Flash brackets

I wanted to ask if any one knows of an easy, sturdy good quality

falsh bracket for my wedding shoot. I am using a 35mm cam. w/battery

compartment below. Thanks for any help.

Woooo! Slow down. Flash bracket is the least of your worries. You SHOULD not use a 35mm camera to shoot a wedding if you want GOOD pictures. Assuming at least a half of it is indoors with low light you'll be using ASA 400+ That being the case, a 10x8 will come out like GARBAGE, even 4x6 looks grainy. Anybody who shoots weddings AND knows what there doing is either using MF or high end DSLR. I strongly encourage you to do the same, decline the event, or tell the couple that the photos WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT be pro grade!!!

 

To answer your question...stoboframe camera flip ~$70. Tape the neoprine grip cause it has a tendancy to split. You'll need an off camera cord too.

 

I expect a bit of a backlash, cause I know some people do use 35mm, but like I said the quality SUCKS when compared to MF and DSLR.

William, thanks for your input. I am using a digi rebel currently and hope to be using the 1D MKII soon :). I think it will be sufficient for the task. ??

William's comment ignores the reality of the album situation: they will order 5x7s and

4x5s mostly, and only a few 8x10s. No need to worry about 35mm. Use a medium format

for the group pictures.

 

A good bracket is the discontinued R7 Stroboframe. This allows you to have shadowless

light when using portable flash. The camera flips and turns under the stationary flash

head. Find them on the auctions.

You did not infer that. You'll be fine with the dRebel. Easily does 8x10's on ISO 400... Are you using the 550 flash? Bring a boat load of efilm. Shoot RAW, use C1 to convert to 8 bit tiff...no USM. Switch to PS to dodge, burn, clone stamp, sharpen or blur, burn stock to cd/dvd, then crop last. I've gotten good prints from a fuji frontier 370 on crystal archive, and home based epson 2200; enhanced matte paper (only comes in 13x19 and 8.5x11...bummer!) Both are archival grade...key for wedding photos. Attend the rehearsal to plan your shoot!

 

I'm thinking and DREAMING about the MK2 as well. It's a hard price to pay though. I'm shooting 20-30 a year in DC and the market is REALLY competitive. Half of my clients are bottom feeders where I'm making $750 for the event. May sound like decent money but this town is EXPENSIVE, and as we all know Canon makes great gear...but it ain't cheap.

 

Good luck!

Timber:

 

I'm a full service kinda guy. Every photo I take is available in 8 x10. Four out five of my clients get an 8x10 album w/ 48 prints. I shoot at least 300 pix in six to eight hours all in RAW, deliver negs in tiff...So one in six+ goes big.

 

PS Seen your work. Good stuff!

"You SHOULD not use a 35mm camera to shoot a wedding if you want GOOD pictures."

 

Woooo William, I strongly disagree. I now use Fuji 35mm Reala for most of the serious portraits and groups, and this film can be easily enlarged to 16x20+ and fits best into my fast documentary style of photography. I went the MF route for many years with a Norman 200b, felt like I was bogged down in a mud hole, and became liberated when I switched to a sophisticated TTL 35mm system. My clients don't complain...on the contrary! Most don't want anything larger than an 8x10 anyway...as mentioned above. I check in advance, and if they want some for large display (20x24+), I then take those with MF...but the Reala still looks better IMO.

 

In addition, many photographers use digital now days, and there are serious limits on the maximum print size from such media also.

 

What is your definition of GOOD pictures?!

 

I should copy and send you an excellent article written by David Jenkins for Rangefinder Magazine a few years back on the advantages of using 35mm for wedding photography.

Do you enlarge 35 mm ISO 400+ plus to 16x20? My comments were in reference to low light wedding situations which is VERY NORMAL! Go read what people are saying in the photo.net MF forum and you'll understand. For good 8x10+ MF or DSLR is required if you shoot at 400 plus.

 

By 'good' I mean that a seasoned pro will not see grain and the customer says' "Wow!!!" Course after they've just dropped at least a grand every picture should say "Wow!!!" Mine do.

