Hot Car Day Tomorrow

Cottesloe Civic Center tomorrow, folks. Classic Car Day. They are doing it for charity and I am doing it for art.

The attendee's at Thorsten Overgaard's one-day workshop will also be there at some stage of the afternoon exercising their Leica cameras and lenses.

I do hope they remember the value of fill flash - I do, and whether I opt to take out the Nikon D300/SB700/Stroboframe rig or the little Fuji X-10/SB700/ Metz outfit, I should be able to soften the shadows under the cars - and see into their deep, dark interiors.

There will be crowds, so a wide lens setting is going to be necessary, as well as a sharpened stick to clear a space. If you see me coming, prepare yourself...

Man Conquers Sun - Pictures To Follow

A few posts ago I showed photos taken at the Vauxhall Car Owners Day and whinged about the sunlight. They were taken in the broad light of noon and had the unpleasant sort os shadows that obscure detail. Of course, when you are looking at Vauxhalls that can be a blessing...

Warned by this, I went out to take photos of the British Classic Day at Pinjarra Raceway yesterday. I knew it would also be out in the open in full sun - and thought out a different rig to tackle it.

Where the first foray had been with the trusty Fuji X-10, yesterday saw a run with the equally trusty Nikon D300, Nikon SB 700 flash gun, and Stroboframe PRO-RL flash bracket. And a hat.

Well, Pinjarra did not disappoint - smelly oval, smelly cars, and smelly owners. ( Horse poo, petrol leaks, and sweat...doesn't get better.) Broads sun and enough fill bouncing back off the freshly mown infield to act as a partial reflector. And the SB 700 to fire into the rest.

The Stroboframe rig lets you do landscape or portrait with a quick flip of the camera while keeping the SB 700 way up the top out of trouble. The flash can be angled down 30º to drop onto closeup subjects. No lousy shadows crossing the subject to break a good line.

The great part about day shows is you can run the ISO low and the flash fills beautifully. No fiddling with reflectors and diffusers either - belt it out. The subjects are colourful enough to repay the bright light. If you are going to be worried about reflections on the side of the car you can always throw a handful of dirt on it...

Note also that many owners at car shows open the bonnets of their prize vehicles to show off the wonderful engines. In the case of British cars they open the bonnet to show off the wiring and gain the sympathy of the crowd. I always like to stay for the ceremonial burning in effigy of the designer of the Lucas electrical system - one year they tried to set it off by electricity and we were reduced to rubbing two boy scouts together...

Boom boom.

Coming At It From A Different Angle

It always pays to investigate coming at a target from a different angle. Whether it is an oil refinery in Ploesti or a portrait subject in Perth, the unexpected yields results.

Likewise in the car game. There are a number of solid professionals who photograph cars for the Western Australian publications - magnificent productions for some of the magazines with dusk exposures, multiple speedlights, and reflectors all over the place. Every month's issue of Perth Street Cars is a visual treat.

Unfortunately, on the occasions I photograph cars in the field, I do not have the luxury of multiple lights. I make do with one speedlight and the sun. Sometimes it all works out well, and sometimes it doesn't. The sun can be hard to program. I have increased my chances of success with the Stoboframe camera brackets.

Initially I carried a Stroboframe Press-T with a Nikon speedlight on the top - a coiled TTL cord between camera and flash. All good, until I chanced to try the Stroboframe PRO-RL. Now I use the PRO all the time at the car shows.

The basic operation is self-explanatory. The frame holds the flash above the axis of the lens no matter how the camera is orientated, and you can slide it waaay on up there to drop the shadow behind the subject. It also means you never have red-eye on telephoto shots. You can angle it down to drop that light onto a close-up subject.

But you can also do the Ploesti on it - you extend the flash to the end of the bar, rotate the camera to the portrait mode, then shoot it flat in landscape orientation. The flash will be way out there on the right-hand-side of the lens. It is perfect for taking interior shots of cars when there is a glass window between you and the insides. You can get your lens close up to the glass to eliminate reflections and then the flash enters from the rear window. See the example of the '32 Ford Sedan. The whole interior of the car lights up without you infringing upon the vehicle.

This might also be the answer for interior shots in real estate.

Moment Of Force In Photography

The term " moment of force "used to bother me in high school physics. Actually, sitting down in the classroom and opening a Physics text used to bother me, and everything thereafter was just the icing on the urinal cake. But one day it changed.

