Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter,Black
Electronics > Camera & Photo > Lighting & Studio > Lighting > Mounting Hardware
About this item
- Easily attaches an umbrella to your light stand.
- Tilting feature adds adjustability to light and umbrella.
Reviews
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
So good I bought three
There really is no reason in my opinion to own anything else. I realize you can nickel and dime yourself to death but something things really are worth the extra expen$e. The 026 truly is the best as far as I'm concerned.
I'm fairly new to photography and as I got ready to take the step into the larger world of off camera flash photography I took the time to properly research my equipment options. Honestly this really is a no brainer. The 5/8's inserts at either end yield nearly universal compatibility with mounting options which already get's the 026 to te head of the pack. Obviously this is designed to be mounted atop a light stand but the included female adaptor lets the 026 to thread onto a 1/4" or 3/8" male threaded mount. Not all alternatives include these adaptors.
All locks are easy to manipulate and the whole rig is a solid bridge once tightened down. The best of these is the main pivot lock. Its the largest of the locks. And once tightened down the handle can be "unlocked" and pointed to a more convenient angle then reengaged. The rest of the tensioners are well designed and well placed. The one thing I would change to improve this design is the "top lock" that normally holds your hot shoe mount. A knob would've been preferable to the clamp style tensioner. The rest is pretty standard throughout the industry.
The bottom line is the Manfrotto 026 umbrella adaptor can be had for $30-35. That's not going to break the bank if you compare it to the cost of a decent flash. In fact at what a decent light costs, I really wouldn't trust anything else. One more thing. If you intend to mount a speedlight to this thing, do yourself a favor. Buy a Stroboframe shoe mount adaptor. These are the best. The yield a positive lock on the hoe shoe foot. And they also feature a cutaway that gives plenty of clearance for the contacts on the bottom of your flash (i.e. - keeping these from shorting to one another.) There is one little caveat, the stroboframe has a small screw on the bottom that causes clearance issues. The brass thread adaptor has to be set about 3/16" high in the holder to get proper clearance and a solid lock.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Necessary, but also really good adapter
This Manfrotto swivel umbrella adapter connects your light stand to your accessories such as an umbrella, radio remote or directly to your speedlite flash. It is a heavy-duty, long-lasting addition to your bag.
Pros
* All heavy-duty, strong and solid material used in construction
* The main adjustment handle is on an external socket that permits you to re-adjust it so the handle always faces a certain direction, e.g., down for deploying or up for storage
* Double-male and double-female brass spigots (aka studs) included (1/4-20 and 3/8-16 threads on both)
* Fits virtually all umbrellas or with the included spigots, can adapt to 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 units
* With the addition of a second male spigot, can function short-term as a tripod camera mount (not meant for this, but it can support a few pounds this way for non-critical work)
Cons
* The handle, though configurable, cannot be easily removed for more compact storage
* The top and bottom screws will dig into your brass spigots, marring them, and if you're overzealous about it, they will collapse hollow umbrella tubes (workaround: fit dowels into your umbrella tube ends, or buy solid-stick umbrellas)
Other thoughts
Despite the cons, it's a great way to connect up your lighting components. Some improvements would include a cupped, captive, center-swiveling end to the tightening screws (top and bottom); this would keep the screw from digging into your accessories and marring them (or collapsing hollow umbrella tubes). For a while, until I got used to the directionality of the umbrella socket, I marked the normal "in" side so I wouldn't inadvertently feed in the umbrella backwards. Either way works, but you should be aware of your intended use and direction for aiming your flash, so you choose the best way.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
This is the mother of all umbrella adaptors! While ...
This is the mother of all umbrella adaptors! While there are cheaper knock-offs, you get what you pay for. First, the Manfrotto is built to withstand abuse. Short of stripping the screws, I doubt I will be able to break this thing. Second, each of the screws has a different shape knob. This comes in handy when a strobe is mounted to this adaptor inside of a umbrella-style soft box - you can identify the handle or knob for the umbrella shaft or the swivel adjustment by feel. Finally, the biggest thing for me is the fact that one can tighten the swivel so it will not slip. I have found this to be a huge issue on cheaper umbrella adaptors - the swivel screw knob or handle is so small that you can torque the handle down, and the the swivel slips. This doesn't happen with the Mafrotto! Is the Manfrotto more expensive than many? Yes. But worth every penny!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Care about your gear and money? Look no further!
The BEST umbrella adapter I've ever come across. This has become an essential piece of equipment in my location shooting kit even if it adds a tad bit of weight. I no longer have to constantly worry about my gear potentially moving out of place due to flex and instability or falling to the ground because something broke.
