how to get the 580 flash on top of 20D in portrait mode

I take a lot of flash photos with the camera in the vertical (portrait)

orientation. The 580EX on the hotshoe would throw the light from the

side of the subject which I don't like. How can I relocat the flash to the

side of the camera so the light would come from the top instead od the

side? Any easy (cheap) solution? I have the vgrip but not the IR

transmitter.

You could buy a Canon Off Camera Shoe Cord 2 to go between the camera's hot shoe and the flash. Then you could just hold the flash above the lens. But the easier way would be to use a rotating flash bracket, like the Stroboframe Quick Flip. There are a lot of other brackets that do things like rotate the camera instead of the flash, but the Quick Flip, and it's immitators are probably the least expensive.

 

A friend of mine saw the one I had and built his own for about $10.

Sitthivet,

 

<p>What you need are a flash bracket that has the option of flipping the flash, like <a href="http://www.tiffen.com/Stroboframe_ProRL_page.htm">this</a> (chosen at random, I don't yet own a flash bracket, so don't take this as an endorsement of that particular bracket)

<p>You also need an off-camera TTL capable cord, <a href="http://www.canoncompanystore.com/epages/annex.storefront?ProductDetail=2391A001AA">here</a>.

 

<p>Those would get your 580 over the lens in portrait mode.

 

<p>Have fun!

 

<p>Jordan R. Urie

I use (and have used) a Strboframe Press-T bracket for the past 6 years. It works great.

Hi, once again I see the word cheap, I just put one together with bits from my closet. the base of a metz 45 + a flash tilt bracket held on with a tripod screw. all I need now is an off shoe cord.

 

I think a stroboframe a better option.

 

good luck<div></div>

When the 580EX was announced, Canon also announced the CP-E3 Compact Battery Pack and the SB-E1 Flash Bracket. The SB-E1 provides a mount to the side of the camera for the 580EX, which has a threaded socket next to the external battery connector for the purpose. The specific purpose of this bracket is to place the Speedlite above the camera when used in the vertical orientation and allows replacing the batteries without dismounting the 580EX.

 

Unfortunately, for some strange reason this bracket is still not available in the U.S., although it is apparently available in the UK and perhaps other countries in Europe.

Really Right Stuff sells a nice bracket.

Stroboframe 'Cameraflip' + OCSC-2

<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=69327&is=REG">Stroboframe Pro-T </a>plus <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=12972&is=REG">Canon OCSC2</a>. This rig flips the flash, not the camera, and keeps the flash over the lens in both horizontal and vertical formats, not to the side like the bracket pictured above.<p>I tried the <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=105119&is=REG">CameraFlip</a> with a 10D/BG-ED3/OCSC2, and that setup didn't leave clearance to flip the camera. Would have worked without the BG-ED3 grip, though.