what flash bracket to buy

magicpic

I have a 20d canon camera with a 580 flash..thanks janis

rpcrowe

Flash Bracket Recommendations
I am assuming that you will be using a hotshoe flash such as the Canon (580ex, 550ex, 430ex or 420ex) or a Sigma (EF500 or EF530) and therefore you will need a Canon Off Shoe Camera Cord http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Off-Camera-Shoe-Cord-2_W0QQitemZ130179474272QQihZ003QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (or the Chinese equivalent) between your camera hotshoe and the flash.

I would suggest a Stroboframe Flash Bracket or the Chinese equivalent sold on eBay. I have two Stroboframe type brackets, one made by Stroboframe and the other an eBay Chinese knock off. I really cannot tell the difference in use. However, there is a significant different in price with the Chinese knock-off being considerably less expensive.

Stroboframe type brackets basically come in two types: the flash flip type and the camera flip type. I recommend the camera flip type since the flash is kept in one position over the lens axis. The flash-flip type will change the direction of the flash when you flip from horizontal to vertical and, if you are using a bounce diffuser, you will probably need to adjust that diffuser to send the light where you want it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Flash-Bracket-with-90-degrees-Camera-Rotate-feature_W0QQitemZ170175736061QQihZ007QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I recommend that you use a bounce diffuser with your flash on the camera. There are several types available but, I like the Demb Flash Diffuser Pro (DFD Pro) best.
http://www.dembflashproducts.com/diffuser/models/

Art Scott

I suggest that you consider one of the camera flip brackets made by stroboframe or custom brackets.....this type of bracket will keep the flash centered over the center of the lens......I have had my strobofame so long I cannot remember the exact model but I believe it is a rt-4 or rm or rl-4.....this is one of the taller models as I have used it alot with a sunpak 622 (potato masher type flash)...it is also tall enough that i can use the nikon su-800 wireless commander to control my flash unit(s) off camera without any cables......I have used cabled flash units on these brackets and the cables have a way of just not working in the middle of very important eventss for apparently no reason......I do not like depending on any cables if I can get away from it.

Good Luck

jfriend

magicpic wrote:

I have a 20d canon camera with a 580 flash..thanks janis

There are hundreds of opinions on flash brackets and if you ask five photographers with brackets, you will get five different opinions.

I first owned a CB Junior:


It served it's purpose well of creating some distance between flash and lens and keeping the flash centered over the lens in both orientations. But, there were a couple things I did not like about this bracket:

1. It never really fastened securely to the bottom of my camera. You have to just crank away on a screw that holds some corkboardon the bottom of the bracket to the bottom of your camera. Mine was never fully secure.
2. It was a pain to put on and take off quickly. You really need a large screwdriver handy to attach it well.
3. You can't use this bracket when you also want your camera on a tripod.
4. I never really felt good with the ergonomics of using the camera with this bracket attached.
5. The bracket is very bulky to carry around when not using (hard to get it in your camera bag).

Meanwhile, I also own an RRS L-bracket for my camera. It attaches very securely. When I keep the alan wrench for the bracket handy (which I keep in my camera bag), it's quick to attach.

So, I thought I'd try out the RRS wedding Pro bracket and I really like it. It has a number of immediate advantages.

1. It attaches to my L-bracket so it mounts quickly and securely.
2. I can use it in conjunction with the camera on a tripod since it doesn't mount to the bottom of the camera (it mounts on the side of the L-bracket).
3. It folds completely flat so it fits easily in my camera bag.
4. It doesn't change my ergonomics at all compared to using my camera with the L-bracket (other than a little added weight) which is something I'm very used to.

Here are a couple pictures:



Folded flat (fits nicely in your camera bag):

dangin

magicpic wrote:

I have a 20d canon camera with a 580 flash..thanks janis

what type of application are you using it for? weddings? press? do you ever plan on getting a pro body? how do you set it down?

Scott_Quier

Opinions about flash brackets are like belly-buttons; everyone's got one and most are full of fuzz - and mine is a charter member of the fuzzy opinion club. So, with that said ...

My bracket of choice (and I've owned and used three different types of brackets) is the Newton Bracket Di100FR2 Flash Rotator (seen here). I don't know why Robert calls it a flash rotator when it's the camera that is rotating under the flash.

That having been said, I like the potential I seen in the RRS bracket pictures posted by jfriend. If I were to start over, I think I would give this a go.

ngoede

Scott_Quier wrote:

Opinions about flash brackets are like belly-buttons; everyone's got one and most are full of fuzz - and mine is a charter member of the fuzzy opinion club. So, with that said ...