I only expect to use these up to 16x20, and 400 is about what i expect to use for all indoor. Outdoor i would be @ 100 - 200. Thank you for all this input. I hope to find a simple solution to a falsh bracket that will raise the 550ex i am using up by 12+ inches and allow for a quick 'flip' to portrait with out being flimsy. Thanks again to all.

Michael...I forgot to give my recommendations on a flash bracket. I would agree with the use of a Stroboframe Quick Flip 350 (for 35mm) for ease of use and low cost. This bracket flips the flash over the lens for both horizontal and vertical modes. $46.95 from B&H. I now use the Stroboframe Camera Flip Bracket which flips the camera from vertical to horizontal while keeping the flash stationary. I've grown to love this bracket. This costs $62.95 from B&H. I want to get a second unit for my digital. I tried the Stroboframe Pro-T but just couldn't get used to the feel of it. Some love the unit. So, for a quick inexpensive solution to your problem, I would suggest getting the Quick Flip 350 (they have a 120 model for MF cameras that use rectangular formats). When I shoot MF for portraits and such I use a Rolleiflex F or Hasselblad (square format) and don't need to flip the camera or flash.

 

Using an over the lens flash will make a great difference in the shadow quality of your photographs. Good luck.

 

William...I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but I use a flash, indoors and out, so I don't need to use 400 speed film. Reala works very nicely with a good TTL flash system! I use digital now days for most ceremony photos in available light. I've been doing serious photography since 1959 and weddings for well over 15 years, half of which was with MF, so I don't need to read the MF Forum to "understand!" (^O^)

Michael,

 

Your question did not mention anything about 400 speed film. William inserted that item in his comment. I would not use 400 speed film for the serious portraits and group formals. The reception might be ok for 400 but not the portraits. I would go with Reala 100 or NPC 160 for anything serious, and if you have a good flash you will have plenty of light inside and out. That will give you good quality with 35mm film. At my last wedding in january I had a set of CD's made from selected Reala film images. I pushed them as far as they would go in size on my monitor and there is not even a hint of film grain...I hit pixilization before I hit film grain...that's big. Try it...and do run a test roll before the event.

 

For the record, I'm not knocking MF at all. I use it regularly in many different venues, but for documentary/PJ style weddings, which I prefer, it is a bit slow, for me.

Todd:

 

I'm not trying to pick a fight! I'm just saying that 400+ speed film sucks in 35mm format. Yes you can shoot reala 100 if you don't care about your foreground/background exposure composition in low light pics.

 

In Canon DSLR 'noise' as oppossed to 'grain' in film is VERY low. I've read that other DSLR's are weaker in terms of noise. There is almost none at 400 on newer canon DSLR's

 

Ergo, you get greatly enhanced control with a constant adjustment for efilm speed. This benefit outways all the gripes about latitude and color that everybody wines about in digi format. This assumes that your know how to run your own DSLR lab!!! Key point! I'm VERY PC literate and many are not!

 

As is always the case it's about give and take. For me digi is where its at...So much more creative freedom that film does not have if you know how to digi shoot n' process.

 

I saw your other thread about wedding contracts and sent you my model copy. Hope it helps.

Michael - I use the Stroboframe Camera Flip. It rotates the camera under the flash on a couple of pivots. My EOS 3 fits, as does my 10D. But my 10D with battery grip, with OCSC 2 attached is just a little too big (I have to take the grip off) - your DRebel may fit with the grip, though. Check out the specs before you buy. If you plan to buy a Mark II (as I do ;-P) you'll definately need something bigger. Stroboframe has several designs.

 

BTW - I think your only limiting factor regarding your camera will be your lack of creative control - not your format. The DRebel sensor will do fine! Good luck!

Yikes, what happened to the other half of this thread?

Parts of other threads have vanished as well. Josh Root on the Leica Forum provided an answer regarding many problems with photo.net systems equipment and data base issues lately.

According to Bob Atkins.....<em>

Everything posted between 11.30pm on Thursday night and 6am Friday morning (when the system crashed) was lost. Stuff posted before 11.30pm was restored from the last database backup.

