Quick answer
Fit a Flex-Connect tray by aligning the tray's 1/4-20 mounting screw with your camera or housing's tripod socket, then turning the screw until snug—do not overtighten. The Flex-Connect Single Tray works for one light or grip; the Dual Tray adds a second grip for two lights. If you want a complete setup with arm and adapter, the Flex-Connect Single Tray Kit includes those parts.
Check your camera or housing mount before you start
Every Flex-Connect tray attaches via a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount, so it fits most major brands of underwater cameras and housings. Before buying or installing, confirm your camera or housing has that threaded socket on the bottom. The Flex-Connect Dual Tray fits SportDiver and SportDiver S housings but will not fit SportDiver (original) models, so check your housing model if you use a smartphone setup. If your housing lacks a 1/4-20 socket, you will need a different mounting solution.
Choose the tray that matches your lighting plan
A single tray holds one light or flash directly, or you can add a Flex-Connect Grip or Flex Arm for more control. A dual tray holds two lights or flashes, which increases light coverage, reduces shadowing, and gives you two grips for stability. If you already own a light and want the simplest upgrade, start with the single tray. If you plan to run two lights or want better balance in current, the dual tray is the better base.
Flex-Connect Grip
Step-by-step: fitting your Flex-Connect tray
- 1. Dry-fit the tray to your camera or housing: With the camera and tray out of the water, align the tray's 1/4-20 mounting screw with the tripod socket on the bottom of your camera or housing. Turn the screw by hand until it starts to catch. Do not force it. Checkpoint: the screw should turn smoothly. If it binds immediately, stop—you may be cross-threading.
- 2. Tighten the mounting screw until snug: Once the screw is threaded correctly, tighten it until the tray feels firmly attached with no wobble. Do not overtighten; you only need enough pressure to keep the tray from shifting during a dive. Common mistake: using a tool to over-tighten can strip the threads in the housing or camera base.
- 3. Attach a grip or arm if you are using one: If you have a Flex-Connect Grip or Flex Arm, slide or thread it onto the tray according to its own instructions. The Single Tray Kit includes these parts; with a standalone Single Tray or Dual Tray, add them separately if needed. Checkpoint: give the grip a gentle tug to confirm it is locked in place before adding a light.
- 4. Mount your light or flash: Attach your light or flash to the tray, grip, or arm using the appropriate adapter. The Single Tray Kit includes a YS Adapter for lights that use a YS mount. If you are using a different light brand, check that you have the right adapter. Common mistake: forgetting the adapter and trying to force a non-matching mount.
- 5. Do a final balance and function check: Hold the complete setup as you would underwater. The tray should feel balanced, and all connections should be tight. If you added two lights to a Dual Tray, adjust the grips so the rig hangs evenly. Checkpoint: re-check the 1/4-20 screw after your first dive, as it can loosen slightly with use.
Flex-Connect trays at a glance
- Flex-Connect Single Tray Kit: Flex-Connect Single Tray Kit includes the Single Tray, Grip, Flex Arm, and YS Adapter, and uses a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount to fit most major brands of underwater cameras. This is the fastest way to get a complete tray-and-arm setup if you already have a camera and light, because you do not need to buy the grip and arm separately.
- Flex-Connect Dual Tray: Flex-Connect Dual Tray mounts two lights or flashes, increases light coverage, reduces shadowing, and provides two grips for stability; it fits SportDiver and SportDiver S but will not fit SportDiver (original). Choose this if you want to run two lights or need more stability, but verify your housing model first if you use a SportDiver.
- Flex-Connect Single Tray: Flex-Connect Single Tray mounts to any underwater camera with a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount, includes the 1/4-20 mounting screw, and can accept a light directly or a Flex-Connect Grip or Flex Arm. This is the base tray if you already own a grip or arm, or if you only need one light and want to keep the setup minimal.
