I really do love my Sony equipment, and not just because Sony throws me work from time to time. It really is good stuff. However I hit a little snag when trying to use my flash (the awesome Sony HVL-60M) with my remote trigger system. It wouldn't fire. No matter what I did. It just sat there like a paperweight.
So I did some sleuthing and discovered that the pin on the flash wasn't aligning with the proper point on the receiver's shoe. In laymen's terms, it was the equivalent of putting in a battery backwards.
So, the solution? Seeing as the flash only needed to slide about 2 or 3 millimeters further forward, I simply filed down the plastic at the front of the shoe. This lets the flash slip forward a bit more, lets the pins align, and PRESTO, lets the flash fire.
It isn't scary to do. I used a dremel tool, but some patience and a rough nail file or sharp knife would also do the trick. (I take no responsibility for bloody fingers or stuff flying into your eyes; be safe or have a grown up do it.)
Now my Sony flash and my remote system get along like old buddies, and I can even (gasp) use my Nikon flash and my Sony flash together in harmony. It makes sense, the cameras do share some guts from what I hear.
If you found this post, I hope it helped you out. Happy shooting.