My bracket of choice (and I've owned and used three different types of brackets) is the Newton Bracket Di100FR2 Flash Rotator (seen here). I don't know why Robert calls it a flash rotator when it's the camera that is rotating under the flash.

That having been said, I like the potential I seen in the RRS bracket pictures posted by jfriend. If I were to start over, I think I would give this a go.

Does anyone have any suggestions specifically for macro photography?

HiSPL

Scott_Quier wrote:

My bracket of choice (and I've owned and used three different types of brackets) is the Newton Bracket Di100FR2 Flash Rotator (seen here). I don't know why Robert calls it a flash rotator when it's the camera that is rotating under the flash.

Scott, One thing about this bracket that is unclear from the photos. Can you mount it to a tripod AND flip the camera from horizontal to vertical? I am looking for a bracket that allows a camera to be flipped on a tripod, and getting this kind of info from a manufacturers website is tough! Most of these brackets have some kind of 1/4-20 screw to put on a tripod, but they seem to have missed this cool feature completely.....

Art Scott

jfriend wrote:

There are hundreds of opinions on flash brackets and if you ask five photographers with brackets, you will get five different opinions.

I first owned a CB Junior:


It served it's purpose well of creating some distance between flash and lens and keeping the flash centered over the lens in both orientations. But, there were a couple things I did not like about this bracket:

1. It never really fastened securely to the bottom of my camera. You have to just crank away on a screw that holds some corkboardon the bottom of the bracket to the bottom of your camera. Mine was never fully secure.
2. It was a pain to put on and take off quickly. You really need a large screwdriver handy to attach it well.
3. You can't use this bracket when you also want your camera on a tripod.
4. I never really felt good with the ergonomics of using the camera with this bracket attached.
5. The bracket is very bulky to carry around when not using (hard to get it in your camera bag).

Meanwhile, I also own an RRS L-bracket for my camera. It attaches very securely. When I keep the alan wrench for the bracket handy (which I keep in my camera bag), it's quick to attach.

So, I thought I'd try out the RRS wedding Pro bracket and I really like it. It has a number of immediate advantages.

1. It attaches to my L-bracket so it mounts quickly and securely.
2. I can use it in conjunction with the camera on a tripod since it doesn't mount to the bottom of the camera (it mounts on the side of the L-bracket).
3. It folds completely flat so it fits easily in my camera bag.
4. It doesn't change my ergonomics at all compared to using my camera with the L-bracket (other than a little added weight) which is something I'm very used to.

Here are a couple pictures:



Folded flat (fits nicely in your camera bag):

JFriend.....one shoit was missing that I would love to see.....your camera in portrait orientation, so we can see what is rotating and what is not.

Thanx

Art Scott

HiSPL wrote:

Scott, One thing about this bracket that is unclear from the photos. Can you mount it to a tripod AND flip the camera from horizontal to vertical? I am looking for a bracket that allows a camera to be flipped on a tripod, and getting this kind of info from a manufacturers website is tough! Most of these brackets have some kind of 1/4-20 screw to put on a tripod, but they seem to have missed this cool feature completely.....

Going to step out on a limb here....but all of the Custom Brackets and all of the Stroboframe brackets do allow for the use on a tripod....this is why I like them and also the prices seem to be slightly lower than the rss and newton equipment.............

jfriend

Art Scott wrote:

JFriend.....one shoit was missing that I would love to see.....your camera in portrait orientation, so we can see what is rotating and what is not.

Thanx

See http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/flash/04.html for several pictures in both orientations. The CB Junior would not allow me to use my existing ball head on my tripod without buying yet another plate to attach to the bottom of the CB Junior and even then, I could only attach it to the tripod in the landscape orientation. I also found the CB Junior bracket got in the way a lot for just holding the camera the way I was used to.

The RRS bracket allows full use of my existing L-plate with my ballhead in either orientation (landscape or portrait) and the only thing my hand feels when using the camera is the L-bracket which is fairly unobtrusive and I'm already used to.

As I said before, there are hundreds of opinions on this stuff, so what is best for me may be different for someone else. I owned the CB Junior, wanted something better and like the RRS Wedding Pro bracket a lot better. It's also great to be able to fold it completely flat and put it in my camera bag when travelling. I just never took the CB Junior when travelling because of it's bulk.

