Off camera vs Flash bracket

Hi,
I know this is a broad topic but bear with me as I'm new to this forum.
I want to improve me flash pictures as up to now I've been setting the camera to P every time I want to use flash. This has always resulted in flat pictures and those ugly shadows when the camera is in potrait mode.
RecentlyI have been playing around with M and AVsettings and know this is the best way to go.
To lift my picture to the next level would I be better going down the road of wireless flash for taking photos at functions etc or go for a flash bracket set up. I want to be able to work quickly but not at the expense of good results.
My equipment is a 300D, 550ex, 18-55, 50mm 1.8, 28-105 usm,.
Any pointers would be gratefuly appreciated.

Hi Mr. T and welcome to the forum.

Flash brackets is quite a broad topic and almost a religion for some . If you do a search of the forum you'll find a huge wealth of information. I do primarly wedding and event work and have used a Newton Camera rotator bracket for the past 2 years.

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=338933

Here are a few threads you may find interesting:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=338933

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=300375

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=138405

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=159280

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=185051

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=150493

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=212708

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=214657

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=225538

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=226539

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=249796

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=259060

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php​?t=151127

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?p=3854117

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=147094

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=138405

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=159280

The rule of thumb for brackets is that you pretty much get what you pay for. If you are NOT doing a lot of fast paced intense wedding and event work, most likely an under $100 bracket will do just fine. If you are really putting it through the paces though, you will need something rugged and well machined. Hope this helps. - Stu

Flash brackets can be used anywhere and don't require much training or experience. Off-camera flash is nice, but you don't always have the time to set it up and there is a serious learning curve involved.

Off-camera light should be the MAIN light, while the on-camera light should be the Fill source to reduce contrast ratio. As Curtis says, though, off-camera isn't always possible if you do not have an assistant working to move the light where you need it at any moment!

I am looking at a Stratos 835F Folding flash bracket to help me out a little with some portrait options (and no, I don't intend to tear it apart with intense work). Has anyone heard anything bad about Stratos (clearly I don't know my brands)?

Is this the one JC?

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …&O=productlist&​sku=166047

It looks like is should work ok as a flash flip type bracket and it's less than $50. My only question concern that flipping "flash arm." It was difficult to tell from the picture if that thing has a positive lock to hold the flash firmly in place. It appears that only gravity does that.

JCheungPhoto wrote in post #5194802
I am looking at a Stratos 835F Folding flash bracket to help me out a little with some portrait options (and no, I don't intend to tear it apart with intense work). Has anyone heard anything bad about Stratos (clearly I don't know my brands)?

it was...sry I should have posted a link, I considered that aspect for awhile before looking into the stroboframe ProT brackets

Thanks for the help.

Off camera vs Flash bracket

Using a hot-shoe flash such as the Canon 420ex, 430ex, 550ex and 580ex (series) and bouncing that flash with a diffuser such as the Joe Demb, Stofen or one of the many other commercial and home made varieties will give you a vast improvement over using either the sickly built-in flash or using a hotshoe connected flash straight on. There are other units such as the Sigma (series) or even the Sunpak 383 (which is a non-TTL but, thyristor controlled unit) which will allow you to bounce flash in both the horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) camera positions. You need normally need a flash unit which both rotates and elevates to accomplish this.

As our chef friend Emeril Legasse says, "Stepping it up a notch", you can add a flash bracket which will keep the flash elevated over the axis of your lens whether your camera is in the landscape or portrait position. There are several varieties of these brackets but basically it boils down to two distinct types: "flash flip" and "camera flip". You will require an off-camera flash cord to use a bracket. I have not included the cord for simplicity in my illustrations. I have also deleted any diffuser in order to keep the illustrations more simple.

The flash flip type rotates the arm to which the flash is attached in order to keep the flash over the axis of the lens in portrait and landscape positions. The problem with this type is that the flash is pointed in a different direction when it is flipped and must be re-pointed. Any extra step IMO slows down your shooting.

The camera flip type type is a bit more complicated but, your flash remains pointed in the same direction whether the camera is in the portrait or landscape position. This is IMO a superior type of bracket. This type of bracket will also allow (if desired) bouncing a flash unit which elevates but doesn't swivel such as the Vivitar 283 and 285 (series) units.

Stroboframe is the standard of the industry and sells great brackets of both the flash and camera flip types. I have had Russian and Chinese copies of the Stroboframe and the Russian copy was pretty crude while the Chinese copy looked good (important if you are shooting professionally) and functioned every bit as well as the original Stroboframe.

The Chinese copies as well as some new and used Stroboframe brackets are available on eBay and new ones are available from B&H and Adorama as well as most other retailers.

I am not necessarily recommending these specific brackets on ebay but (in addition to my images); I am linking to them to show the difference between flash and camera flip units:

Camera flip:
http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

Flash flip:
http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

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I would have to say that Stroboframe makes a good bracket for the price and the company enjoys strong, popular sales. They are readily available and carried by most camera stores. My first serious bracket was a Stroboframe, and later on I used parts from one to make a special modification to suit my MF use.

I would hesitate to call them the industry standard though. They are good for the money. But if you want a superior bracket that will hold up under heavy sustained use, year after year, there are better choices. They cost more, but then you get what you pay for. This is not a slam on Stroboframe, merely an observation.

RPCrowe wrote in post #5197582
...........Stroboframe is the standard of the industry and sells great brackets of both the flash and camera flip types. ......

I use the Demb Flash Bracket. It's relatively inexpensive, light weight and easy to use:
http://www.dembflashpr​oducts.com/bracket/

I've looked at the demb bracket but have not handled it. as it not available over here. Is it well built?

Has any one else any experience of the demb bracket, would the custom junior be more usefull?

I've had no experience with demb bracket - never touched it or seen it in the flesh. Interesting though when you watch the video on his site which explains its function.

He does demonstrate the bracket/light going off to the side, and comments that "some photographers like to line up the flash directly over the lens. I find that kind of boring," he states. He adds that having it off to the side gives you the flexibility of setting up lighting like in a studio. Well, sure that will work if you are not close to a wall or other background objects that will display an unflattering side shadow.

Now in all fairness to his video, he does show how his bracket can allow you to place the flash pretty much above the center of the lens. But it is not quite straight up like a Newton, QRS, Custom, some Stroboframes, etc, and goes off at a bit of an angle. It looks like it performs as advertised, but didn't appear to be the most heavy duty of objects. Of course that's really hard to determine from the small video.

Mr T wrote in post #5211819
Has any one else any experience of the demb bracket, would the custom junior be more usefull?

Sorry, they are all crap besides the RRS models which are machined well, rigid and versatile. Oh my, what an opinionated post!

http://reallyrightstuf​f.com/flash/04.html