flash bracket help

[dsoo]

Recently I got a camera-flip flash bracket. I am using it with my 430EX and 5D, the 430EX was set on auto for lens focal length. However, I notice dark portion on the bottom of my pictures when I flip my camera vertical. Do I have to override the flash setting to be at 24mm all the time in order to get a good coverage? (worse yet, I use a 24-70 lens, when I am using 24mm, the 24mm flash setting won't help)

Any tips? Thanks.

[Wilt]

If you were shooting something fairly close, you could simply be running into the parallax problem...your lens visual center is located below the flash visual center by a greater distance, and that (along with the flash orientation now not matching the frame orientation) is permitting the lens to see below the flash's coverage.

You could try to either 1) have the flash point somewhat downward a few degrees, or 2) have flash use wider coverage angle. If you use your 24mm lens, the 24mm flash setting won't help, as you pointed out...so all you can try is to somehow aim the flash a bit downward, or you can try to diffuse the light source so the coverage angle is greater.

[dsoo]

You could try to either 1) have the flash point somewhat downward a few degrees, or 2) have flash use wider coverage angle. If you use your 24mm lens, the 24mm flash setting won't help, as you pointed out...so all you can try is to somehow aim the flash a bit downward, or you can try to diffuse the light source so the coverage angle is greater.

Thanks for the advice. Too bad that the 430EX doesn't have the tilt down option. I will see if I could put some kind of a shim on the flash mount to get it tilt downward.

I already have a Lee filter dissolver gel on 430EX, but it's not helping much. Maybe I should double it up or even triple it up then.

Thanks,

[dsoo]

Your lens hood my be blocking the strobe light in the portrait orientation, try remooving hood.

Thanks for the reminder, but I don't think it's due to the hood though. The hood on my 24-70 has the cut out on the sides. When I flip my camera vertical, the cutouts are basically turned out of the light path's way and if it's casting a shadow on the picture, the shadow should look like a U shape instead.

Thanks,

[Curtis N]

It's not the lens hood.

If the flash is horizontal and the camera is vertical, and the flash is zooming with the lens, it won't cover the whole field of view from top to bottom.

If you manually zoom the flash a bit wider, it should take care of the problem.

[Lotto]

Some macro guys use this setup.

[Inspired Photography]

As i have only crop cameras, i have never had this issue.

I would either leave it zoomed out, or angle it a little as shown above.

Rob

[LightUser]

That is why I use a flip flash bracket and not a flip camera bracket..if you tilt your camera verticle look at your flash head..it is still square or horizontal..your flash is going out wide and not going long ways up and down to cover the lens view..getting a flip flash bracket, flips the flash in conjuction with the orientation to your camera..flawless. I had a flip camera bracket and sent it back after 3 days..

[Curtis N]

My flash bracket is rarely used with direct flash. It's always bounced off the ceiling with a bounce card or Lumiquest 80/20, or diffused with a softbox. Either way, the flash coverage is wide enough to avoid issues, and a camera flip bracket is ideal for such use. Camera flip brackets are also much more conducive to tripod use.

24mm on a 5D is pretty wide, and you'll run into flash falloff problems on the edges simply because the perimeter of the FOV is further away than the center. There's no way that I know of to overcome this with a single flash unit on the camera or on a bracket.

[dsoo]

That is why I use a flip flash bracket and not a flip camera bracket..if you tilt your camera verticle look at your flash head..it is still square or horizontal..your flash is going out wide and not going long ways up and down to cover the lens view..getting a flip flash bracket, flips the flash in conjuction with the orientation to your camera..flawless. I had a flip camera bracket and sent it back after 3 days..
I had flip flash bracket for my film cameras, the drawback I experienced was they are not fast enough for the flip.

Lotto, thanks for the picture of the setup. I think I could make something like that in the machine shop.

[dsoo]

My flash bracket is rarely used with direct flash. It's always bounced off the ceiling with a bounce card or Lumiquest 80/20, or diffused with a softbox. Either way, the flash coverage is wide enough to avoid issues, and a camera flip bracket is ideal for such use. Camera flip brackets are also much more conducive to tripod use.

