Flash brackets and vertical positions

[PawelWoj]

Hello I recently purchased a CB junior flash bracket with anti twist bar for my flash. My question is how do you feel about the bracket and vertical shots ? It seems like the light source is made smaller by being vertical instead of horizontal. Sometimes I feel this is the cause of shadows under the chin that i normally do not see with horizontal flash head placement. What are your thoughts on it? Are there any brackets in the price range of the CB junior build that keep the flash horizontally at all times ?

Pic of camera and bracket attached

 

[mufutau55]

I use a very economical Stroboframe 310-900 Flash Bracket.

Read my responses in this thread for the info on the flash bracket both from B&H $72.95 or from Ebay $59 and I also bought a Bogen Quick Realease kit to go with it from B&H for $27.95.. Read all about it from thread below:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1025&thread=20788808

Mufutau

Hello I recently purchased a CB junior flash bracket with anti
twist bar for my flash. My question is how do you feel about the
bracket and vertical shots ? It seems like the light source is
made smaller by being vertical instead of horizontal. Sometimes I
feel this is the cause of shadows under the chin that i normally do
not see with horizontal flash head placement. What are your
thoughts on it? Are there any brackets in the price range of the
CB junior build that keep the flash horizontally at all times ?

Pic of camera and bracket attached

 

[mufutau55]

Forgot to tell you that on the recommended Stroboframe 310-900 is a Camera Flip not Flash Flip... so only the camera rotates, the flash does not rotate, the flash stays horizontally all the time.. Hope this helps.

Mufutau

 

[Allen Greenky]

because photogs like to argue and parse just about anything and everything, kodak vs fuji, nikon vs canon, you wouldn't believe the running arguments about flash coverage and the difference between rectangle and round flash reflectors.

when your camera is in horizontal position, your flash is horizontal position, when you rotate to vertical, your flash is also verticle. more than few would say you have an advantage.

--

moderator of the z-prophoto for professional portrait/wedding photogs and the photohistory list for academic research, mailing lists hosted at yahoogroups.com

 

[Sky Walker]

One of the obvious great advantages of a bracket such as the CB Junior is that it maintains the proper horizontal and vertical flash orientation.

Sky

 

[Chuck Gardner]

I too use the basic Stroboframe camera flip bracket. It keeps the flash stationary so the lighting pattern is consistent. I use it with a diffuser so the orientation of the flash head isn't an issue. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/ There are many more expensive ones which are perhaps more elegantly engineered and convenient to use, but they will not perform the task any better.

Frankly if I were you I'd ditch your bracket ASAP for a camera-flip design for two simple reasons:

1) The strain a flash flip bracket puts on the base of the flash. Sooner or later the plastic tabs on the base will succumb to the leverage exerted by the weight of the sideways hanging flash and break.

2) There no good way to modify the flash with that bracket. If you add a modifier it will be poorly placed about a foot off axis in portrait mode and the weight of the modifier will simply exacerbate problem #1 above.

Do some research before throwing money at solutions to problems you really don't understand. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/Design/ to increase your understanding.

CG

 

[PawelWoj]

All points noted I have seen your website before. Will the stroboframe camera flip clear the 5d with grip ???

I too use the basic Stroboframe camera flip bracket. It keeps the
flash stationary so the lighting pattern is consistent. I use it
with a diffuser so the orientation of the flash head isn't an
issue. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/ There are many more
expensive ones which are perhaps more elegantly engineered and
convenient to use, but they will not perform the task any better.

Frankly if I were you I'd ditch your bracket ASAP for a camera-flip
design for two simple reasons:

1) The strain a flash flip bracket puts on the base of the flash.
Sooner or later the plastic tabs on the base will succumb to the
leverage exerted by the weight of the sideways hanging flash and
break.

2) There no good way to modify the flash with that bracket. If
you add a modifier it will be poorly placed about a foot off axis
in portrait mode and the weight of the modifier will simply
exacerbate problem #1 above.

Do some research before throwing money at solutions to problems you
really don't understand. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/Design/ to
increase your understanding.

CG

 

[oldphotoguy]

To answer your original question, yes. The lighting pattern will be different. I remember an article in Pop Photography about 20 years ago and they show about 7 different portable flash heads and the lighting pattern that they made on a large black wall.

They actually divided the wall with a measure tape, (horizontal and vertical) and placed the flash, about 3 feet away from wall and starting shooting test shots, at the ewall. As they shot each picture, they showed what a wide angle shot covered, a normal shot and the telephoto flash output. (Make some actual tests yourself and see your results.)

The "best" flash output result will come from a round head, such as a Lumeyne or Qflash head. Some people may differ in their opinion, but think really hard and let me know if you seen or used professional heavy duty flash heads with a vertical or horizontal head adapter on them. (Speedtrons, White Lighning, Balcar, etc).

I prefer using my QFlash for weddings, for the best overall light effect. I use Sigma's when I go light and mobile but my my flash is on bracket and mounted so it shoots horizontally. (I flip the camera, not the flash.

When you think about it, a picture viewed on a computer looks "big and impressive" when it is shot horizontal. It fills the whole screen. When you do a vertical shot, you have the black "bands" on either side of the picture. It does not look as big, nor impressive as the horizontal photos.

 

[Sky Walker]

I too use the basic Stroboframe camera flip bracket. It keeps the
flash stationary so the lighting pattern is consistent. I use it
with a diffuser so the orientation of the flash head isn't an
issue. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/ There are many more
expensive ones which are perhaps more elegantly engineered and
convenient to use, but they will not perform the task any better.

