Who is using this flash bracket ?

Antonio Correia

MANFROTTO CAMERA MOUNT.BRKT W/OFLASH HLD Ref code 233B

I would like to know your opinion on this equipment.
I want to buy it because I want to shoot with the flash off camera very often for great results.

I suppose that - at the base of the camera - we can screw a monopod.
Am I wronge or right ?
This is important because I want to use the hole thing with the 70-200 ...
Thank you.:D

swintonphoto

Wow, that thing looks huge! My concern would be the size. Add a 70-200 and you'd be carrying a pretty big thing. But, it certainly would get the flash higher than any flash bracket I have ever seen. I use the Stroboflip VH 2000. I have used a number of different brackets historically, but have been most pleased with this one because it is fairly compact, and allows me to use the normal camera grip all the time instead of having to hold onto the bracket. The flash sits right over the top of the lens. I'm not saying you should get this one, but, it is quite different than others, and would allow you to hold your camera like you normally would while keeping the flash over the lens. Here is a pic of it:

Scott_Quier

I've not used one of those and I see a couple of advantages to it when using it with the 70-200. The primary advantage is the huge separation between the flash and the lens. This will tend to reduce red-eye when photographing subjects at a distance.

But, I agree - it's huge and not something I would want to carry around for any length of time, especially with the 70-200 mounted.

Antonio Correia

Thank you both for your comments and tips.
An advantage I see in this model is the fact that the flash is far from the lens as Scott pointed.
My idea is to make some shooting in bullfighting.
I want to get prepared for the season and I thought this would be useful.
As I want to make some good pictures, as I always do and being very critical on my own work, I want to make a set up this way:

20D + 70-200 + FB with flash height above and a "slave" with another flash 90 degrees clockwise from me pointing another flash to the arena.

I do have two situations: Night shots and day shots.

Setup for each of them: the same except I may use an orange gel on both flashes to compensate the WB, at night of course.

During the day I hope to be able to shoot at an angle some 45 degrees against the Sun.

With my "slave" I think I can manage good pictures. He will be illuminating the scene in the line Sun, bull, flash.

I want to buy not a 580 EXII but a Sigma EF 500 Super, for the price with about the same performances ETTL included, as Vivitar 285 HV is not available in Portugal.

See ? My bracket is for this mainly.

I also have seen this FB which looked to me as very good and compact.


Oh ! BTW. I also intend to use it - the FB - as invited photographer in a marriage next May.

Scott_Quier

Antonio,

ETT-L will require communication between the flashes, via IR transmitters. I've heard that these have problem when attempted in bright sun. How do you plan to trigger the second (off-camera) flash during the day?

I'm thinking you will be needing some sort of radio transceivers to do the job. No?

Antonio Correia

Scott_Quier wrote:

Antonio,

ETT-L will require communication between the flashes, via IR transmitters. I've heard that these have problem when attempted in bright sun. How do you plan to trigger the second (off-camera) flash during the day?

I'm thinking you will be needing some sort of radio transceivers to do the job. No?

I am trusting that ST-E2 will do the job.
I know it can have some problems outside but I need to try it.
There are certain persons who say that it works fine and others say that it doesn't.
Not that I don't trust those persons - I am thinking of yourself and PF - but sometimes the circumstances vary and we can have different responses...

I have been in an arena when I was 10 years old. So - it was quite some centuries ago - consequently I don't knon the place and I need to visit it before shooting and make some experiences...

You know Scott, curiously, not only in Portugal but all over the World, people buy photos without quality. People are not demanding. Generally I mean.
I can remember the other day I was talking to a Brazilian girls and an Italian guy, both photographers.
They have been traveling all over the World shooting in cruises for 5 years. Routine photography. Boring.

They were telling me that people were buying even the worst photos they shot.

Why am I saying this ? Because, I plan - as I said before - to shoot a marriage as an invited photographer and for what I have seen of marriage photography, the pictures are all terrible.
Even I can do better.

Of course there are also the good photographers ...