ALL metal construction. No plastic parts to threaten failure and compromise your gear. Heavy duty, rock solid and sturdy. Glad to pay every penny for this. After going through other adapters that have failed, I came to the realization that it makes no sense having hundreds of dollars worth of gear supported by a cheap plastic unit.
I have not found anything I dislike about this product other than it may be too strong. When using umbrellas that have a hollow shaft, take care not to over tighten or it will misshape the tube. I have umbrellas that have solid shafts, so this is not a problem for me.
If you care about your investments, this is the adapter to buy, Not only does this have the ability to prolong the life of your lighting equipment by safely securing it all, but the adapter itself should last for years to come saving me the trouble and expense of purchasing new units.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Sturdy, sufficient for heavier 60 inch umbrella
Strong, easy to use.
I highly recommend you buy the Stroboframe hot shoe adapter to mount your flash on top of this (if you get the Strobframe with the pin on the bottom to prevent flash rotation, You'll have to drill a hole/notch in this Manfrotto; the Strobframe with flat bottom and separate bolt works fine w/o drilling).
Edit, after using a few years:
This had seemed like it was built much stronger than needed, when I first got this with my 40 inch shoot-through umbrella. But since getting a 60 inch umbrella with removable black back, this swivel no longer seems over-built, rather it is just sufficient. For the much heavier umbrella, I have to use a great deal of strength to tighten the leaver that sets the angle, else the umbrella slips down. I have two of these, and I feel they will last a life time.
If you only use a small umbrella, you could buy a cheaper plastic swivel; but if you use a large umbrella or other heavy light modifiers, you will need something sturdy like this Manfrotto Swivel.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Great Professional Quality!
This is a very high quality pro umbrella/modifier bracket. I bought two of them after one of my Impact bracket's handle's broke off in my hand while tightening with my
Westcott 2348 50-Inch Recessed Mega JS Apollo (Black)
and 2
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras
speed lights mounted on it. Luckily, I was holding onto the rod of the modifier so nothing plummeted to the earth(carpet LOL).I was thinking, at the time, what would happen if I was on a shoot? So I replaced both of the Impacts. These brackets are all metal, except for two knobs and come with the brass spigots. I love how solid they feel when mounted to the light stands. Easy to turn all the adjusters. These things are so sturdy, I think NASA used them to hold the Shuttle to the launch tower. :)
Additionally, they are heavy duty as in Heavy. That does not bother me in the least. Can't think of anything negative about them at all! Do yourself a favor and get these bad boys!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Well made and flexible positioning
I needed another umbrella bracket and so the Manfrotto 026 landed in my mailbox. The official name is "Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter." With an awkward moniker like that I figured it had to be good! I mounted it on a Manfrotto 1052BAC and it held my Westcott 43-inch umbrella and Yongnuo LED YN300 like a champ. The adjustable tilt locked tight and didn't drift. The umbrella mount hole is slanted 25 degrees, making it easier to center the light in the umbrella than horizontal holes. Each axis lock has a different shape so controls can be distinguished by feel or sight. It also makes a great elbow or swivel for an extension arm, flag, etc.
Two brass spigots are included, allowing mounting on light stands, tripods and the Super Clamp. Mic stands are 5/8", so it can be used to convert mic stands or booms for lighting use. A cold shoe is not included but the
Stroboframe Bracket Shoe Mount
is the best I've owned (has a lock so the flash won't slip out). However, many flash units and video lights have a 1/4" socket and can be screwed directly onto a spigot.
Compared to my Cowboy Studio Umbrella Bracket this Manfrotto 026 feels like a million bucks: excellent fit and finish, beefy build and more flexible positioning. The extra fifteen shekels for this Italian made beauty is definitely worth it.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Well worth its price
Im a single parent so budgeting is a must for me. I shoot photography for recreation because I love it. Ive started shooting for business now as well. Ive ordered the "cheaper" less expensive umbrella with hotshoe kits and they work fine. Albeit tightening the little knobs on those inexpensive kits does make my fingers numb from the pressure. I bought a boom kit and needed an umbrella adapter for it because it didnt come with one. I bought a cheap 10$ one which Im returning today, the knob that holds the umbrella rod jus keeps spinning and dosent tighten anything. So I decided to try the Manfrotto and well. Its a world of difference, full metal construction. No more sore fingers, quick release.
I hardly write reviews however I had to give credit where credits due. Ill be saving up and replacing all my other umbrella adapters. One more thing on this item; this one has like the name implies a tilt that better positions your flash to the center of the umbrella. Unlike all the other umbrella adapters. A big plus for a better even light distribution.
