Stroboframe Bracket - Quick Flip 350 for 35mm Cameras

[dphoto]

Hello all,

I'm thinking of buying this item from B&H for my 20D (I could use it with my Digital Rebel as well). Does anyone have any experience with it? I already have the off-camera shoe cord, but I've never used a bracket before. Are there any pitfalls I should be watching out for? This bracket seems like a good one for the price ($45), but like I said, I have no experience using one.

Thanks a lot for any input!
-Deva

[mvonditter]

I have had one for years, and frankly, it has spent 99.9% of the time sitting on the shelf. Not that it is bad, I have just not found as many uses for it as I thought.

[flyfisher]

It depends on what kind of shooting that you do, If you change from horizontal to vertical alot then they are very handy to have as the flash will always be above the lens.

[dphoto]

Hey guys,

Yeah, I don't actually anticipate using it that much. I'm shooting a friend's wedding next month, and I would use it then to eliminate those shadows created from vertical shooting. Actually, come to think of it, sometimes after a school sporting event I'll take a few impromptu "portrait" type shots of some of the team members, but if the subject is anywhere near a wall or background or anything when I'm shooting vertical, I get those shadows. So yeah, I think I would try to incorporate it into more of my shooting.

That being said, how about this particular model--the Stroboframe Quick Flip 350. Any advice there?

Thanks!
-Deva

[DaveG]

Hey guys,

Yeah, I don't actually anticipate using it that much. I'm shooting a friend's wedding next month, and I would use it then to eliminate those shadows created from vertical shooting. Actually, come to think of it, sometimes after a school sporting event I'll take a few impromptu "portrait" type shots of some of the team members, but if the subject is anywhere near a wall or background or anything when I'm shooting vertical, I get those shadows. So yeah, I think I would try to incorporate it into more of my shooting.

That being said, how about this particular model--the Stroboframe Quick Flip 350. Any advice there?

Thanks!
-Deva


The part of the bracket that holds the flash will be on the left side of the camera with the Quick Flip. That means that the shutterbutton will be on the bottom when you try to shoot vertically. Using the camera this way would be difficult at best. It would be almost impossible with the vertical grip on the 20D as its shutter release would now be on the bottom of the camera and on the left!

The QuickFlip does not take camera specific Anti-Twist Plates either. The camera is always going to be loose on the bracket, the torque will rotate the camera, you'll over tighten the bracket - which can only damage your camera - and even then the whole mess is always going to feel that it's coming apart.

With these factors I can't see how the Quick Flip would be even slightly useful on a 20D, and would strongly suggest something else.

That would be (as usual) the Stroboframe Pro-T bracket. It's "upright" is on the camera's right side so it flips the flash so that the shutter button is on top. The upright is forward of the camera body and at first glance you may well think that it could be "seen" by a super wide angle lens. But the Canon wide angle zoom lenses that I use are so physically large that they are forward of the upright. In any case I don't have a problem with my 10-22 and if there's no problem with that lens, then there's no problem.

The vertical grip's shutter button is slightly shrouded by the antitwist plate, but it's no big deal.

Make sure that you do get the antitwist plate or you'll be extremely disappointed. The cork one that comes with the bracket is completely and utterly useless. The A/T bracket that you'll need for the 20D with Vertical grip is the BE1. I had been using the 35H with the same bracket, the 10D and its vertical grip but it was too small for the deeper 20D's vertical grip. The BE1 will fit on the 10D set up and actually works better than the 35H. I've never tried the BE1 on either the 10D or the 20D without the vertical grips but it should work fine, but perhaps someone else can comment on that.

The flash accessory shoe (the non-hot hotshoe, if you like) may not be included so check that you get one or you'll need to purchase one.

[Moments]

Hey,

With a 10D with the vertical grip and a 550 flash, I did notice that the Quick Flip by itself did get loose and rotate. What did seem to help was the storboframe quick disconnect bracket. I used epoxy to attach the cork to the quick disconnect. (The rubber cement stroboframe uses does not work!) This configuration would only slightly move while I was shooting a wedding. And I did use this configuration for over 50 weddings. Once I traded up to a 20D with the grip, I noticed that the bottom of the 20D's vertical grip would hold the bracket from twisting as much. I only really notice the movement now when using my 70-200 2.8 IS lens.
As far as the post speaking about when shooting with the camera in the vertical position and the shutter button then being on the bottom of the camera, all I did was turn the quick flip around. The only thing I had to do was to drill a new hole in the bottom of the bracket so as to move it away from the CF card door so it could open and eject the card.
I have tried my Quantum T2 flash with the quick flip, but I think it is a little too heavy of a flash for the quick flip. I will be moving to a new bracket once I start to use my Quantum T2 flash after it is upgraded to the digital version.
Pete

[yenoram]

DaveG I'd be interested in seeing a picture of this setup in both portrait and landscape orientation if you'd be so kind. I currently have the Quick flip which doesn't work with the 20D plus grip. I also find this flashbracket rather sloppy feeling. I'm considering either the Pro T or the Press T as a replacement but I'm undecided at this point.

Jim

[DaveG]

DaveG I'd be interested in seeing a picture of this setup in both portrait and landscape orientation if you'd be so kind. I currently have the Quick flip which doesn't work with the 20D plus grip. I also find this flashbracket rather sloppy feeling. I'm considering either the Pro T or the Press T as a replacement but I'm undecided at this point.

Jim

I'll take some pictures and send them to you. Please email me at dgrandy@grandyphoto.com as I've never been able to figure out how up load images here.

[dphoto]

Hello all,

I just wanted to say thanks to all who contributed opinions on this. I knew the issue of a flash bracket was not going to be an easy one. So, I went down to my favorite camera store and tried out a few brackets. I was able to try the Stroboframe quick flip, camera flip, pro T, and some others. Wow, I'm glad I did that. In the end, I decided to spend some extra money and I bought a Custom Brackets QRS-35. For those in the market for a bracket, it's really nice, and it has three features that I really like: (1) the camera does not slip on the bracket, (2) I hold the camera instead of the bracket, and (3) the camera rotates and the flash head stays stationary so that flash attachments like the pocket bouncer keep the light source over the lens.

Anyhow, I think flash brackets are a tricky business, and in the end you have to be happy with the one that's going to be attached to your camera, so this might be one of those items you may want to try before you buy. :D

Thanks again for all the wonderful input!
-Deva