I have seen - even today - lauzy bull fighting pictures. I am almost sure I can do better job. I bet on that.

Now, you can understand the context in which I want to buy that bracket.:D

Scott_Quier

Antonio Correia wrote:

I am trusting that ST-E2 will do the job.
I know it can have some problems outside but I need to try it.
There are certain persons who say that it works fine and others say that it doesn't.
Not that I don't trust those persons - I am thinking of yourself and PF - but sometimes the circumstances vary and we can have different responses...

I have been in an arena when I was 10 years old. So - it was quite some centuries ago - consequently I don't knon the place and I need to visit it before shooting and make some experiences...

You know Scott, curiously, not only in Portugal but all over the World, people buy photos without quality. People are not demanding. Generally I mean.
I can remember the other day I was talking to a Brazilian girls and an Italian guy, both photographers.
They have been traveling all over the World shooting in cruises for 5 years. Routine photography. Boring.

They were telling me that people were buying even the worst photos they shot.

Why am I saying this ? Because, I plan - as I said before - to shoot a marriage as an invited photographer and for what I have seen of marriage photography, the pictures are all terrible.
Even I can do better.

Of course there are also the good photographers ...

I have seen - even today - lauzy bull fighting pictures. I am almost sure I can do better job. I bet on that.

Now, you can understand the context in which I want to buy that bracket.:D

Fair enough - I completely understand the need to prove or dis-prove a concept for one's self.

Just don't count me as an expert on the IR transmitter qualities. I have never shot with the IR transmitter outdoors. What I know about it I learned from people I trust, urbanaries in particular.

And you are right about the un-informed buying lower quality, thinking it is high quality. I've seen it as well.

I wish you the best of luck in getting the bull ring shots. When (not if ) you do, I would be very interested in seeing them, as I'm sure many others here will be as well.

Best wishes....

swintonphoto

Antonio Correia wrote:

I also have seen this FB which looked to me as very good and compact.

Hey that bracket is pretty clever.

gryphonslair99

If you are looking to use a bracket a lot you might want to consider this one. It is not cheap, but it is very versitile and very well built.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/478303-REG/Custom_Brackets_DIGITALPROMK_Digital_PRO_M_Bracket_Kit.html

rpcrowe

There is one on ebay right now...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bogen-Manfrotto-233B-Camera-Flash-Bracket_W0QQitemZ290195903795QQihZ019QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I use a bracket much like it for my macro work which I got at a garage sale for ten bucks, a Sigelite, I think. It can also be used in the configuration that the Manfortto is in. I like it better for macro since it is articulating.

Antonio Correia

gryphonslair99 wrote:

If you are looking to use a bracket a lot you might want to consider this one. It is not cheap, but it is very versitile and very well built.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/478303-REG/Custom_Brackets_DIGITALPROMK_Digital_PRO_M_Bracket_Kit.html

Thank you. That is really too much for me

Antonio Correia

rpcrowe wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bogen-Manfrotto-233B-Camera-Flash-Bracket_W0QQitemZ290195903795QQihZ019QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I use a bracket much like it for my macro work which I got at a garage sale for ten bucks, a Sigelite, I think. It can also be used in the configuration that the Manfortto is in. I like it better for macro since it is articulating.

Thanks. It's a good option.

Antonio Correia

Scott_Quier wrote:

Fair enough - I completely understand the need to prove or dis-prove a concept for one's self.

Just don't count me as an expert on the IR transmitter qualities. I have never shot with the IR transmitter outdoors. What I know about it I learned from people I trust, urbanaries in particular.

And you are right about the un-informed buying lower quality, thinking it is high quality. I've seen it as well.

I wish you the best of luck in getting the bull ring shots. When (not if ) you do, I would be very interested in seeing them, as I'm sure many others here will be as well.

Best wishes....

Hello Scott.:D

Indeed I was a fool when I was telling I would use the ST-E2 outside.
Silly me.

I think I have 2 options: PW or the new radiopopper.

The bull season begins in March. I am getting ready

Thank you for the advice and comments.