Flash Bracket Recommendation??

jrollins

I need a good "flippable" flash bracket. Do any of you have any suggestions? I'm looking at the Custom Brackets brand right now and just wondered if anyone out there had experience, good or bad.

Thanks in advance!

Jon

ziggy53

Be sure to check out this thread:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=44414

ziggy53

Art Scott

this is just my humble opinon...personally I prefer a bracket that the flash is stationary and the camera is rotatable on the lens axis, keeping the flash centered at all times, when going from portrait to landscape....Custom brackets makes some very good realiable strong brackets as does Stroboframe.

Hope this has been some help.

Stustaff

Was looking for a flask bracket myself, went in local camera shop and they had NONE in... as i was leaving the shop the manager shouted 'hold on I have a second hand one if your interested? I was and he slod it me for £3!!!

Bargain.

Scott_Quier

I the FWIW column, after a lot of research and discussions on this and another forum site, I have finally decided on (and paid for) a bracket.

I selected the Newton Bracket (link), model Di100CR and some assorted accessories. Went to order it from B&H and the web-site said none in stock. Called them as they are one of only two retailers for this equipment. Same answer. The suggested I call the guy who manufactures them, Robert Newton.

Talked with him for about 15 minutes and ended up ordering directly from him. I sent him a check a couple of days ago and, today, received an e-mail with a USP tracking number and indicating that it would go out tomorrow. I wonder if he meant out on Tuesday, but either way.... He's sending the stuff before my check has a chance to clear. Cool dude.

jrollins

ziggy53 wrote:

Be sure to check out this thread:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=44414

ziggy53

Thanks Ziggy, this really helped!

jrollins

Art Scott wrote:

this is just my humble opinon...personally I prefer a bracket that the flash is stationary and the camera is rotatable on the lens axis, keeping the flash centered at all times, when going from portrait to landscape....Custom brackets makes some very good realiable strong brackets as does Stroboframe.

Hope this has been some help.

Art - I read your post in the thread that Ziggy referred to above. Good info, thanks!!!

Jon

jrollins

Scott_Quier wrote:

I the FWIW column, after a lot of research and discussions on this and another forum site, I have finally decided on (and paid for) a bracket.

I selected the Newton Bracket (link), model Di100CR and some assorted accessories. Went to order it from B&H and the web-site said none in stock. Called them as they are one of only two retailers for this equipment. Same answer. The suggested I call the guy who manufactures them, Robert Newton.

Talked with him for about 15 minutes and ended up ordering directly from him. I sent him a check a couple of days ago and, today, received an e-mail with a USP tracking number and indicating that it would go out tomorrow. I wonder if he meant out on Tuesday, but either way.... He's sending the stuff before my check has a chance to clear. Cool dude.

I like the looks of the Newton and I REALLY like the idea of using it on tripod or hand held. Thanks Scott!

Jon

spider-t

CB Junior
I love the Custom Bracket CB Junior. I tried a bunch of different brackets and I really like that I can hold this one on the right side as I mostly use a zoom lens for my events. It's really solid and relatively lightweight. folds down small enough to pack in my bag. The rotation is solid and smooth. It has a little pull-out foot so the camera stands straight. (I use the foot as a table top tripod now and then.)

I highly recommend it.

-Trish

jrollins

spider-t wrote:

I love the Custom Bracket CB Junior. I tried a bunch of different brackets and I really like that I can hold this one on the right side as I mostly use a zoom lens for my events. It's really solid and relatively lightweight. folds down small enough to pack in my bag. The rotation is solid and smooth. It has a little pull-out foot so the camera stands straight. (I use the foot as a table top tripod now and then.)

I highly recommend it.

-Trish

Oooo, nice. I do like the compactness of it and the cool foot is nice too. Thanks for the recommendation!

Jon

dogwood

no bracket
First off, I shoot a lot of events with two cameras. I usually shoot with brackets on each cam.

But over on dpreview where I hang out a lot, some guys came up with a really cool design using "fun foam" (search the lighting forum for fun foam).

It works beautifully and is cheap (under 5 bucks) and you no longer need a bracket. I forced myself to shoot a recent fashion show using just fun foam-- no bracket-- and in the portrait orientation at that. Here's an example:




And just for reference, here's a shot from another show using a bracket:

Scott_Quier

dogwood wrote:

First off, I shoot a lot of events with two cameras. I usually shoot with brackets on each cam.

But over on dpreview where I hang out a lot, some guys came up with a really cool design using "fun foam" (search the lighting forum for fun foam).

It works beautifully and is cheap (under 5 bucks) and you no longer need a bracket. I forced myself to shoot a recent fashion show using just fun foam-- no bracket-- and in the portrait orientation at that. Here's an example:

Where the bracket would have helped in the first is in obscuring the model's shadow a bit. In the examply you posted, the shadow is to the model's left. With a bracket, the shadow would have been more directly behind the model and, therefore, less noticable.

In the second photo, I don't see any shadows that could have come from a flash anywhere near camera position. Hmm....

L84CABO

Here's another option worth consideration. They're pricey but look to be of very high quality.

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/flash/index.html

dogwood

Scott_Quier wrote:

Where the bracket would have helped in the first is in obscuring the model's shadow a bit. In the examply you posted, the shadow is to the model's left. With a bracket, the shadow would have been more directly behind the model and, therefore, less noticable.

In the second photo, I don't see any shadows that could have come from a flash anywhere near camera position. Hmm....

All depends on your background. The first two shots here are bracket shots-- one has a shadow, the other doesn't. The fun foam diffusor though-- it rocks and it seriously costs less than five bucks. The third shot here is using the fun foam as fill. It's a little like the Gary Fong plastic container thing-- only cheaper and there's not light "wasted" behind the camera. In my opinion, it's a decent alternative to a bracket.