I was hoping someone here could help me! I was using my sb-900 yesterday during a shoot and it fell straight to the ground from about six feet up!! Everything was fine but I realized it was because when I locked it down it didn't really grab all the way like it usually does. It was on a plastic mount that also holds my umbrella. Any suggestions? Is there a way to tighten it?
Can't help yo there but you may notice that there probably is not a small hole in the plastic mount that the pin on the bottom of the SB-900 slides into. I'd try and drill a tiny hole in the plastic mount, for the pin.
Sheesh...I didn't even think of that. Thanks! I have never had it fall off the mount, or my sb-600, either! I know my sb-900 is a lot heavier than the 600 and the height and angle that the stand/umbrella/light were at probably was the reason it finally came off. Argh!
Not an inexpensive solution (but alot cheaper than repairing a flash that crashed to the floor) is the Crane Coldshoe: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/414166-REG/Crane_SLSN_SLSN_Flash_Shoe_Mount.html Has the locking hole for Nikon flashes, is built to the correct spec for Nikon hot shoes, and includes a brass insert in the bottom for mounting on a 1/4-20 screw.
The plastic foot that came with my SB-800 has locking holes in all three hot shoe slots. I'm only assuming that the plastic foot that comes with the 900 has similar locking holes. Maybe because you didn't push the flash in enough for the pin to actually go through the locking hole?
If the plastic foot for the 900 doesn't have these locking holes then purchase the plastic foot for the 800 for a few dollars.
Luckily no damage to the speedlight this time.