I was in shop class and trying to free a rusted nut with a crescent wrench. I applied great force on a short hold - to control the application of the force - and got nowhere. Then I lengthened the hold on the wrench and applied mild force - still no movement. Then I applied a great deal of force to the outer end of the wrench handle and was rewarded with the thing turning rapidly and delivering my knuckles to the nearest sharp surface. A lesson writ in blood...

So, having understood moment of force by the most practical means, I was able to diagnose an equipment failure last Saturday night and remedy it in time to save the job.

My rig was the trusty Nikon D300s with the Stroboframe Press-T bracket attached and an SB 700 flash on top of this. My standard flash rig for the last few years when I need to move around at a bellydance show. I can flip the flash from landscape to portrait mode and still have it positioned over the lens axis.

This time I decided to gild the lily and add the Gary Fong Lightsphere II to the mix to soften the light blast. It was to be indoors so the top of the Lightsphere was also needed.

All worked well for a while as I played paparazzi at the party, but halfway through the flash started playing up. Nikon flashes don't play up - they are mega-reliable - so when the thing missed firing intermittently I looked to see if there was another explanation. Sure enough, I had over-egged the pudding with the Lightsphere. Out there on the front of the flash, it was perfectly balanced when in the landscape mode, but once it was headed sideways in the portrait mode on the Press-T, the extra weight of it pulled the contacts for the flash away from the corresponding spots on the hot shoe....no flash.

The moment of force was too great for the flash and shoe contacts.

Moral of this is that it is either one or the other - the Press-T and a bare flash for chasing stage events or the SB 700 mounted directly on the camera with the Lightsphere for interiors and people event shots. I quickly demounted the bracket, shifted the flash to the camera shoe, did the Fong Shuffle, and carried right on. My thanks to the decorator of the country club who decided upon white walls and ceiling.

Close Encounters of The Fun Kind - Stroboframe

I frequently buy items from our shop upon speculation - I do not know exactly how I will use them but I add them to the armamentarium on the off-chance that they will be just what I need. Here is a tale of one such device.

Stroboframe make brackets and flash holders for film and digital cameras - have done for years. Wedding photographers who used flash in the film era used them to drop the shadow from the flash down behind the subject. The simple geometry of the thing meant that faces looked clean and attractive and even quite small spaces could be utilised for set shots.

In a studio setting, the various flip mechanisms that Stroboframe make let people turn their cameras from landscape to portrait orientation without losing framing. A lot less shifting of tripods.

I had occasion yesterday to discover just how useful one of the larger Stroboframe brackets could be when I covered a model car exhibition. Think of these model cars in terms of close-up rather than macro subjects but stretch your imagination further to encompass your own work - and see if the brackets might be just as useful.

The bracket mounts my Nikon D300 with an 18-200 lens. The wide range of the lens is very useful when dealing with subjects that might be as small as your thumb up to full interiors or landscapes. In the case of the model car show I chiefly wanted clear illustration for my blog - "Here All Week" at hrhoa.wordpress.com. Thus meant accurate colours and adequate depth of field on the small cars - I needed f:22 if I could get it.

No problem with the Nikon flash system - the SB 700 flash has more than enough power for this task. The fact that I could mount it on the cross-bar of the Stroboframe in a TTL extension cord meant that there was absolutely no calculation or adjustment needed for the 170+ illustrations - I just selected a low ISO, a high f stop, and 1/160 of a second. Point, frame, and shoot...

The first wonderful thing about the Stroboframe is that if you need to do a vertical shot you just release the small red lever at the bottom and rotate the camera 90º. The weight of the camera steadies it in the new position and the flash angle does not change.

The second wonderful thing is the top flash bar also swivels down so that it will drop the light - and the troublesome shadow - even if the subject is tiny and close up.

The third wonderful thing is this same rotation can continue upwards for bounce flash and it is a damn sight easier than pushing the rubber button and swivelling the head. See the effect of a light bounce up on the Bonneville Salt Flat model shots.

The forth wonderful thing about this particular bracket is the peculiar rubber-covered handle on the front - it is very convenient as a carrying and support point for the whole rig - it is well balanced.

BEST NEWS - We've been having a Stroboframe sale these past weeks and we will continue it for a little while longer. 50% off is not to be sneezed at, particularly if you are a regular Camera Electronic bargain hunter.

Please Release Me - Let Me Go....

'Cause I don't lurve yew anymooore...

Well, actually I lurve yew a lot - in this case I lurve the Stroboframe quick release plates and holders that we sell. I decided to ry them on my field and studio system and have never been happier.

