Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Impact Umbrella Clamp Revisited

 

I wrote an earlier post about the Impact Umbrella Bracket and how it could be re-configured to better align a speedlight along a shoot-through umbrella’s axis for more even light distribution. This was because it had two possible entries for the cold-shoe spigot. There are also two possible entries when mounting the bracket on a light stand, a monopod, or on whatever else you may wish to use. By inserting the monopod spigot in the alternate position as I have done here, you can increase the offset just enough for the umbrella to lie flat when stored. 



A minor point is the spigot. This threads onto the 1/4 x 20 thread ( or 3/8" threads) on your monopod, converting it to the 5/8 diameter “pin” that becomes the attaching point between the bracket and the light stand. The ones that are normally available through retail channels will prove a bit long when mounting the bracket in the alternative position, resulting in a lopsided attachment. The readily available brass spigot, shown at the left, is noticeably longer than the more desirable short (steel) one. 


Here the short spigot allows for proper contact on the raised portions, resulting in a more secure installation. I'll update this post when I remember where I got the short ones. I may have been shipped with the bracket.