Newbie to Flash Brackets

PhotoB · Oct 12, 2005

I just bought a flash bracket for my DSLR last night, but I can not figure out the best way to hold and/or shoot with the thing!! You you have or can you take a picture of you holding your camera while using a flash bracket so I can get an idea what I'm doing wrong? or have any tips in using one? And what do you do with the extra length of the sync cord? Thanks for any help you can offer.

usayit · Oct 12, 2005

really depends on the flash bracket. Some flip the flash and some rotate the camera. Some have "grips" in different locations depending on the center. So many different types. Probably the best thing for you to do is to post a picture of your flash bracket.

PhotoB · Oct 12, 2005

Here's the link to it:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...270&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Rob · Oct 12, 2005

Left hand on the flash bracket grip, right hand on the camera grip near the shutter?

PhotoB · Oct 13, 2005

That's what thought, but what about when I "flip" to take a vertical? I usually rotate so my right hand is on top with my left hand holding the camera. It feels so strange to be steadying the camera with my right hand (on the bottom) or gripping the camera by the bracket in my left...

Marctwo · Oct 13, 2005

It looks the wrong way round to me.

Essentially, the grip on the flash bracket should be replacing the grip on the camera so have the grip on the right hand side and just hold the flash grip instead of the camera grip. Left hand on the lens as normal.

ksmattfish · Oct 13, 2005

Every flash bracket I've ever seen is meant to be held with the left hand. The right hand operates the camera. Wrap the extra flash cord around the bracket. Some models are more vertically friendly than others, but you just have to get used to it. Some flash brackets will flip the flash back to the top even when turned for a vertical shot.

EDIT: The real problem is that most flash brackets are designed the same way today as they were 50 years ago. It wasn't until almost the 1990s that camera bodies began being designed more ergonomically with a grip projection near the shutter and vertical grips. For some reason no one has redesigned the flash bracket to function better with the evolution of the camera body. If I use my vert grip on my flash bracket and turn the camera vert with the flash on top (I have a flip bracket) the shutter button ends up at the bottom, by the base of my palm. I take my grip off, but I don't know what you're supposed to do if your have one of those fancy pro-models where the vert grip isn't removable.

DocFrankenstein · Oct 13, 2005

ksmattfish said:
For some reason no one has redesigned the flash bracket to function better with the evolution of the camera body.

Some people did. There's RRS, Newtong and CustomBracket which rotate the camera, not the bracket around it.

If you still can - return the damn thing and get a stroboframe. A bracket is useless unless it allows you to conter the flash dead above the lens in both vertical and horisontal orientation.

PlasticSpanner · Oct 13, 2005

Weren't they originally designed so that you could hold the grip with the right hand, operate a cable release on the bracket with your thumb or trigger finger & still focus the lens with your left hand!? (obviously before autofocus)

ksmattfish · Oct 13, 2005

DocFrankenstein said:
Some people did. There's RRS, Newtong and CustomBracket which rotate the camera, not the bracket around it.

Oh yeah, I've seen those, but never had the chance to use one.

If you put a big diffuser on a flash that isn't centered you won't get shadows behind the subject. I can center my flash, or put it over 12" to the left of center, and I've found it handy to use that way.

Marctwo · Oct 13, 2005

I have to say that I'm completely amazed by this.

The only flash brackets I've seen have been old (50's-60's ?) but have all been operated and held with the right hand. I've held/used/played with them and found the design to be completely intuitive if not obvious - why would anyone in their right mind think of doing it the other way?

It seems there's definately a hole there for someone to exploit.

I'm stunned! :scratch:

ksmattfish · Oct 13, 2005

Marctwo said:
why would anyone in their right mind think of doing it the other way?

Well, I'm right handed, and I tend to do all the button pushing/menu dialing with my right hand, so I need to hold it with my left, or be switching hands all the time.

On big old cameras like Speed Graphics the flash was mounted on the right, but that isn't a bracket. It looks like a handle, and can be sort of used like one, but it holds batteries, and isn't strong enough to safely hold the camera's weight by itself. The cameras were held by the left hand (usually with a hand strap), and the right hand was used to set the camera and trigger the shutter.

ajmall · Oct 19, 2005

i got a basic bracket a couple weeks ago and have used it once.

the off camera flash cable just gets in the way and if you're using a short lens it's lots of hassle trying to grip the zoom ring.