Times are Eastern of course, so that's 8.30pm and 3am Pacific.</em><p> Back to the subject at hand.. I think this thread illustrates perfectly that what we contribute are simply "opinions". Bottom line is take what you like and leave the rest. <p>I've also used Medium Format for weddings. I no longer use them due to fast shooting needs and versatility. <p>When you consider 1) in 14 years of shooting, I've never had anything larger than 11x14 ordered (and that is rare) AND most of the shots are 5x7...and a sprinkling of 8x10's. 2) Most first time couples are in their 30's now (which means they don't want tack sharp photos of themselves). I don't think twice about using 35mm. Frankly, I have 11x14's of 3600 speed film that is just wonderful - as well as a couple of 8x10's of 800 speed film - natural light shots that I'm madly in love with. Grain is in. Oh - that's just my opinion...as well as many clients that love artsy grain as well. As to Reala -- Todd -- you are right (in my opinion anyway ;-) It rocks.

Shot my first wedding with the Strobe Frame Bracket (N-80) 400 speed Fugicolor Superia. I loved the results! Although I do think there is merit to the 100 speed Fugicolor for the Portraits.

Scott.

As mentioned in the crash deleted part of this thread, I've come to prefer the Stroboframe

Pro-T with a Quick Release plate on the bracket for quick camera removal, (with anti-twist

plate on the camera). The preference is based on personally liking to hold the camera

rather than the bracket while shooting.

 

I no longer use the Canon off-camera cord due to a failure in it's under designed flash

mount. If the larger 550EX is used, the stress of constant flipping torques the slotted

plastic flange and the flash flies off to the floor. It happened to me at a wedding, then to

my photojournalist partner while shooting the Governor of Michigan with the Queen of

Jordan (not to embarrassing).

 

I now use the Canon ST-E2 transmitter. If that option is selected, the Pro-T bracket is

necessary rather than the slightly smaller Press-T. The Press-T's extension arm isn't high

enough to avoid blocking the Af beam from the ST-E2 transmitter.

 

Here is my current set up. The red arrows indicate the Quick Release points which allow

fast break-down and set up of the gear.<div></div>

Michael,

I prefer the Stroboframe Camera Flip model, mainly due to the lightweight construction. Over the years, I've also used the Pro-T and the Pro-RL, which are also great brackets. Go to your local camera store and check them out.

 

Todd and Mary,

I agree with you. I've been photographing weddings for over 7 years, and every wedding has been shot with 35mm. I use Nikon gear: F-5's, F-100's, and either prime or Af-S lenses. With the advancement in film, I've gone as large as 20x24" with success. I use Kodak Portra 160 and 400 NC, as well as T400Cn and Kodak 3200 for b&w. Good luck to everyone...35mm, MF, or Digital! Take care,

 

Duane

I was a bit surprised at the lost comments too. Thanks for this input. Marc, your help has led me to a conclusion. I have seen that setup you use and like it. I just ordered it form digitalfoto.com and hope to get it soon. Mary, (and many others) you all have set my mind at ease regarding this new kit/bracket. Thank you all very much.

Wow - Hey Marc thanks for the tip!!! My flash has broken off twice and I know have it taped on with black tape... Didn't know about the transmitter.

Yeah Mary, check it out. Not inexpensive, but you can control multiple flashes and even

set one flash as a main and the other as a fill while still using ETTL from the camera!

 

Also, with the transmitter, you can slip the flash off the bracket and hold it anywhere you

want for creative lighting, or hand it to an assistant.

Marc,

 

The transmitter is a good idea. I also get the cord tangled and in front of the lens. How does it work? Evidently, the flash can be anywhere and still trigger, not just in front of the camera. Is that correct?

Todd, the flash can even be behind you.

 

I just double checked that to be sure.

 

I put the 550EX ten feet behind me and turned my back to it, then shot the shot below into

a mirror.

 

Afterwards, I thought, maybe the mirror bounced it back, but I tried it without the mirror

and it still worked behind me. So, now I wonder if it'll do it without any walls to bounce the

signal off of... like outside. I'll have to try that next.<div></div>

Here's how I use the Transmitter most frequently when the flash is off the bracket.<div></div>