Scott_Quier

HiSPL wrote:

Scott, One thing about this bracket that is unclear from the photos. Can you mount it to a tripod AND flip the camera from horizontal to vertical? I am looking for a bracket that allows a camera to be flipped on a tripod, and getting this kind of info from a manufacturers website is tough! Most of these brackets have some kind of 1/4-20 screw to put on a tripod, but they seem to have missed this cool feature completely.....

The Di100FR2 does not allow for that. However, the Di100CR Camera Rotator (here) does.

Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Robert Newton, aside from being a very satisfied customer.

magicpic

Scott_Quier wrote:

The Di100FR2 does not allow for that. However, the Di100CR Camera Rotator (here) does.

Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Robert Newton, aside from being a very satisfied customer.

I am looking at price and do want the camera or flash to flip so what do you think about the strobeframe or the wedding pro flash?

photobern

Art Scott wrote:

Going to step out on a limb here....but all of the Custom Brackets and all of the Stroboframe brackets do allow for the use on a tripod....this is why I like them and also the prices seem to be slightly lower than the rss and newton equipment.............

I have a Custom Bracket for my 20D's, and it works with a tripod quite nicely, and it rotates on a tripod, too. It isn't always as silky smooth as it could be when you are rotating the camera, but other than that it is a good piece of equipment. As I recall I went to their website to make sure I was ordering everything I needed. It all comes in pieces. Type in your body and flash and they tell you all the pieces you need. I often have both the flash attached and a Pocket Wizard.

Bernie
www.photobern.com

Scott_Quier

magicpic wrote:

I am looking at price and do want the camera or flash to flip so what do you think about the strobeframe or the wedding pro flash?

I'm not a big fan of StrobeFrame. If you want specifics, I'll PM you.

As for the RRS Wedding Pro frame - If I had to do it over again, I would probably get one of these. If you go this route, bear a couple of things in mind:

• For it to work REALLY well for you, you will also need to get the RRS L-Bracket for your camera. That's another $140 +/-, depending.
• Mounting this to a tripod, you will need to flip the head to a vertical position to get the camera to a portrait orientation. The camera will not flip without moving the tripod head.

FYI - the Newton Bracket Di100FR2 does/will mount to a tripod. It just will not allow the camera to be rotated without also moving the tripod head - much like the RRS bracket.

HiSPL

TA!




Maybe we should have a camera flippin' smiley?!?

jfriend

Scott_Quier wrote:

I'm not a big fan of StrobeFrame. If you want specifics, I'll PM you.

As for the RRS Wedding Pro frame - If I had to do it over again, I would probably get one of these. If you go this route, bear a couple of things in mind:

• For it to work REALLY well for you, you will also need to get the RRS L-Bracket for your camera. That's another $140 +/-, depending.
• Mounting this to a tripod, you will need to flip the head to a vertical position to get the camera to a portrait orientation. The camera will not flip without moving the tripod head.

FYI - the Newton Bracket Di100FR2 does/will mount to a tripod. It just will not allow the camera to be rotated without also moving the tripod head - much like the RRS bracket.

I can confirm that the RSS Wedding Pro is specifically designed for their L-bracket. It requires an L-bracket. If you aren't otherwise looking to use an L-bracket and corresponding tripod clamp, then this isn't the right flash bracket for you. If you want an L-bracket system, then this is a great flash bracket.

As for tripod use, it is designed to work with a quick release system and you use the camera on the tripod exactly like you would with an L-bracket. Clamp it on the L-bracket in the landscape orientation and take a shot. Release the tripod clamp, rotate the camera 90 degrees and clamp it on the L-bracket in the portrait orientation. You don't have to "move the tripod head" at all. Just release the clamp, rotate the camera and clamp it on again.

Art Scott

magicpic wrote:

I am looking at price and do want the camera or flash to flip so what do you think about the strobeframe or the wedding pro flash?

My first stroboframe (a RL2000) was a bit weak but it still served me well with both 35mm and 2 1/4 cameras....but after about 5 yrs it got a tad sticky and I replaced all of the nylon washers and all was well again , then I discovered the larger one I now have (and had to have to get my sunpak 622 to attach as the RL was just too short), this larger stroboframe is also a slightly heaver model (heaver in construction an not actual weight...maybe an ounce or 2) and works quite well (smoothly that is).....I mount it to my t-pod with a quick release plate and have all my bodies are also mountable to the bracket with the same style of qr plate from manfrotto /bogen...the qr plates were inexpensive enuff to put on my lenses aslo so everything that has mounting holes gets qr plates.

Hope this helps

edit: THIS IS THE NEW VERSION OF MY CURRENT STROBOFRAME BRACKET.