First off, let me apologise for the dreadful heading picture and product shot. The editorial office and studio here at the shop is in tatters - they are chasing mice out of it and experimenting with a new shelving system and your faithful writer is camping out elsewhere in the store. Thus the agitated backdrop to the pictures. Patience - the studio will come back once the carpenters leave.

The plates are brilliant in that they are wide and narrow and slim - they can go on the bottom of most DSLRS and never be noticed. They are slim enough to go on the bottom of battery grips as well and still allow the hand to use the grip as it was intended to. The fact that they are wide means they provide superb side support when the camera is tilted into portrait.

The receiver - the bit that goes onto the tripod - is equally slim and has a powerful internal spring to grip the plate once you press it in place. I use one on the studio Gitzo and one on the field Tiltall and when I need to clap the camera on it fast at a wedding it just grips instantly. There is a similar-sized plate bit that is machined onto the Stroboframe Press-T that does the same trick.

Best news for you right now is they have put a 50% sale on all Stroboframe gear. I am currently trying to think if I need any more for myself, but I can thoroughly recommend the brand to you.

Random Fandom - An Armful Of New Stuff

I went through the shop floor just now looking for items to delight and assist you. Little things that i have found helpful in general shooting. Actually I was swanning around avoiding hard work but nevertheless you will like these bits:

1. Stroboframe Press T. Best bracket for the pro on the move with a DSLR. Drops your flash shadow behind the subject and avoids red-eye on long shots.

2. New Promaster 16 Gb CF card. Check out the free waterproof memory card case you get with it. How cool is that!

3. JJC lens hoods. These are bolt-on knock-off copies of Canon, Nikon, and Fuji lenshoods - and there might be other brands possible, for all I know. I use one on the Fuji X-10 and it works fine. Don't be proud!

4. Manfrotto little folding feet that bolt to the bottom of your bridge camera and let you take selfies. Really does work!

5. Cullman small ball head and small quick-release plate to bolt onto the bottom of a mirrorless system camera. No need to have a QR plate that is larger than the camera.

6. Canon camera cases. Aluminium style with pick and pluck foam inside. Sturdy construction with metal licks and hinges. HALF PRICE! Big stack of them at $ 99 and you couldn't go wrong.

Worshipping At Strange Altars - With Stroboframe

I think we can all agree with Ms. Jane - see heading image - at some stage of the day. I favour the mid-morning service, myself.

But on our sales floor we have many altars - some are sent to us by equipment manufacturers with clever television sets attached to the top and captive video programs that show the wonders of whatever is stacked on the racks below. This is a definite advantage for some customers as it provides the visual stimulus to mental activity...and may eventually lead to them purchasing the product. To some extent these are infomercials in as far as they show the cameras in use and in another sense they are suggesting that the prospective purchasers will look like the brave and clever people in the videos. Just like on the shopping channel.

We didn't get quite so slick with the Stroboframe altar...errr..stand. It is just a workaday product with very little glamour and really only serves to make your photography more successful. You are unlikely to attract girls in bikinis or be sitting in the seat of a Porsche sports car while using these frames, though you might well be paid good money for taking pictures of the girl or car with them.

You see, Stroboframe really does one thing, and really does it well - it gets your on-camera flash off-camera and puts it right up above the centerline of your lens regardless of whether your camera is in the landscape or the portrait position. You get consistent shadows on faces and bosoms from the top front position for maximum beauty and minimum fuss. Shadows drop behind heads instead of across the entire group. Red-eye is a thing of the past, even with long lenses focused out into the distance.

Please note the above reference to bosoms. You can light a high neck dress or top from lots of positions and get an acceptable result, but when the model has a rack and it is exposed with a low-cut dress, you have to get the shadow down the cleavage absolutely right. If it is good it is lovely but if it is bad it is the first and only thing that viewers of the image see, and they will complain bitterly about it. Harsh shadows, angularity, hot spots all attract the eye and spoil the effect. Front top lighting with a little diffusion is the general key to success.

Stroboframe make brackets and frames for all sorts of cameras - they were really big in the 2 1/4 square and 6 x 7 days. Even the biggest and toughest of the 6 x 7 cameras could be accommodated and tilted sideways on a frame. You could fasten them to a tripod and then rotate them from vertical to horizontal without losing the central position. There is a wonderful adjustable circular rotation bracket that is available right now for DSLRs that does this even when you've got a battery pack under the camera. I highly recommend it for any studio worker. You can frame a shot then do it in the opposing framing with one flick of the camera.

