Flash Brackets...

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I'm getting into some journo type photography and think a flash bracket for my 1D and 580ex is in order. Anyone had experience with any brackets to help me make my mind up, there seem to be so many different types, flip cam / flip flash.....

Many thanks
 
I have a couple of cheap brackets bought from Hong Kong eBay traders. Just picking examples found at random, here's one of them....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flash-Rotatin...ryZ48515QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and here's the other....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Black-Profess...ryZ15215QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I like the compact design of the first one but the flip operation is not very smooth and it's a bit irritating to use, but it gets the job done.

I find little to recommend the second one. Personally I don't like the large size and I really do not see what point there is to the padded grip. I use mostly zoom lenses so I'll have one hand on the camera grip and the other one cradling and adjusting the lens. In portrait mode, if you are holding the rig just by the camera the whole bracket will just collapse downwards and all in all I find it a cumbersome and ungainly mess.

If you fancy experimenting on the cheap then try the first one. If you want something a bit more up market then I have heard nothing but praise for the Newton flash bracket and also products from Custom Brackets.

The JustRite bracket looks really like the business, but it is definitely not cheap. The good ones seem not to be. Check out this video....

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7MjqWuxedug

I don't have any personal experience of a good bracket, but from what I've seen in terms of bracket design ond operation I would certainly be inclined towards a camera rotator style and none of the cantilever flip designs, especially not a flash flip. The JustRite video is a great demo of how simple and quick it is to use a properly designed bracket, but I would be very careful to look at how the weight begins to add up. My girlfriend was prepared to buy me the JustRite for Xmas (very kind of her :) ) but I was nervous that the weight of a 1D3, 70-200 f/2.8 IS and 580EX, plus the bracket and sync cord, would be pretty horrific for use at a wedding, so I got salopettes instead.
 
I've used a number of brackets but the one I now use is the cheapest of the lot and has proven to be the best (for my use - events). It is simple, relatively small and very well made. It is the first one on Tim's list.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flash-Rotatin...ryZ48515QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The slight stickiness in transition from horizontal to vertical can be cured by a tiny drop of WD40.

For £15 you might as well try it. It costs less than some of the adapters required by some of the other brackets:)

John
 
Just borrowed a friends bracket like the one you mentioned John, works a treat for the price so will get one of those on order I think. Cheapest place for a sync lead?
 
If you want to retain ETTL function you need an OC-E3 (compatible) cord. I have a couple of Yong Nuo branded cords bought from eBay sellers in Hong Kong.

Here is a search that will get you started, but I had trouble spotting the Yong Nuo brand. Maybe JJC is just the same. Price was around £20 each when I bought, vs £40 for a Canon original from the UK. They work perfectly well.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sea...action=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search

Comments here....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=496904&highlight=yongnuo

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=610321&highlight=yong+nuo

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=615473&highlight=yongnuo
 
I'm just looking at the brackets and few pics of people using them What the pros and cons if any of always having the flash in landscape above the camera even if the camera is landscape or portrait, its more the camera in portrait and flash in landscape where the question is targetted.
 
If you are bouncing the flash then having the flash fixed in landscape mode when you are shooting portrait is not a real problem. The cons starts as soon as the flash is the primary source of light. You will get strong side shadows from the subject and as the flash is at the same height as the lens you will get a far higher occurrence of red eye. Even dialling the flash down for a tad of fill can still give red eye when shooting on the same level as the lens.

John
 
Here is an album of test shots with flash, just to show the outcomes of different flash positions and bounce options....

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/EezyTiger/POTNFlashShadow?authkey=90e0hbk5dfQ#

Here is a specific example that shows how revolting the shadows look when you have the flash beside the lens instead of above it. This is a separate issue from the quality of the light (soft/hard) and the relative ratios of flash vs ambient light.

Bare%20flash%2C%20direct%20-%20portrait_LR.jpg
 
tdodd said:
I have a couple of cheap brackets bought from Hong Kong eBay traders. Just picking examples found at random, here's one of them....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flash-Rotatin...ryZ48515QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I use. It stops any shadows to the side of the subject. the only downfall is if you take a close up photo of someones face you tend to get harsh shadows under their nose. For the type of work youwant it for it would be ideal IMHO
 
There is another option altogether, which is both simpler and cheaper than any flash bracket (and sync lead). Simply shoot everything in landscape orientation, always, and then crop to portrait orientation if that's what you really want. Of course, you throw away a ton of pixels, but unless you are making large prints you can probably afford to lose a few anyway.
 
I always thought the idea of a flash bracket was to get the flash off to the side of the camera by about 8" or so.

Is this one just to flip it from above camera close down to the side?
 
Janice said:
I always thought the idea of a flash bracket was to get the flash off to the side of the camera by about 8" or so.

Is this one just to flip it from above camera close down to the side?
Click to expand...

The idea of the flip one is to make sure the flash is above the lens so the shadows will always be behind the subject and so not spoil the image
 
The main use for this will be outside so flash will be main source and nothing to bounce the flash from.
 
Janice said:
I always thought the idea of a flash bracket was to get the flash off to the side of the camera by about 8" or so.

Is this one just to flip it from above camera close down to the side?
Click to expand...

The more conventional idea is to keep the flash above the lens so that any shadows are cast invisibly behind the subject rather than appearing as an ugly shadow beside the subject. I have never understodd why anyone would purposely want to put the flash beside the lens.

Of course, with daylight shooting and good ambient light the shadows will be light and well masked, but if that's the lighting condition it matters relatively little whether you use a flash bracket or not. Even so, as this poor shot of mine demonstrates, it is all too easy to screw it up, even in daylight. The ironic thing about thihs shot is that I had a flash bracket fitted but did not take the trouble to reorient the flash. I've learned my lesson from this one.

20081130_124855_2365_LR.jpg


Again, why would anyone purposely put the flash beside the lens? Do some people like this effect?
 
Another small point about flash on the side vs flash above the lens - typically we are more used to having light coming from above, albeit at an angle, whether it be from the sun, street lights or room lights. It is relatively rare to see lighting coming from directly beside our heads. It is therefore more natural, as far as shadows and highlights are concerned, to have the flash higher than the lens. Ideally, so as to increase the modelling effect, what you really want is the flash to be off to one side and above, but that's the whole point of off-camera flash to achieve that sort of lighting. If you want the flash glued to your camera, for mobility and speed, you need to work within practical constraints.

One further advantage of increasing the distance between flash and lens, whether above or to the side, is that you reduce the risk of redeye.
 
Well it's cheaper than this - http://www.jessops.com/online.store...on/SB-E2 Speedlight L Bracket-69611/Show.html - but not much cheaper than the eBay twisty turny thing.

The one you linked to has no height adjustment, so you can't fine tune exactly where the flash head ends up relative to the lens, so you may or may not get a hint of side shadow depending on whether your camera is gripped or not, or regardless. If you're only going to shoot portrait orientation then it will probably get the job done, but any time you want to go back to landscape, maybe for a group shot or a shot with a bit more background in the frame, you will have to fiddle about removing the flash from the bracket, the sync cord from the hotshoe and then remount the flash to the hotshoe. That's fine if you are shooting portraits, or other slow paced subject matter, but useless for event photography such as weddings, where you may be constantly switching back and forth from landscape to portrait.
 
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