Customer Reviews

Stroboframe Quick Flip 350 Flash Bracket for 35mm Cameras

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This flash bracket is a terrific, useful gadget. I used it professionally with my old work-horse Nikon film cameras and am now using it with my Canon 30D. It does what it's supposed to do: elevates the strobe above the camera and flips to take vertical shots with the strobe over the top of the lens. Like I said, I've owned it for years and it has a whole lot of mileage on it. It looks a bit banged up, but it's still solid and reliable. It also conveniently fits in my Canon 200EG backpack.

The only problem that drives me nuts is the same one another reviewer, R. Shellhamer, has (although it seems to be less of an issue for him/her than it is for me). The damn thing puts the shutter release button on the wrong end of the camera when shooting vertically. It's a royal pain, but can be overcome by removing a few screws, reorienting the mounts, then mounting it backwards on the camera. Really, I don't give much of a rip if the Stroboframe logo faces outward.

At any rate, it's a nifty item that truly improves flash photography. For around $50.00, it's worth owning.

It keeps the flash over the lens at all times, in both landscape and portrait orientations. Positions the flash far enough away from the lens to avoid red-eye. Also is nicely balanced with SLR with battery pack and flash mounted.

This is a great product, does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it well. It's simple and reasonably inexpensive. Solid feeling on the camera. I picked up this version after a disappointing experience with the folding model.

My only beef is that I have to rotate my camera the "wrong" way for a portrait oriented photo. This puts the shutter release at the bottom instead of the top. It works, but is slightly awkward for me. Not a biggie and it really does help the pictures due to the favorable position of the flash.

I found the same problem that other users of this product experienced. Particularly the issue of the shutter release being at the bottom of the camera when composing a portrait oriented shot. I found a stroboframe flash bracket that rotates the camera counter clockwise within the flash bracket instead of flipping the flash. This leaves the shutter release at the top of the camera and also alleviated the other problem of speed light hot shoe breakage from repeated "flipping" of the flash that some other users have reported. The item is manufactured by Stroboframe and can be found at an ebay store called "Gadget Infinity" under the listing title of "Flash Bracket with 90 degrees Camera Rotate feature". Buy it now price is $29.99. I just bought one and it arrived yesterday and I could not be happier. Pass the word of this ingenious new product that will solve the issues that have plagued photographers for the past several years.

I've used my Stroboframe for over 8 years with my original Olympus E-10 and my current Canon EOS 40D, and love it. It's very well built and able to take the sometimes rough handling I give it on location shoots. I'm a graphic designer and use it with my Canon Speedlite flash to capture everything from architectural to office work scenes, portraiture and even product shots. Combined with a Lumiquest Softbox diffuser on the flash, I get superb, rich color and nicely lit scenes that need relatively little retouching and color balancing in Photoshop. In many indoor situations, you can make do with available light (natural light from windows, incandescent or fluourescent) and even outdoors as long as you experiment with the appropriate color temperature setting. I just shot a 4-person family portrait outside on a slightly overcast day in 3 different settings: in shade inside a gazebo, under open sky and partially under trees. In the gazebo I shot on the flash color setting, as the flash was the predominant light, and the natural light acted as fill. On the other two shots I set the camera to the cloudy skies setting, with the flash as the fill, and in each case I got perfect metering and great saturated colors.

We are used to seeing lighting come from above the subject (sun, overhead lights), which is why camera-mounted flash shots look harsh and somewhat strange.The Stroboframe raises the flash above the camera by about a foot so that the light looks more natural. Combined with Lumiquest's Softbox or Softbox Mini, the light looks very natural and unlike a usual harsh flash shot. This setup is very kind to flesh tones. I wouldn't shoot without it.

I also carry a 2-light and umbrella tungsten setup, in case of poorly lit interior shots, but don't have to use it often. The Stroboframe makes doing location shots with people much faster and more comfortable, as it offers enough light from the flash to get shots from several angles without having to drag around external lighting. I can't say enough about how much money this Stroboframe/Lumiquest Softbox setup has made me over the years. My shots get great attention and I spend much less time fixing exposures and hot spots in Photoshop.

