Mamiya M645J: Hot Shoe Cover & PC Sync Socket Cover

Mamiya M645J: Hot Shoe Cover & PC Sync Socket Cover

The M645 manual recommends (in several places) that
in order to avoid electrical shock:
if one is using a flash connected via the hot shoe on top of the finder,
then one should put a PC Sync Socket Cover on the PC sync socket;
if one is using a flash connected via the PC sync socket,
then one should put a Hot Shoe Cover on the hot shoe on top of the finder.
IIRC, the manual does not address the case of not using the flash at all.
I presume that using both at once would be absurd,
not to mention harmful to (at least) the equipment.

My outfit doesn't seem to have included either of these things.

So.
Is this precaution really necessary?

Is it necessary to use a Hot Shoe Cover made specifically for this camera,
or will any Hot Shoe Cover (or reasonable facsimile thereof) suffice?

Is it necessary to use a PC Sync Socket Cover made specifically for this camera,
or will any PC Sync Socket Cover (or reasonable facsimile thereof) suffice?

I could easily fashion home-made ones out of styrene sheet and tubing.

Re: Mamiya M645J: Hot Shoe Cover & PC Sync Socket Cover


"scenic_man" <l96wagt02@sneakemail,com > wrote in message
news:2qkhi.1508$Nw5.1253@trndny04...
> The M645 manual recommends (in several places) that
> in order to avoid electrical shock:
> if one is using a flash connected via the hot shoe on top of the
> finder,
> then one should put a PC Sync Socket Cover on the PC sync socket;
> if one is using a flash connected via the PC sync socket,
> then one should put a Hot Shoe Cover on the hot shoe on top of the
> finder.
> IIRC, the manual does not address the case of not using the flash at all.
> I presume that using both at once would be absurd,
> not to mention harmful to (at least) the equipment.
>
> My outfit doesn't seem to have included either of these things.
>
> So.
> Is this precaution really necessary?
>
> Is it necessary to use a Hot Shoe Cover made specifically for this camera,
> or will any Hot Shoe Cover (or reasonable facsimile thereof) suffice?
>
> Is it necessary to use a PC Sync Socket Cover made specifically for this
> camera,
> or will any PC Sync Socket Cover (or reasonable facsimile thereof)
> suffice?
>
> I could easily fashion home-made ones out of styrene sheet and tubing.

The electrical shock hazard at issue is from the sync voltage of the flash
unit, not the camera. If a flash is connected to the PC socket, the voltage
that appears across the PC contacts will also appear at the hot shoe, and
vice versa. Some older flashs used a fair unit of voltage to sync, most
modern flashes are fairly low voltage, in the 5volt area. Personnally, I
think that it would be difficult to get your finger on the PC socket in such
a way as to get a good electrical contact. The hotshoe might be easier to
get a shock from.

When not using a flash, there will no voltage present at either connection.
Actually, using both the PC socket and the hot shoe is not absurd-- a fill
flash in the hot shoe, and a key flash off to one side connected to the PC
socket-- but depending on the flash units, it could easily be harmful and is
ill-advised without elctronic testing for compatibility between the two
flash units.

I wouldn't worry about the covers, but then I've been nailed by some fairly
high voltages with no ill effects (Except for the voices in my head!). If
you are sensitive to shocks, or it makes you feel safer, cover them with any
sort of insulating cover that fits.