review: Frio coldshoe adapter for speedlights
The Frio is such an elegantly simple device – ready-made for those times you need to attach a speedlight to a light-stand or umbrella bracket. What makes it so neat is that you don’t have to tighten a twisty knob to attach the flash. And neither do you have to un-tighten that same over-tightened knurly knob when you want to release the speedlight again.
Where the Frio really shines is with the modern speedlights that have a pin & lock system. This make them nearly impossible to seat securely in some coldshoes. With the Frio’s way of clipping the speedlight into position, that’s not a problem any more.
The Frio has a unique way of keeping the speedlight secure – it just slips in, and then the clip at the end holds it in position. To release the speedlight, just push down on the end of the clip, and the speedlight is easily shuffled out. Simplicity itself, with no risk that the speedlight can accidentally wiggle loose over time.
Since the Frio is made of a hard plastic, it can shatter if knocked too hard. I’ve lost one of them that way. But I see this as an advantage in that the Frio gives way; not my speedlight’s hotshoe. I can more easily replace the Frio.
The Frio can take anything that has a male hotshoe connector, such as a microphone or an LED video light. So that gives it a certain flexibility in use, and an easy choice to just have 2 or three in your camera bag anyway. It’ll find a use, somehwere, someday.
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These things are going to sell like hotcakes! great idea.
Comment by Chris — June 22, 2011 @ 12:15 am
Thanks Stephanie, simplicity at its best.
Cheers,
Trev
Comment by Trev — June 22, 2011 @ 12:30 am
Now if it doubled as a stand . . .
Comment by Eric Skagen — June 22, 2011 @ 12:57 am
nice, but doesn’t help for radio triggers that require a shoe interface :(
I lose a flash due to that once
Comment by a sad sb900 — June 22, 2011 @ 1:10 am
Actually it does work with radio triggers that use a shoe interface. I used it with my Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 yesterday. Worked beautifully. It will work with anything that would go into a normal cold shoe – radio triggers, video lights, microphones…
Comment by Stephanie Zettl — June 22, 2011 @ 1:33 am
A little OT, but is that a Cheetah Stand QBox in the photo above?
If so, how do you like it?
Comment by Howard Owen — June 22, 2011 @ 4:38 am
Now that you have helped promote this great accessory I suppose that I shall have to wait to purchase a few more to add to the free one I received from the sample bag ( mail in coupon ) at the McNally flash bus tour.That one finally came via the mail after a 2 month delay. I wish there was a Frio model that could fit on my larger Monfratto stands that end with the bigger thread.I use these larger stands when I need extra hight and stability. With a small ring thred adapter the frio then could be used on both of my stands . …Ron Lemish
Comment by ron lemish — June 22, 2011 @ 5:46 am
Thanks for posting this write up Stephanie! We are always using off camera flashes and have had the same nagging feeling that they might not hold well. I’ll be stocking up with these soon.
As a side note, yes that is the cheetah softbox. It is a amazing for it’s ease of use,durability and price. The connecting ring and mount are of metal and all works well. Where the ring sits at the back of the softbox feels a little loose, but has never come off not even partially. I even shake it good before I put my SB-900 on it. Really worth it. Also the cheetah boom stands are some of the best I’ve used. *not paid by cheetah stands* :-)
Thanks again!
Comment by Nate Johnston — June 22, 2011 @ 8:45 am
It’s actually the Interfit Strobies Folding Softbox – 24 inches
For less than $100 it’s great. It’s light weight and easy to setup and tear down. The ball head mount is nice, but it could be a bit more robust. The SB900 is a heavy flash and you need to make sure the mount is really tight to hold properly. My model does not have an inner baffling which is something I would have liked to have.
Comment by Stephanie Zettl — June 22, 2011 @ 11:27 am
Ha! Well, I was wrong :-) Sure does look like though.
Comment by Nate Johnston — June 22, 2011 @ 12:40 pm
I have been using these since March this year and they are fantastic, safe and durable, use two with Yongnuo remotes no problems at all.
Comment by ROBIN HORTON — June 22, 2011 @ 2:18 pm
Hey guys…. I’m James, the inventor of the frio(tm). Thought I’d drop by and say thanks for all your great comments… @RonL Hope you got my emails explaining and apologising… that delay drove me crazy. As for the 3/8 version, we’re working on it… @Robin H and @StephZ Thanks! @Chris Thanks… you can help make that happen.. hint hint… ;-)
Comment by James Madelin — June 22, 2011 @ 4:56 pm
I have to jump in as a canon user and say this shoe does not fit any flash – the 580EX II does not clip into place on this and can slide off and fall!
I purchased and returned them promptly when I realised this. Be warned, not secure with a 580EX II.
Comment by George — July 21, 2011 @ 7:23 am
Comment by Neil vN — July 21, 2011 @ 5:12 pm
I bought 3 of these when I first learned about them. Paid about $15 each. Was very happy with the performance until the first one broke when my lightstand got knocked over. My Canon 430EX-II was mounted, with a shoot-thru umbrella and the wind blew it over breaking the plastic tabs on the Frio that hold the flash shoe. It didn’t fall very far, or very hard, and I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t more durable. I figured it was defective, and it was too late to send it back where I bought it, so I tried to contact the company. Reading their FAQ, it seemed that this was pretty common, and in fact it was a “Feature”. Part of the design to break away to protect the flash in case of catastrophe. So I let it go. It didn’t take long for the other two to sacrifice themselves, and in these cases, there was no fall or mishap, they just broke. I absolutely recommend against these in favor of just about any other locking shoe mount. For the price, they were a complete waste. I have since learned of a knock-off product that performs the same function, but costs around $3.00. It’s in the shape of a fish, and I think it goes by that name. I will buy a dozen of them at that price, and even if they break too, I wont complain. $15.00 is too much to pay for a disposable product.
Comment by Curtis Warwick — October 19, 2012 @ 8:10 am
Five month down the road are the frios still as good as you first thought?
Comment by Rick — November 5, 2012 @ 4:33 pm
Comment by Neil vN — November 5, 2012 @ 4:58 pm
Hi Neil, I like the second image in this article, the one with the SB-900 mounted on the Frio. Can you tell me what the lens you used for that shot?
Comment by Alfredo Medina — November 6, 2012 @ 9:00 pm
Hi Neil
I really enjoy your web site and your seminars on line. Could you tell me if the Canon 600 EX RT fits the frio flash adaptor? I fear the bulky weather sealing on the flash may not allow it to be locked in there properly. Many thanks in advance.
Regards,
Comment by Azimian — April 3, 2013 @ 4:11 pm
Comment by Neil vN — April 4, 2013 @ 10:22 pm