You'll need an off-the-camera hotshoe extension cord for your model of camera. You'll be taking much better lit shots with better color--and the setup makes you look much more authorative and professional. I highly recommend this product.

Very well made and works well in the field when you are taking shots quickly. I have noticed a better quality of light falling on my subjects with no red eye. I have not had a situation yet to test the shadow of my subject falling further down but it goes to reason if the flash is higher over the lens the shadow would be effected.

I purchased this with modest expectations, but it has exceeded them. It is very solidly built and I believe it meets professional standards in that respect. Let me address a few concerns that I know other people have expressed:

Vertical shooting: yes, with this product vertical shooting becomes fairly difficult to the point of effectively ruling it out. However, I shoot vertically about 4 times a year. That's not 4 sessions per year--4 frames. If you are someone who does a lot of vertical shooting then I would recommend steering clear of this item. For me, someone who rarely ever does shoot vertically, this does not bother me at all.

Camera and/or flash coming loose: I have not experienced this issue at all, not even a little bit, not one time. All I did was tighten the bottom screw down fairly tight. I didn't use a pair of pliers to tighten it or anything; just my hand. The camera stays in place perfectly all the time. This may be, however, because I have a Canon battery pack on the bottom of my camera which also has grip to it. I haven't tried mounting the camera directly to the bracket so I don't know if that would cause the slippage issue or not. Anyway, for me this is not an issue at all. Also, in all positions my flash has remained in place as well. My flash is attached to a remote cord so actually it is the remote cord which is screwed down technically speaking, but regardless everything has stayed in place in all positions. I have experienced no issues with anything coming loose. Now, I did just buy this and I have only used it a few times so I can't speak to long-term reliability in this area. If it fails down the road I will come back and revise this review, so if you are reading this then everything is still fine.

If I had a gun to my head and was asked what the shortcomings are with this product, I would say the bottom camera mounting screw is so large that it makes setting the camera down incredibly difficult in any position with this bracket attached. You have to find a soft surface (like carpet or a chair) to set this down when your camera is attached. Setting this down on tabletops or counters will scratch them and your camera might tip over and get scratched or damaged. Also the grip is pretty lacking in ergonomics. Those are really tiny issues that would not stop me from buying or using this item. I mention them just to be thorough.

This is a great bracket and I am very pleased with it. I will likely buy another one or two of them for other cameras that I have.

I bought this to use on my Canon 40d with battery grip, and it does the job (you need the off shoe cord to make it work, buy the dot line one, works the same as the canon for half the cost). it lets you shoot vertically without the ugly shadows. The grip mounts into the bottom of the BG via the tripod screw, this is the major design problem in the unit. With the weight of my flash (430ex) it has the tendency to flop around unless I tighten it really hard, and even then it can still slide if you knock it. But in all its good, and inexpensive, and relatively hassle free. Professionals should look for something designed better, but for a photographer on a budget this is an easy solution to improve vertical flash pictures.

Pros:
Easy to use
Works with most any SLR
cheap
Solid Construction

Cons
Flops around unless screwed in tight

The problem with this is that with the Nikon D200 and the battery pack, you can't place whatever flash you're attaching it to to the center of the camera. You have to mount it slightly off center.

The difference is about an inch or an inch and a half. To me, that is insignificant. What is more important to me as a photographer is the fact that I will get extended flash. It's not perfect, no. (What in life is perfect, anyway?)

I give this a 9.5 out of 10. It's a great product, highly customizable and easy to work with your Nikon.

As long as you understand this, you will not be disappointed.

I needed a bracket to get the flash off of my camera and help control redeye and shadows. Stroboframe is a brand that has been around for ages and has stood the test of time, so I figured I'd give their product a try.

The bracket is very functional and is made of durable materials. The only exceptions might be the foam hand grip and the thumbscrew for mounting the camera. The grip does not seem like it will last. Fortunately, it is replaceable. The thumbscrew has been fine so far. My observation is purely subjective.

One thing the description does not say is that the mounting shoe that is included can be removed, allowing you to mount the shoe end of a dedicated TTL off camera cable. This is very helpful.

The only thing that really bugs me about this bracket is the general lack of good industrial design. It's not very ergonomic, and it could look much better than it does. Also, the edges could have been more carefully milled or finished. They are pretty rough.