flash brackets

[DanLoc78]

can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive flash bracket for the K10D/AF540FGZ combo?

shooting a wedding in October and considering a flash bracket.

Thanks.

[navcom]

I was just looking for one myself. Anybody have any advice?

[JohnV3]

I have a Stratos, model SI835F, purchased from B&H about a year ago. The price was around $60. It is heavy duty, fully adjustable, and folds to fit in a camera bag. I attach the 360 flash to it and can point it in any direction which negates the need for a swivel flash head. Ii just checked the B&H site and they still have it for $60.

John

[marcdsgn]

Here's the one I bought for AU$40.00. Very happy with it.

Flash Bracket - KDB-O1L - eBay, Flashes, Photographic Accessories, Cameras. (end time 13-Aug-08 04:46:53 AEST)

[bigben91682]

I use a stroboframe quick flip. You can find them anywhere, they're cheap ($50), durable and light. i'll post some pictures of it later today. One thing to consider is you use a grip to make sure it will fit in the bracket, especially if it rotates the camera...

[maxwell1295]

Originally Posted by bigben91682

I use a stroboframe quick flip. You can find them anywhere, they're cheap ($50), durable and light. i'll post some pictures of it later today. One thing to consider is you use a grip to make sure it will fit in the bracket, especially if it rotates the camera...

I picked up one of these on the 'Bay yesterday. The seller is close enough that I should be able to pick it up from after work today or tomorrow.

Stroboframe Camera Flash Flip Bracket MINT!! - eBay (item 160262661306 end time Jul-22-08 15:08:36 PDT)

[MRRiley]

The one I use is the StroboFlip VH2000

It works fairly well for me but due to the off-center tripod mount on the BG2 grip it doesnt center the flash. I'm trying to figure out a tweek to correct this.

[bigben91682]

Maxwell, that's a nice deal. I'm sure you like it, especially since it's local.

Here is my event set-up. Most still set up from the weekend....

K20D/BG2 with DA*50-153, AF540FGZ with Joe Demb pro flip diffuser/bounce card (another must have IMHO).

Bracket by its-own-self


Landscape Orientation


Portrait Orientation


Landscape Orientation from Behind


Portrait from behind


I actually use the bracket "backwards" so when I flip the flash, the button on the battery grip is on the top. I really like this set-up and it's pretty cheap, and very durable.

Also, something of note, the flash isn't centered perfectly over the lens, maybe off by 1-2" but I haven't noticed any difference in the final pictures, probably because the flash is so separated from the lens by the bracket anyway.

[MRRiley]

Ben,

The main problem that I have with that style of flip bracket is that when you have it in "vertical" orientation there is a LOT of stress placed on that very fragile plastic hotshoe on the flash. And since there is a adapter between the flash and bracket it is even more fragile. Lots of plastic to fail. More often than not you'll be fine, but I would suggest you be very very careful.

p.s. unless I am mistaken, you do not need that hotshoe adapter between the flash and bracket. The AF540 has a port for the sync cable built in...

[bigben91682]

Mike,

I agree that there is a lot of plastic in the set-up, but I'm very careful with it. All in all it feels suprisingly sturdy.

You are correct that the 540 has a sync port built-in, the reason I use the hot shoe is because I switch back and forth between the 540 and the 360 (which lacks a sync), and to get a sturdier set-up I used an actual screw to mount the aux hot shoe instead of a thumb screw.

I often use 540 off camera as key and 360 on camera as fill, thus the extra shoe....

[Russell-Evans]

Originally Posted by MRRiley

The one I use is the StroboFlip VH2000
It works fairly well for me but due to the off-center tripod mount on the BG2 grip it doesn't center the flash. I'm trying to figure out a tweak to correct this.

If you flip yours over, are there two holes, one on each side, through the metal but not through the rubber mount? If so, does one line up correctly? Another option is to mount a QR system to the bracket after removing the rubber from the frame. A long QR plate would then allow you to offset the camera on the mount.

Thank you
Russell

[marcdsgn]

Behold, the "Beggar's Rig".

I don't have the spare cash to buy a powerful flashgun, so I've cobbled together bits and pieces of old equipment to compensate.

This rig isn't pretty but it works, and is nicely balanced weight-wise, so it isn't cumbersome to handle once it's all together.

Using a Pentax-dedicated Vivitar 2600D as the master (measured at 04.20v - so quite safe), I've mounted a 1988 model LUXON 9800A to the flash-bracket as a slave. The LUXON is triggered via a cheap optical sensor to fire simultaneously with the Vivitar.

See below three different shots using various flash methods as indicated.

This is a non-lit room at night. The bear is 5.2 metres from the lens. Camera is on Manual setting - Aperture 5.6 - ISO 100.

The combined flash power isn't spectacularly powerful, but it's more than enough for function shoots.

I was surprised that the optical slave-trigger was so effective, as I thought its front-mounted sensor wouldn't pick up enough residual flash from the Vivitar at that angle. But it always fired, and in sync. I'm yet to test how bright ambient light can be before the optical sensor is rendered ineffective, but I've experimented with standard household lighting at night, and there were no issues.

The beauty of this rig is that I can add my cheap HAMA swivel-mount to the bracket, and mount the sensor-trigger and slave-flash to that, making it possible to use ordinary flashes for bounce and reverse-reflected lighting.

For the price of peanuts it's an effective substitute for a high-end flashgun, limited only by the power of the photographer's existing flashes.

... Just thought I'd share.