Frankly if I were you I'd ditch your bracket ASAP for a camera-flip
design for two simple reasons:

1) The strain a flash flip bracket puts on the base of the flash.
Sooner or later the plastic tabs on the base will succumb to the
leverage exerted by the weight of the sideways hanging flash and
break.

I have never broken a flash foot that was hanging vertically.

2) There no good way to modify the flash with that bracket. If
you add a modifier it will be poorly placed about a foot off axis
in portrait mode and the weight of the modifier will simply
exacerbate problem #1 above.

I use a Demb diffuser and attach it above the flash head in the vertical position, just as I do when it is attached to the flash when it is horizontal. The diffuser weighs about 1.5 oz so, again, I am not overly concerned about breaking the flash foot.

I prefer having the flash head properly oriented.

Do some research before throwing money at solutions to problems you
really don't understand. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/Design/ to
increase your understanding.

CG

 

[PawelWoj]

how are you finding the demb refuser ?? got any with without samples ?

I too use the basic Stroboframe camera flip bracket. It keeps the
flash stationary so the lighting pattern is consistent. I use it
with a diffuser so the orientation of the flash head isn't an
issue. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/ There are many more
expensive ones which are perhaps more elegantly engineered and
convenient to use, but they will not perform the task any better.

Frankly if I were you I'd ditch your bracket ASAP for a camera-flip
design for two simple reasons:

1) The strain a flash flip bracket puts on the base of the flash.
Sooner or later the plastic tabs on the base will succumb to the
leverage exerted by the weight of the sideways hanging flash and
break.

I have never broken a flash foot that was hanging vertically.

2) There no good way to modify the flash with that bracket. If
you add a modifier it will be poorly placed about a foot off axis
in portrait mode and the weight of the modifier will simply
exacerbate problem #1 above.

I use a Demb diffuser and attach it above the flash head in the
vertical position, just as I do when it is attached to the flash
when it is horizontal. The diffuser weighs about 1.5 oz so,
again, I am not overly concerned about breaking the flash foot.

I prefer having the flash head properly oriented.

Do some research before throwing money at solutions to problems you
really don't understand. See http://super.nova.org/DPR/Design/ to
increase your understanding.

CG

 

[Miguel Narbona]

The main advantage of the Stroboframe or the Newtons brackets keeping that the flash always in horizontal position is that the Autofocus illuminator is always betten the flash head and the lens.

If you try to use any other bracket in the dark in vertical position, the pattern for autofocus will be far away from your lens.

I use a old newton bracket with a U form in the base that let use the vertical grip very comfortably, now they came with a T shape base that I cant imagine how to hold the vertical bracket.

 

[Michael Todd]

I think I'm going to get a bracket. I've read lots about the stroboframes being good, and I'll probably spend about $100 (or less) on it, so really expensive ones are out.

Which ones do you folks like? I'd use it mostly with my 20D+grip and my 580 EX. Lenses are 70-200L f2.8 IS, 85mm 1.8, and 17-40L

--
peace.

 

[Michael Todd]

I'll need some sort of quick release plate and the flash cord, right?

--
peace.

 

[mufutau55]

Yes. Here below is the Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 Bracket, Bogen 3299 Quick Release Kit and the Canon Off-Camera Shoe Cord2 that I use.

Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 $72.95, you can get it on Ebay for $59 with FREE shipping.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=105119&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Quick Release Kit: $27.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=149686&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Canon Off-camera shoe cord 2 (only 2 feet) $49.95 (But I have someone to modify my codr 2 cable to 25 feet for a fees.. if interested, send me a PM)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=12972&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Mufutau55

I'll need some sort of quick release plate and the flash cord, right?

--
peace.

 

[PawelWoj]

Yes. Here below is the Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 Bracket,

is the shutter accessible with the camera grip (BG-E4 or the like) in vertical position ?

Bogen 3299 Quick Release Kit and the Canon Off-Camera Shoe Cord2
that I use.

Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 $72.95, you can get it on Ebay for
$59 with FREE shipping.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=105119&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Quick Release Kit: $27.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=149686&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Canon Off-camera shoe cord 2 (only 2 feet) $49.95 (But I have
someone to modify my codr 2 cable to 25 feet for a fees.. if
interested, send me a PM)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=12972&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Mufutau55

I'll need some sort of quick release plate and the flash cord, right?

--
peace.

 

[mufutau55]

Sorry, I couldn't answer this, as I have never had or used a Camera Grip with my Digital Camera (Canon 20D)..
May be someone can shed some light on this..

But I do have a Canon ELAN 7NE (Film camera) that has a Camera Grip (BP-50???), I have not used this in a long time.. I may just test this with it..
I noone answer the question above, give me some time to get back to you.

Mufutau

Yes. Here below is the Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 Bracket,

is the shutter accessible with the camera grip (BG-E4 or the like)
in vertical position ?

 

[Boomz]

Will these work together?

Someone here reported that his Nikon 2Dx didn't fit after attaching the quick release.

Stroboframe CameraFlip 310-900 $72.95, you can get it on Ebay for
$59 with FREE shipping.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=105119&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Quick Release Kit: $27.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=149686&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Canon Off-camera shoe cord 2 (only 2 feet) $49.95 (But I have
someone to modify my codr 2 cable to 25 feet for a fees.. if
interested, send me a PM)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=12972&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Mufutau55

I'll need some sort of quick release plate and the flash cord, right?

--
peace.

--
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=598880

 

[mufutau55]

Don't know about 5D but works fine with my 20D and those two cameras are about the same size.

Mufutau

Will these work together?

Someone here reported that his Nikon 2Dx didn't fit after attaching
the quick release.