Quick Release systems and Flash Brackets
Robinivich
Registered Users Posts: 438 Major grins
I've recently acquired a sigma 150mm macro, and while I used to manage quite alright handholding in the one hand a 430EX on an off camera cord, and in the other a rebel xt with a 50mm and tubes, the sigma is an entirely different beast.
There's always questions being asked on this forum about tripods, ballheads, this and that, and I've also perused the stickied resources, but basically the advice I keep running into is "go for kirk or RRS, sometimes wimberley" in terms of quick releases, camera L plates, lens plates, and the various insane looking brackets that strobists like to use. :huh
One of these days (read, when I have money again...) I'm going to get a damn fine tripod and ballhead. In the meantime I have a Slik 340dx which will remain my teeny weeny travel tripod. I currently have one lens with a tripod mount and my long term goal is to have two others that would benefit from one (400/5.6 and a 70-200 of some sort) Outside of these 3 I'd only ever be looking at say a 300/2.8 if I won the lottery. I'd probably also eventually grab a 40d L-plate :wink
Why am I looking at QR systems before I even have a tripod to mount one on? Because it's near impossible for me to get high magnifications w/flash out of my sigma 150 handheld, and I'm now a macro flash addict. I need both hands to stabilize and focus the sigma, which leaves no hand for off-camera flash. Of the solutions I've run into, my favourite is this: http://www.tripodhead.com/products/flash-bracket-macro-brackets.cfm I'd need a wimberley lens plate for the lens, but otherwise this setup is all I'd need. The flexibility of it attracts me, and it also looks very solid.
Are there other tried and true resources out there that I've missed? I've seen a couple other options in use by Lord V and Jody over in the macro forum, both of which have clearly yielded brilliant results, and I was also hoping to see if some other shooters had much experience with these kinds of systems and could enlighten us on the ups and downs of them!
There's always questions being asked on this forum about tripods, ballheads, this and that, and I've also perused the stickied resources, but basically the advice I keep running into is "go for kirk or RRS, sometimes wimberley" in terms of quick releases, camera L plates, lens plates, and the various insane looking brackets that strobists like to use. :huh
One of these days (read, when I have money again...) I'm going to get a damn fine tripod and ballhead. In the meantime I have a Slik 340dx which will remain my teeny weeny travel tripod. I currently have one lens with a tripod mount and my long term goal is to have two others that would benefit from one (400/5.6 and a 70-200 of some sort) Outside of these 3 I'd only ever be looking at say a 300/2.8 if I won the lottery. I'd probably also eventually grab a 40d L-plate :wink
Why am I looking at QR systems before I even have a tripod to mount one on? Because it's near impossible for me to get high magnifications w/flash out of my sigma 150 handheld, and I'm now a macro flash addict. I need both hands to stabilize and focus the sigma, which leaves no hand for off-camera flash. Of the solutions I've run into, my favourite is this: http://www.tripodhead.com/products/flash-bracket-macro-brackets.cfm I'd need a wimberley lens plate for the lens, but otherwise this setup is all I'd need. The flexibility of it attracts me, and it also looks very solid.
Are there other tried and true resources out there that I've missed? I've seen a couple other options in use by Lord V and Jody over in the macro forum, both of which have clearly yielded brilliant results, and I was also hoping to see if some other shooters had much experience with these kinds of systems and could enlighten us on the ups and downs of them!
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http://cgi.ebay.com/Siegelite-Flash-Bracket_W0QQitemZ150230836087QQihZ005QQcategoryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I love my Siegelite bracket. I presently use it with a 30D and a 550ex flash but, the setup is identical to the one pictured (when I was using the 10D and 420ex flash). It is tripod mounted for this photo but, I use it hand held. The diffuser is a Lumequest.
I bought mine at a garage sale but, here is one that is dirt cheap on eBay.
You could easily rig this with a Swiss Arca compatible QR system (or any other QR system) if desired.