***Update***
Another one of the 'inexpensive' umbrella hotshoes I have , the tightning thread and screw gave out after a few shoots. Lucky I was practicing and not actual on location paid shoot. I just placed an order for another one of these bad boys. Excellent item and excellent service from amazon!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Solid hardware for shooting with umbrellas
Does a great job holding my umbrella nice and snug, and the included mounting spigot is super handy. Sometimes I leave this umbrella adapter on my stands and face the locking handle up to hold wrapped cords. Solid construction and everything locks down nice and tight.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Worth the extra expense
This is my second umbrella adapter that I have purchased in the last year. If I had bought this one first, I could have saved myself the cost of the first one. Yes, you can get umbrella adapters for half the cost of this one, but, in all likelihood, you will, like me, find that you will need to replace it in short order. My original adapter got less than 10 uses from it before the screw that is used to hold the umbrella stopped being able to clamp tightly. It was made mostly of plastic, and did not hold up to even my light use of it. This adapter is very solidly built of metal, with minimal plastic (if any). It is of very high quality and will serve its owner very well. Of course, what else would you expect from a product bearing the Manfrotto name? Save yourself the future hassle of having to purchase another adapter by buying this one first instead of the lesser expensive, and lesser quality ones.
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Question & Answer
Question :
What else do I need to attach my 580 xii canon flash? I'm confused. Is there a kit I can buy (I need a light stand and an umbrella too).
Answer :
Sounds confusing but get the Pocket Wizard AC7 first because the mount will make it easy. Are you using pocket wizatd radios or the infra red system canon out in those units ? It'll work but distance is short and sunlight (ir light ) will block signal, gets inconsistant. Look at manfrotto 0001b lighr stands (cheap and durable) look at photoflex RUT 45 or 30. These will last a while (for umbrellas) Chimera has nice softboxs made for speedlites that ate my favorite and cost about $120.00, should last 20 years
Question :
Do any of you use this with a Cheetah Stand?
Answer :
Never even heard of them until now. I only use Manfrotto, price, value and quality are as good as it gets. I have stands that have been with me for over 12 years and are totally reliable.
Question :
Is the hole holds the umbrella straight through, or is it angled so the umbrella mounts at an angle to project the light to the center of the umbrella
Answer :
The hole for your umbrella is not drilled straight through. It is angled upward so that your flash will shoot into it's center. I'd estimate the angle is about 15 to 20 degress upward incline from horizontal. Look at the youtube video by "CamCrunch" google "Manfrotto 026 Lite-Tite Swivel Umbrella Adapter CamCrunch at 1:27 where this is shown quite well. It is an ideal mount for your speedlite and your umbrella. Love it.
Question :
Does anybody have an idea whether this will go on to a Neewer stand?
Answer :
No problem. This clamp will pretty much connect to any size of stand. The two ends can clamp directly to a large diameter stand, or you can insert a stud in the opening which will give you male or female screw fittings. These are excellent, high quality swivels, but be aware that they're fairly heavy if you're using lightweight stands. By the time you have an speedlight and umbrella or softbox on this, you'll need to be careful to keep it balanced.
Question :
Hello, is this adapter suitable for alien bee? thanks!
Answer :
Hello,
It should work fine with Alien Bees.
Regards,
Roozbeh
OC camera
949-347-1276
Question :
Does this work with the Wescott triple shoe mount adapter?
Answer :
Does your adapter mount to the shaft of an umbrella? This adapter allows an umbrella to be inserted. If the adapter is attached to the umbrella shaft, it would not appear to enter into the equation. If you're NOT using an umbrella with your adapter, then I'm not sure how that scenario would work.
Question :
What's the inside diameter of the umbrella hole? Will it fit Lastolite Trifold umbrella (12mm shaft)?
Answer :
I don't think so. I just measured the umbrella shaft hole at 10mm. It's a teardrop-shaped hole, but 10mm at the widest part of the opening.
Question :
Can this handle an 8 inch shaft umbrella...
Answer :
Need more info to understand your question. Do you mean 8 inches in length/width? Or do you mean 8 feet not inches? The swivel is made to handle standard photographic umbrella shafts so if that's what we're talking about you should be okay as the shaft will simply go through the hole and be tightened in. Just be aware the stand will make a difference in terms of staying up. If it's windy you will probably need sandbags or some sort of weigh to keep it up.
Question :
what is the umbrellas shaft size 7mm 8mm 14mm?
Answer :
I dont know the mm, but the hole is BIG enough for any umbrella
Question :
When I get everything assembled, my flash is parallel to the umbrella shaft, not pointing down to the umbrella center? How do I get it better aligned?
Answer :
I use a Pocket Wizard AC7 rf shield. You I can mount your flash onto this hard shieldthen mount it vertical to your stand. It will accept any speedlite with a hot shoe
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