Flash bracket recommendation.

[cgipson1]

No I haven't used any of these new brackets. Back in the film days the flash brackets did not flip, at least the ones used by us amateurs. The built in camera flashes certainly don't flip, thus keeping the flash fov to follow the camera fov. I must be missing why one would want to do otherwise. Now a 180 deg lip would move the flash a little farther from the camera line of sight, which could be useful in certain situations.

I used one of these with one of a pair of Olympus OM-4s, with either t32 or t45 flashes attached, throughout the 80's, when I had my studio! Worked really well! Replaced the mechanical trigger with an electronic trigger since the OM-4s had that capability.

RL 2000 FLASH BRACKET Body Flip bracket

 

[hirejn]

Initially I thought a flash bracket was the way to go. Now, I realize brackets are unnecessary and too cumbersome. I haven't used my bracket since my first wedding because flash on a bracket is still flash on camera, and I avoid that as much as possible. For my first wedding, I did use light stands, but I also used the bracket during the reception. I realized it wasn't worth the hassle and I could get almost the same results with flash on camera and the Fong diffuser, and I have. I now use flash on camera only for table shots and a few reception shots, but not most. It's usually on a light stand or turned off. If you must have flash on camera, a bracket is technically a bit better, but for me it's not worth the hassle. I've never had red eye with my current methods. I used the Custom Brackets products but will be selling my Digital Pro E.

 

[bratkinson]

Being an amateur and noob at flash, it took me a while to 'discover' that having a hotshoe mounted flash when shooting in portrait format caused side shadows behind the subject. So, I found an economical 'camera flip' flash from Alzo that worked fairly well.
Flash Bracket for Digital Cameras by ALZO digital
But for me, it's drawback was the less than quick and easy mounting of the camera to the bracket. And, when I wanted to put camera without flash bracket on my monopod or tripod, I had to remove the adapter plate from the bottom of the camera.

Then I was at a wedding and saw the pro there using a very simple-looking bracket from Really Right Stuff. WPF-QR: Flash Bracket with integrated QR - WPF-QR
It was exactly what I wanted! It's 10 seconds or less to mount to the camera, and 10 seconds or less to mount the flash to it with their Quick Release mount. A bit pricey? Yes. It also requires an L-bracket pre-mounted on the camera. Also another chunk of change. But for quick, fast, easy, I love it! I also put compatible clamps on my monopod and tripod, so putting the camera (with semi-permanently mounted L bracket) to them is 10 seconds or less as well.

As mentioned above, some brackets 'flip the camera' and others 'flip the flash'. Google 'camera flash bracket' and read about the many choices out there.