Macro Flash Bracket Question

[dave_l.]

<p>The consistently drab lighting of the pacific northwest has driven me to consider artificial flash lighting for macro work. To this end, I'm looking into getting a flash bracket (probably the Wimberley). I'm using a Nikon with wireless flash control. Do I need an off-camera flash cable? Thanks in advance. </p>

[david_feindel]

<p>In general, yes. Wireless flash needs line-of-sight to work, and so many (most?) flash positions with the flash bracket won't be line-of-sight. Sometimes indoors it will work anyways, with the light reflecting off walls or other surfaces. Or you could attach reflective surfaces to the flash in hopes of catching the light from the on-camera commander. But a flash cord (SC-17, -28, or -29) will guarantee that your flash will work. There might be less-expensive equivalents from the Hong Kong places on fleabay if the Nikon cords seem a bit pricey.</p>

[bgorum]

<p>My experience doesn't really jive with the response above. I have the Wimberly bracket and an SB-600 and find it works just fine for outdoor subjects like calling frogs, (at least in regards to obtaining proper exposures). I do however sometimes have problems with the pre-flashes either startling my subjects, or causing a long enough delay between pressing the shutter release and taking the picture that I actually miss the action I was trying to photograph, (for instance I might press the shutter when a frog's vocal sack is fully inflated, but end up with a picture as it is beginning to deflate. I find that using an SC-17 cord eliminates much of the delay, (though I think the flash still emits pre-flashes, they seem to occur much closer to the actual exposure, so much so that I really never notice them).</p>