Customer Reviews

Custom Brackets Digital PRO M Rotating Camera Bracket Kit for Digital & 35mm SLR Film Cameras.

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...a little pricey of course, but beat the heck out of a "flip" bracket. Very solid! (make sure this is the latest model with the added "handle on the front to hold with your left hand - instead of the lens - much more comfortable than the earlier model). Not only great for hand-held shooting at events, parties, etc, but works great on a tripod (get the Quick Release accessory!). I use it when I'm shooting product also, because once I have the camera level (using a spirit level) I can go accurately from landscape to portrait instantly.

while this bracket costs more then most people cameras, if you are looking for it you know what its about. This is by far the best bracket on the market with no close competitor, it works phenomenally. the grip is comfortable and easy to hold and raises the flash up nice and high to get rid of unwanted ear shadows and red eye.

the ball baring rotation is smooth and locks in solidly.

should be a standard accessory for all wedding and indoor event photography

i use my on my 5d and my 50d both with battery grips, interchangably.

There have been dozens of flash brackets on the market. To maintain the flash above the lens in both horizontal and vertical shots, some awkwardly flip the flash, and (to me) better ones smoothly rotate the camera. There's perhaps 8 main bracket vendors now.

Every wedding type or PR event I went to, I chat with the photog when they were on break, and I got to hold, if not try most of their flash brackets. People quickly get used to the quirks of whatever model they buy. Cost and size can be a main concern for amateurs and semi-pros alike. I quickly realized I didn't like the constant flipping of the flash. It distracted me and my subjects, too. Rotating the camera requires a more expensive mechanism. It can be a faster technique than taking my eye from the viewfinder, and flipping the flash. (Rotating the camera, instead of flipping the flash, looks just a touch more professional, to me!)

The Custom Brackets Pro M kit, which rotates the camera and has several necessary plates comprising the "kit", is the best for me. Someone really really thought things out on this one, from the quality of the grip, the host of accessories, to the padded support in front that supports your left hand as it zooms the lens in and out. There are many adjustments possible, to solidly fit any 35 mm camera and flash. If you are gonna shoot weddings and similar events, this model is worth the upgrade, quality, and cost over competitor's models. Cost? You're talking perhaps $100 more-not much at all if you shoot a few events a year, and really profit from the bracket's quality! My main concern was its weight, and I learned how to "cradle it" when not shooting.

Pro's:
-Superb workmanship and one year warranty
-Easy and quick camera rotation, and angle of flash adjustment
-Camera position can be moved forward or back (it cleard the cord from hitting my hand)
-Quick release camera plate available
-Many fine adjustments to customize the fit of camera and flash
-Support bar in front (on newer models) is well thought out
-It's easy to raise and lower the flash height
-I never take my eye from the viewfinder, as needed with many flip flashes, and miss a shot
-Little feet swing out to let it sit solidly upright on a surface
-It's a good fit for my size 7-8 hands.

Cons:
-It's definitely heavier than smaller brackets-I recommend using it wth vibration reduction/image stabilizing lenses, if you hands get fatigued.
-It clicks somewhat loudly as it locks securely at full horizontal and full vertical (not a big problem, as you can: 1. not rotate it during times of silence, 2. learn to not rotate it fully till it clicks, or 3. if it bothers you,drill and place a removable "stop" to keep it from clicking and locking.
-It's bigger than other brackets, (they all look a bit intimidating to your subject!)
-Cost! If the price was lower, they would have way more buyers, and profits. I thought long and hard on this purchase.

Bottom line, our hands our camera rigs, and our strength vary! Like buying a car, catcher's mitt, or camera, hold and test a few brackets, for at least a few minutes, to see how it fits you. There's no "best one" that will please everyone.
Only you know what feels best for you-a flipping of the flash or rotation of the camera; a tiny bracket or a full size one.

I went into a shop and checked out both the PRO M, and the PRO E, fully anticipating that I'd want the pro M. But once I compared them I realized the ProE was lighter and easier to use. Plus, you don't need to buy any attachments. I was really annoyed that the ProM is more expensive, and also doesn't include the attachments needed to actually connect the camera to the bracket, as the ProE does. Who the heck wants a product that absolutely cannot work unless you buy another part. Don't insult your customers... include it and adjust the price if you need to.

The biggest improvement that the M has over the E was that it's got 2 legs at the base that you can pull out to stabilize the whole thing when you want to put down your camera. It would have been nice to have that, but the extra weight and cost made it not worth it to me.

The only other improvement the M has over the E is that you can adjust the height of the flash, but the Pro E provides plenty of space so I didn't think it was necessary. Not to mention the downside of that feature was the extra weight of the additional metal and joint. And that joint is just one more thing that can go wrong later on.

As for the quick release, i was worried I'd hate not having it, but i didn't. I found that I'm not swapping the camera on and off of the bracket enough to warrant buying the quick release. Also, whenever I do take the camera off of the bracket, I'm certainly not bothering to do it at anytime that I'd need to be especially fast with it.

My opinion is, save your money, go with the proE. I love mine!

Oh, and if this is your first bracket, don't forget to make sure you have a cable that'll allow you to connect the flash to the camera.

This is an extremely high quality product that has surpassed my expectations. The quality is excellent. It is a precision bracket that is functional and easy to use. I used it on a recent restaurant food shoot and the ability to keep the flash on top instantaneously in both portrait and landscape was essential. Expensive, but worth every dollar paid. I look forward to using this bracket system in the future. It is a little bit heavy at first, but it is designed for your varoius grips and hand positions even when zooming. I just can't imagine a more functional bracket system.

A little bit expensive. But you get what you paid for. Extremely well made. You can't go back to those cheap flash brackets once you own this. Go for it, you will not regret.

By the time that you add the flash, bracket, camera, perhaps a zoom lens, you have a pretty hefty package. Not something that you bring on a backpacking trip. But if you're taking wedding pictures, or formal portraits where you don't want a bunch of red eye pictures or pictures with side shadows, this bracket is for you. I have used a bracket where the flash pivoted and this bracket is much easier to use. With this bracket the camera swivels 90 degrees, making the transition from horizontal to vertical almost as simple as turning the camera without a bracket. You never have to worry about your flash flopping over. The palm rest comes in handy when focusing or changing the focal length (zoom lens). The bracket has two foldout legs to stabilize the bracket on a table. The bracket has two adjustments - to change the height of the flash and another to cant the flash. I used it at a level plane and at the highest height and none of the pictures had any red eye effect and no noticeable shadows. With my Nikon D300, SB 800 and Digital Pro M, I have no confidence issues with my equipment for an upcoming wedding.

I have been looking for this type of bracket for over a year now. Within that time I had purchased three different brackets, always getting pretty poor results. I sat down last week after being frustrated by my latest bracket purchase and was determined to find a better bracket. The Pro M is AWESOME and is everything that I was looking for in a bracket. The move from horizontal to vertical is extremely easy to accomplish. Bravo to the Pro M. Make sure that you purchase the "kit" so that it is ready to use right out of the box.

Outstanding and essential accessory. Extremely high quality at a high price, but the best is always expensive.