Tips on using the Hot Shoe Lock Lever: Be Gentle

Antonio

Over the past few months I have received occassional reports of V6 units getting "stucked" on cameras. The cause is the plastic spring mechanims holding the locking pin has aged and broke, leaving the the locking pin permanently in the dropped position.

I would like to take this opportunity to recommend all V6 users to:

Not push the Hot Shoe Lock Lever with too much force.

A gentle slide over of the Lever would just be fine. Stop pushing the Lever as you feel it touches the camera's hot shoe.

Maybe it's better to think of the Lever as a sliding switch to engage the locking pin, and not as a real clamping lock. 

In reality, what stops the V6 from sliding off the camera is not how hard you clamp it down, but the locking pin that is inserted to your camera's hot shoe.

Locking Tips:

1. Looking from above, do not push the Lever beyond the 4 o'clock positiion.
2. Stop pushing the Lever as soon as it is in contact with camera's hot shoe.
   
3. Anything close to 3:30 or 3 o'clock you are stressing out the plastic spring mechanism.

Beside having the aged spring ends up breaking apart, before it breaks you may notice the locking pin sticking out more even in the retracted position. So this is a sign that the spring in your V6 has been taking up some stress.

FYI we are looking for ways to strengthen the spring mechanism and hopefully we can beef up the spring. But in the meantime, please be gentle on the Lever. Thank you!

Waring

I have two units where the metal shoe has broken free from the back end.  I expect it's caused by someone over tightening the lever. The units have lost contact with the trigger connection and won't function in Tx mode. The do work in Rx mode but the weight of the flash causes it to tip forward as the back on the metal shoe is free.

Antonio

Hello @Waring,

I am not sure if over tightening the lock lever could cause the loose hot shoe. The back screw may have loosen over time with on-camera flash mounted or weight pushing the front end of the trigger down, or the screw simply did not hold up. I suppose the screw is not intact anymore? Please send back to dealer for service.

Thank you!