Originally Posted by wind30 Being exposed electrical contacts, I think it is only an issue if you shoot in rain, which i sometimes do so it is a MUST for me.

Rain isn't the only issue...dirt, dust, pollution...the cover protects against all of that; I've seen some people's cameras get so dirty that the flash doesn't work properly when at first they connect the flash.

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by Mikefellh Rain isn't the only issue...dirt, dust, pollution...the cover protects against all of that; I've seen some people's cameras get so dirty that the flash doesn't work properly when at first they connect the flash.

Serious? I could never get my hotshoes in that bad a condition until there's no communication with the flashgun.

[sykestang]

Actually, it is just a protective cover for the hotshoe. Shooting in the rain and short-circuit the camera is something new for me after shooting for the past 20yrs.

The more important issue is how one should mount the flash properly so as not to damage the hotshoe plays a more important role as compared to covering the hotshoe cover.

But having said so much, I still cover my hotshoe but more for aesthetic reasons than anything else...

[Mikefellh]

Originally Posted by drakon09 Serious? I could never get my hotshoes in that bad a condition until there's no communication with the flashgun.

Well, remember that the interface on today's flashes are low voltage connections, rather than the high voltage connections of yesterday.

[olymac]

Originally Posted by wind30 I went for the D70 lesson last time when I had a D70, the instructor say hot-shoe cap is very impt as he had a camera died on him when he shot in the rain without hot shoe cover. Being exposed electrical contacts, I think it is only an issue if you shoot in rain, which i sometimes do so it is a MUST for me.

In the rain, even with a hotshoe cover, it will short circuit as the water seeps in between the cover and the hot shoe. In fact the likelihood of that happening is probably greater than without a hot shoe cover. Unless yr hotshoe cover is waterproof.

[spidey89]

Originally Posted by olymac In the rain, even with a hotshoe cover, it will short circuit as the water seeps in between the cover and the hot shoe. In fact the likelihood of that happening is probably greater than without a hot shoe cover. Unless yr hotshoe cover is waterproof.

like the E-1 and the new E-3?

[b-a-k]

I think.... hot shoe covers were designed for a purpose ba.... be it aestheticly or functionally it does fufill a bit of both right? Thanks for all the advise...decided to use the jam paper method... hope it doesn't fall off again....

[Kirika]

Sure it serves a purpose. It helps reduce oxidation of the contacts. That's my biggest gripe when it comes to electronics: Leave contacts exposed long enough and they slowly corrode. Probably not a major issue with flash, but I dare say that when my earphone jacks oxidize the music output becomes intermittent.

I'm not sure how good paper is, but I guess it protects better than open air. I've heard about acid in paper, but I'm not sure how damaging that is in reality. For me, I'd get a small piece of acrylic and cut it to shape. Looks prettier. heh

[cjtune]

Originally Posted by Kirika Sure it serves a purpose. It helps reduce oxidation of the contacts. That's my biggest gripe when it comes to electronics: Leave contacts exposed long enough and they slowly corrode. Probably not a major issue with flash, but I dare say that when my earphone jacks oxidize the music output becomes intermittent. I'm not sure how good paper is, but I guess it protects better than open air. I've heard about acid in paper, but I'm not sure how damaging that is in reality. For me, I'd get a small piece of acrylic and cut it to shape. Looks prettier. heh

I support your view. I find myself occasionally scratching off some tarnish off the hotshoe's contacts or else my FL-50 can't detect the camera body. Probably due to my sweat and grime as usually I would leave my cam slung to one side of my body and it'll be touching my left arm as I walk along.