One final note for Stoboframe. They make a quick-release mounting set that is perfect for most DSLRs. You get a mechanical block that attaches to your tripod head and a thin plate that screws onto the bottom of your camera body - or onto the footplate of a long lens. These then pop together or apart like other quick-release systems, but the real advantage is the fact that the plate IS thin. You can have it on the bottom of any camera or battery grip and still use the grip as per usual. It does not force your hand away from the grip.

Needless to say, I have this system on my Nikon D300 cameras, with grip and without. It is so simple to clip the camera onto either the studio or the field tripod for a quick solid shot - even if the Press-T flash bracket is attached - that I tend to use it a lot more than before. And I tend to have a lot more shots with no camera movement spoiling the image. Also note that in the studio setups that need consecutive shots with not a pixel moved - sometimes 4 of them for one image set - this bracket is tight and steady enough to let it happen, even if I have to refocus the lens manually.

Oh, in case you were wondering why the label links brought you here - we have altars for all these products on the floor. The Bargain Zone is resplendent with two coloured slat walls and some really arcane old lenses. Be sure to drop a coin in the plate when you visit.

Ten Days In October - Missile Crisis Sale

My fellow Australians, we have just received photographs and information that have alerted us to the fact that there is more stock on the Camera Electronic shelves than strictly required. This equipment must go. To this end we have considered two courses of action: a naval blockade or a ten-day sale. As most of us get seasick, we will pursue the second choice.


To this end, email messages have gone out to the subscribers of Camera Electronic's newsletter informing them of severe price reductions on items noted in the labels of this posting - Canon, Nikon, Manfrotto,Datacolor, Elinchrom, etc.etc. These will continue in force until the end of trading on the 31st of October, 2012.

Our terms are not negotiable. Stock must be in-store. Payment in full - cash or card. First come-first served. No online sales of these special items.

We will  maintain visual surveillance of the camera sites until the stock is gone. Until that is done, units of  SAC ( the Shop Assistants Command ) will orbit at predetermined stations ready for a sudden swoop upon designated customers. This is a case of Mutual Assured Satisfaction.

Thank you. I will now retire to my armoured command bunker.

The Red Eye Special - Stroboframe

Somewhere out there right now is a Canon, Nikon, or Pentax shooter sitting in front of a computer wishing that they could go to bed. They have been sitting up for 4 hours with a batch of photos that they took at the dance school graduation or the big wedding and they are poking away with a mouse at the faces of their subjects. They are patiently placing the cross-hairs of the red-eye removal tool onto each little face and clicking the right button.

120 children at the graduation. 12 photos of each plus the 5 group photos. That's 2040 little faces times two eyes apiece. 4080 clicks. Click. Click. Click...

Let us not decry the power and utility of the red-eye removal tools. You'll find them everywhere - Photoshop, Aperture, Lightroom, Picasa, etc. Set them up carefully and target the glowing retinas and they do a good job. But when you are using them for 2 hours you eventually are overcome by a desire for strong drink. After the 4th hour that becomes a desire for a cup of drain cleaner.

The answer to the dilemma is not to get the red-eye in the first place. If you are using a footling little compact camera that tries to strobe out a pre-flash burst of light in an effort to get the iris of the eye to contract, good luck. You can't do it over a long distance and it rarely works anyway.

What you need if you are putting out a decent amount of light over a distance - like the stage photography - is to get that flash up and away from the center-line of the lens. You need a Stroboframe bracket.

I would suggest either one of the Press-T or Pro-T style or one of the new Pro-Digital Folding Flip. In all these cases you have a whole range of options for mounting the flash on the top bar - Stroboframe make a universal holder or you can screw the Nikon or Canon coiled extension cords straight on. Then you either command the flash via a pop-up or just go straight ahead with the cord. When you're in landscape orientation the flash is centered over the lens but high up, and when you move to portrait orientation you simple flip the top bar to bring the flash right up to the same position.

You are well and truly way from the center line of the lens axis and your flash as it goes out will not reflect back as a red eye.

We've got a wide range of Stroboframe here in the shop and can fit out pretty nearly any camera and lens combination you use. Come along and experiment and say good-bye to red-eye forever.

Note: That does not apply to early morning flights to Sydney or Melbourne from Perth Airport. They are still going to produce red eyes. Visine.

