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FAQ> Equipment
FAQ >
Attach a light to a stand
How to attach a light to a stand
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How do I attach my PS-300 MonoLight strobe to attach to a
light stand. |
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This is most likely caused by the light stand connector
fitting being too deeply seated in the strobe case. |
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<- This is probably how
your PS-300 strobe's light stand connector fitting looks now.
The connector fitting on the strobe is a male screw, but the connector fitting
on the light stand is a male screw, too!".
The metal fitting's
female end, into which the light stand screws, gets pushed up
into the plastic case (the round hole). This silver metal fitting
has a female socket on one end (this is where the light stand
screws in), and a threaded male screw on the other end. It's
the female end that will need to attach to the light stand, but
sometimes this female end gets pushed up into the surrounding
plastic too deep to mate with the light stand's male fitting
(often resulting in the male end sticking out of the opposite
side of the hole, as in the above picture). |
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To solve this problem, you need
to push this fitting's male end deeper into the plastic base,
to allow the female end to just barely stick out the other side..
<<--so it looks like thisLoosen the tension knob, also called
an angle adjustment knob (on the bottom of the strobe), and push
the male end of the fitting (the round silver metal connector
with a male screw on one end, and a female socket on the other)
down, so the female end just barely comes out the bottom. Then
you should be able to attach it (via the female end) to the top
of the light stand's male end.
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Getting the light stand to
mate with the female end of the fitting is a bit tricky; you
have to align them perfectly, and then they'll mate perfectly).
If the fitting won't come down, try tapping the opposite end
(tap the male screw sticking out) with a rubber mallet; if that
fails, we have an extension fitting that I can send you, but
the fitting almost always slides down under moderate pressure.
Once the strobe and light stand
are mated, tighten the angle adjustment knob to set the strobe
at the appropriate angle. A worst-case scenario would be that
the strobe is in some manner defective, and of course, should
that be the case, I'll replace the strobe for you at no charge
(of course). But try the operation I've outlined here, and see
if that doesn't solve the problem for you.
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IMPORTANT Update:
Many of the PS-200 Strobes are now being shipped without
the screw-tip light stand connector (shown above). In this case, simply attach the PS-200's light
stand connector hole to the light stand in the same manner as
the bulb holder (below)
is attached to the light stands.
Here's a picture of the new PS-200 MonoLight
Strobe; you can see the Tension Knob, The Light stand
connection fitting (which is the same fitting used by the other
MonoLight strobes, as with the PS-300s, and SM-1250, in the image
above, but sometimes excluded from PS-200 strobes). You can also
see the rear of the Umbrella Holder slot.
The PS-200 can also connect to a light stand in the
same manner as does a bulb holder (which is quicker and easier
than using the screw-in fitting); see the details by clicking
the link below.
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While some of the PS-200 Strobes used
come with a screw-tip insert to let you attach the PS-200 to
the light stand's screw tip (as
explained
above), most PS-200s now
come without the screw-type insert, so you can attach the PS-200
to the light stands in the same way as when using a bulb holder
strobe or a continuous light! Why? Because it's so much quicker
easier than using the screw-on method. |
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If your PS-200s came with the screw-in inserts,
and if you don't want to hassle with screwing and un-screwing
your lights every time you need to pack them up, simply remove
the silver metal light stand connector fitting (see image to
the left) just loosen the tension knob, and pull the silver insert
completely out of the strobe base (if your strobe came with the
insert). Then, attach the strobe to the light stand exactly the
same way as when using a bulb holder - see the pictures
below.
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Help! I can't get my strobe or bulb holder to attach
to a light stand. |
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<-- See how there's a threaded tip
on the top of the light stand? It's used to connect certain models
of MonoLight strobes to light stands, but NOT all strobes or
Continuous Lights use bulb holders or similar connectors!
Most light stand manufacturers use a connector tip that will
work with many different kinds of strobes and other lighting
accessories.
This is most likely because the light stand connector
fitting is confusing, since it has a threaded tip. Normal folks
will presume it's designed to screw into something! It is, but
NOT for strobes or continuous lights using bulb holders and similar
light stand attachments.
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For the Continuous Lighting Equipment, you'll see the "Light Stand Connector"
opening on the base of the lamp. This is where you connect it
to the light stands.
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Focusable Digital
Lamps, have a Light stand attachment on the bottom of the
light frame. This is where you slip it over the top of your light
stands, and then tighten the Tension Knob.
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IMPORTANT:
Both the 200 Watt Lamps
AND the 300 Watt Lamps work exactly the same!
With the 200/300 Watt Continuous Digital/Video
Lamp, you have the ability to choose whether to mount the
light on a light stand, or on your camera's accessory shoe. In
this picture, we see the lamp attached to a light stand.
As you can see, the light stand connector
slips over the light stand's connector tip, and Tension Knob
2 is tightened to hold it in place. As with all lights using
this type of connector, be sure to slide the fitting all the
way down onto the light stand tip before tightening the tension
knob.
To mount the lamp on your camera or camcorder's
accessory shoe, unscrew Tension Knob 1, and remove the light
stand connector fitting part completely, and slip the accessory
shoe attachment fitting into your camera's shoe.
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