Flash bracket help - please!

[Amy F]

My wonderful husband bought me a flash bracket for my birthday. He went for the pretty red one (I have to give him credit there, although it doesn't look very professional!), but I am wondering if this is a good fit for my camera? It is advertised as a 35mm bracket, and I shoot with a 30D & a 580EX. It seems a little small, but I don't know much about brackets yet. I've already searched the board and I am more confused than ever! Do I need to get one with a larger arm, or will this one do the trick? Shood I be looking for a bracket that supports a medium format camera? Would I be better off with the Stroboframe Quick Flip that everyone talks about? I feel like I am under the gun since B&H is closing for a week...I gotta make a decision soon! :)

This is the one he got me...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=166047&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Also, does the off shoe camera cord attach to the bracket, and the flash attaches the cord? Is that how the set-up works? Hubby didn't get me a cord, so I am wondering how all of this comes together...

Thanks SOOO much for any light you can shed on this subject! It is MUCH appreciated!

[Wilt]

My wonderful husband bought me a flash bracket for my birthday. He went for the pretty red one (I have to give him credit there, although it doesn't look very professional!), but I am wondering if this is a good fit for my camera? It is advertised as a 35mm bracket, and I shoot with a 30D & a 580EX. It seems a little small, but I don't know much about brackets yet. I've already searched the board and I am more confused than ever! Do I need to get one with a larger arm, or will this one do the trick? Shood I be looking for a bracket that supports a medium format camera? Would I be better off with the Stroboframe Quick Flip that everyone talks about?

Bracket looks to be fine...it appears to keep the flash above the lens; it is unknown if it is precisely over the axis of the lens, which is optimal.

Are you considering medium format? If so, an issue might be whether it could accomodate the height of a MedFormat camera. Same issue can apply if you are a user of the battery grip for the 30D.

For the price, it seems reasonable product. Products better suited to professional use are about 3-4x the price!

Also, does the off shoe camera cord attach to the bracket, and the flash attaches the cord? Is that how the set-up works? Hubby didn't get me a cord, so I am wondering how all of this comes together.

Canon offcamera shoe cord 2

[Curtis N]

Looks like an economy design that will work for occasional use. It'll work fine for direct flash. If you're bouncing the flash, you'll need to re-orient the flash head when you switch it to vertical and this can be a bit of a pain.does the off shoe camera cord attach to the bracket, and the flash attaches the cord? Is that how the set-up works? Hubby didn't get me a cord, so I am wondering how all of this comes together... The top end of the cord has a hotshoe just like the one on your camera, and a flange that looks like the foot of a flash unit. It attaches to the clamp on the top of the bracket, and your flash fits into its hotshoe.

Be careful with this, because the flange on the Canon Off Camera Shoe Cord 2 has a weak design and has been known to break. Most brackets are made so you can bolt the cord end onto the bracket but this one doesn't appear to be made that way.

Local camera shops in the US sell the Promaster brand TTL cord, which has a stronger flange. I have two of these and they work fine.