24mm on a 5D is pretty wide, and you'll run into flash falloff problems on the edges simply because the perimeter of the FOV is further away than the center. There's no way that I know of to overcome this with a single flash unit on the camera or on a bracket.

True, bounce off ceiling will avoid the falloff, but then I kind of like the catch light on the subject's eyes from a direct flash though. Too bad that none of the EX flash has dual flash bulb.

[Curtis N]

I kind of like the catch light on the subject's eyes from a direct flash though. Too bad that none of the EX flash has dual flash bulb.You don't need a dual flash bulb. You need a bounce card.

[Wilt]

I had flip flash bracket for my film cameras, the drawback I experienced was they are not fast enough for the flip.

Lotto, thanks for the picture of the setup. I think I could make something like that in the machine shop.

That flash flip bracket you used must have been one of those economy jobs that they foist on the unsuspecting! I have a Newton flash flip that keeps up just fine with the often frantic rush of wedding photography.

[dsoo]

That flash flip bracket you used must have been one of those economy jobs that they foist on the unsuspecting! I have a Newton flash flip that keeps up just fine with the often frantic rush of wedding photography.

It was the basic stroboframe, it serves it's purpose, but it takes extra steps to do the flip(take hand of the camera to do the flip, hand back on the camera to take the shot). Also, Curtis reminded me right, I had hard time doing vertical when it's on tripod. That's the whole reason why I wanted to try the camera flip bracket instead.

Just out of curiocity, how does this Newton bracket work? Seems like the Newton flash flip(Di100FR2) would have similar problem that I encounter with my new camera flip brkt(camera orientation is perpendicular with the flash orientation), please correct me if I am wrong.

FYI, the new bracket I got is RPS Studio flash brkt
http://www.amazon.com/RPS-Studio-Rotating-Bracket-Connectors/dp/B000MUWZ4C

Thanks,

[Wilt]

Just out of curiocity, how does this Newton bracket work? Seems like the Newton flash flip(Di100FR2) would have similar problem that I encounter with my new camera flip brkt(camera orientation is perpendicular with the flash orientation), please correct me if I am wrong.,


Go read this thread http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=338933

Yes, the flash coverage area orientation is perpendicular to the frame orientation in Portrait mode. Depending upon the flash, depending upon the light modifier you use, it is often a non-issue. I never had this problem in covering weddings over the past 15+ years with my Newton bracket and flash.

--wilt

[Curtis N]

Depending upon the flash, depending upon the light modifier you use, it is often a non-issue. I never had this problem in covering weddings over the past 15+ years with my Newton bracket and flash.According to pictures and anecdotes posted in this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=341017), it seems like the Canon Speedlites have a more sharply defined coverage area with less light spilling over the edges, compared to some of the aftermarket brands. If so, they would be more prone to this problem with cross-orientation.

Maybe what the OP really needs is a cheap knock-off like a Sigma or Metz. ;)

[dsoo]

Go read this thread http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=338933

Yes, the flash coverage area orientation is perpendicular to the frame orientation in Portrait mode. Depending upon the flash, depending upon the light modifier you use, it is often a non-issue. I never had this problem in covering weddings over the past 15+ years with my Newton bracket and flash.

--wilt
Thanks for the link. I believe I would encounter the same problem with the Newton bracket that I am encountering with this new flash bracket of mine(they are of the same principle), unless the Newton bracket allows the flash to be tilted forward a couple degrees.

[jrsforums]

Thanks for the link. I believe I would encounter the same problem with the Newton bracket that I am encountering with this new flash bracket of mine(they are of the same principle), unless the Newton bracket allows the flash to be tilted forward a couple degrees.

I think what you need is some form of diffuser (if you do not need full power from the flash and can afford the 1 to 3 stop light loss, depending on the diffuser).

The simplest, smallest, and easiest (my opinion) to use is the Stofen Omnibounce....whether bounced or shooting direct. It will spread the light to cover all areas and ETTL will up the power to adjust.

Another very good alternative is a cheap DIY diffuser. Details can be found here: http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/ This works extremely well if you want to control the light.

[rang]

I just mount a small Bogen ball head underneath the 580 EX so I can move the flash in any orientation for precise coverage.