What riser height do I need for 20D flash bracket?

Hi there, I'm in looking to purchase a cheap flash bracket and need to know what

riser height I need so that for vertical shooting, a 580ex would sit directly

above the lens to eliminate any background shadow from fill. I am shooting 20D

without vertical grip. It is very important that the flash is directly above

and not 1 or 2 inches to the left or right.

 

The "Stroboframe Quick Flip 350" has riser/bracket height of 9.5". When flipped

to the vertical position with a 580ex, is that riser height too much and will

position the flash above and left of the lens rather than just above? Or is the

9.5" perfect?

 

The other model I am looking at is the "Stealth Compact Flash Bracket Kit" which

has a riser height of 6" and they claim this is made for Canon's without

vertical grip. Does that mean the 6" is the perfect riser height?

 

When I go home today, I'll measure the camera and flash for an estimate of the

riser height that would be perfect, but does anyone know this number off hand?

 

Weiyang

I have the QuickFlip and have used the 20D with both a 580EX and 430EX. The flash head aligns just fine. There's a little bit of adjustment in the bracket. I believe the 430 lines up at the lowest setting. Don't know where the 580 lined up. Probably a tough higher.

Supposedly, the ideal height is 8"-12" above the middle of the lens. Exactly where in that range is up to you and is a matter of personal taste. If you like the flash as low as possible, the brackets that do that are the Newton brackets and the Stroboframe Flip 2000. I personally don't like those brackets, but you might. What are you shooting? If people, one normally would put the flash a little higher so the shadows fall down and behind the subject.

Are you using a OCSC-2 cord or a ST-E2?

 

The flash brackets that turn the flash sideways place a load on the flash hotshoe connection. I do not know of any flashes that have broken but the hotshoe on the OCSC-2 is relatively fragile and does not hold up well to such torture testing.

 

I used a Stoboframe Pro-T for a while but now use a bracket from RRS that keeps the flash vertical.

Thanks for the replies.

 

It's not the alignment in the horizontal position that I'm worried about. Nor is it the height at which the flash sits above the lens that's I'm worried about. What I'm worried about is when you flip the bracket for portrait shooting. In this vertical position, the horizontal position is dependent on the riser height which is not adjustable.

 

Alistair >> Thanks for the warning on the shoe. I was planning to use a cheap adorama shoe cord or the one that comes with the Stealth Compact.

 

Benjamin >> From the picture of the Stroboframe QuickFlip 350, it doesn't look like the riser height is adjustable. The part that's adjustable is the horizontal position of the flash in landscape horizontal shooting...which means if flipped vertical in portrait orientation, it would adjust the vertical position of the flash relative to the lens but not the horizontal position. Maybe I'm wrong about the riser height being not adjustable with the QuickFlip 350. If so, I apologize, but please correct me so I know.

If that's the case, you need to find a bracket where the riser, as you call it, is adjustable. There can be no "perfect" riser height, since the bracket construction around the platform where the body sits, can differ, as well as the actual riser standard itself, not to mention the height of the flash you are going to use. The QuickFlip brackets are adjustable. They are cheap if you get them used.

Take a look at the StroboFlip bracket. Most compact and lightest bracket you can get. Flash riser is adjustable so it will fit you setup easily.

Okay, so I just measured at home.

<br>

<br>Height of 580ex from mount to middle of flash head when pointed forward is: 4-1/4"

<br>Height of shoe mount is approximately: 3/4"

<br>Height of lens middle from bottom of camera: 1-1/2"

<br>

<br>Total riser height required for perfect mount: 6 - 1/2"

<br>

<br>Would this calculation be correct or am I missing something?

<br>

<br>Dot Line (bhphoto) or RPS (adrorama), or whatever the name is, makes a stealth compact that has 7" riser. I think it'll be perfect.

It won't be perfect if it isn't adjustable, which it does not seem to be. If you cannot tolerate anything but perfect center over the lens in portrait position, the half inch difference won't make the cut.