It really is a better swivel ...

Im sure Dave will chime in but that is the Kacey bracket with several custom modifications.

TMR Design wrote in post #10725289
Im sure Dave will chime in but that is the Kacey bracket with several custom modifications.

Chime Time: Yes, that is a modded Kacey bracket. To eliminate any possibility of bracket slippage (which, to be fair, I experienced on only two occasions), I removed Jerry's stock tilting mechanism and replaced it with a couple of off-the-shelf parts that allow use of either a heavy duty swivel such as the Photoflex or Cheetah, or a truly industrial strength grip head. I've gone through several variations but this will give you an idea of what's involved:

jeromego wrote in post #10723275
Dave, can this handle an alienbee with 22" BD?

No problem:

Thanks.

You have those brackets like infinite configurations of Legos, Dave. Haha.

tetrode wrote in post #10725693

Dave F.

Hi Dave, is this the Photoflex swivel? If so how well is it holding compared to the Lite Tite?

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elv wrote in post #10727193
Hi Dave, is this the Photoflex swivel? If so how well is it holding compared to the Lite Tite?

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Yes, that is indeed the Photoflex. I much prefer it to the Manfrotto Lite-Tite. With the locking handle snugged down, it's as if the joint were welded together (only a slight overstatement). I have never experienced slipping with the Photoflex swivel which is not something I can say about the Lite-Tite. The Lite-Tite slipping can be chalked up to "user error" in that the handle wasn't tightened quite enough but nothing like that amount of torque is needed with the Photoflex to achieve an immovable joint. The downside of the Photoflex comes in the form of added weight and bulk. It doesn't pack as well as most other swivels because the locking handle is 180-degrees opposite the knobs on the two 5/8" receptor sockets.

I use a Photoflex swivel to support this assembly from the rear:

Thanks for that, yeah I think its only needed for big (bulky) modifiers anyway.

I have used the geared teeth ones the same as shown but I personly don't like adjusting them. They do do the job though.

One catch with them also (not a common problem) is you can't have anything blocking the handle path as it needs to do atleast a complete turn so loosen far enough to disengage the teeth enough to adjust them. Where as the Lite tight is just a quarter of a turn and you can set the handle at the bottom or anywhere. I got caught out using a flat bar for dual flash brackets that sit above the handle path.

That's why it's a ratchet handle. Even if you only have a small amount of working room you can still make the adjustment by ratcheting.

I like that einstein facing backwards. Recently I saw on photoflex website they selling a deflector which fills in the hole where strobes goes in usual configuration and they have an arm to put the strobe backwards inside a softbox or octobox.

TMR Design wrote in post #10727867
That's why it's a ratchet handle. Even if you only have a small amount of working room you can still make the adjustment by ratcheting.

I though that too, but you can't. You can only ratchet the handle when the swivel is tight. Once you loosen the handle a bit you can no longer ratchet as the nut inside the handle will still move with the handle even when you pull outwards to disengage it. And you have to do a full turn of the handle once you loosen a bit.

The ratchet works on the Lite Tite becasue it only has a 1/4 turn to tighten so you can set it in the right place before loosening and work within that 90 degrees.

Its probably not a big deal in most applications anyway, just something to be aware of.