Movement on the Eastern Front

We are just about to dispatch a contingent from Camera Electronic for service during the upcoming Digital Show on the Eastern Front. We shall be waving them off with bunches of flowers and sausages as they board the troop trains. A band will be playing " Heil Kaiser Dir". It will be a short campaign - we expect to see them home for Christmas.

Oops, sorry about that. I was just reading Erich Maria Remarque and my mind wandered. Actually they will be flying to Melbourne to set up the Camera Electronic stand at the show. It's going to be No.63 at the Melbourne Exhibition Center on the south bank of the Yarra. The first day, Friday the 25th, will be reserved for working professional photographers and allied professionals in the trade. The general public and the enthusiasts will be welcomed on Saturday, the 26th and Sunday, the 27th. Opening hours for the show are 10:00 to 5:00.

We dispatched box after box of samples and stand materials so the crew will be able to show you Hoodman, Cullmann, Stroboframe, ALM, and Lifeproof products in profusion. A veritable barrage of goodies.

Apparently it will be pretty easy to spot the Camera Electronic stand as it will feature the Hoodman Dome. A spectacular structure indeed. It will be made doubly interesting by the presence of one of the founders of Hoodman - Bob. Let him show you what this amazing range of accessories can improve your photography.

Now, back to the trenches. Umm, we may have to revise that Christmas prediction....

Red-Eye Begone!

It's not just weddings - it's not just portraits - it's every time you send out a flash over a long distance and capture the image with a long lens. Red-eye! If your flash is plugged into the hotshoe of your DSLR you are guaranteeing extra computer time to isolate and correct the problem. Do 500 shots at a dance show and that is 500 x 30 seconds at the least  = 4 hours sitting there waiting for the thing to crank over.....arrrrgh.

Answer for me was a Stroboframe Press-T bracket. It puts the flash high enough over the lens axis to illuminate the dancer but NOT fire directly into and off the retina of the eye. No redeye = no computer drudgery.

Their other brackets - the Pro-T or the Folding Flip are equally good. You can hold them up for the entire length of the show and they make sure that the post-processing won't hold you up later.

Uncle Dick

Stroboframe Quick Flip 120/350

The New and Improved Pro-Digital Folding Flip Flash Bracket
FOR ALL DIGITAL SLR & 35MM CAMERAS

    •    Compatible with Nikon SC-29 TTL cord
    •    New lock and release folding mechanism
    •    Adjustable bracket height
    •    Compact fold-up design
    •    Improved scratch resistant matte anodized finish
    •    Eliminates “Red-Eye” and softens harsh shadows
    •    Lightweight Aluminum construction
    •    5 Year Warranty
 
Specifications:
Net Weight:  14 oz
Max Height:  10-3/4”
Folded Dimensions: 8-1/2” L x 3” D x 3” H
Includes: Shoe-type Flash Mount,Long and Short Camera Mounting Knobs,1/4” - 20 Tripod Mount,Hex Key for Height Adjustment
 Optional Items: Anti-Twist Plates

 

Stroboframe Stroboflip VH-2000 Flash Bracket

The Stroboframe Stroboflip VH-2000 is the  ultra-compact, "gripless", flash rotating bracket.  It cradles the camera unobtrusively while maintaining an over-the-lens flash position with a design that lets you hold the camera rather than a grip, and rotate the flash for horizontal or vertical composition.

What's more, the stress and weight of the flash unit is transferred from the light-duty camera shoe to the rugged Stroboframe mount. The Stroboflip is made for shoe-type flash units.



Features:
    •    Accepts Digital SLR's, 35mm SLR's and smaller 6 x 4.5 cameras.
    •    Supplied with a machined, positive-locking shoe mount and a 300-SLR Anti-Twist plate (interchangeable with other AT Plates).
    •    Strong, lightweight aluminum construction with baked-on finish for hard use and durability.

Stroboflip Specifications

Net Weight: 9 oz. 

Bracket Height: 5.5"

Nominal Lens-to-Flash Distance: 7.5"

Includes: Shoe Mount,* standard 300-SLR Anti-Twist Plate
Suggested Accessories:  Camera Auto Quick Releases, for tripod mounting
Cat. No. 300-100

Stroboframe Pro-T & Press-T

The Digital Pro-T and Digital Press-T are flash-rotating brackets. Both are light, compact and fast-handling. The flash arm swings to keep the flash centered over the lens for both horizontal and vertical compositions. These brackets do not require the use of cable release.

Unlike conventional brackets, the Pro-T is designed for you to hold the camera rather than the bracket, providing a more natural way of shooting. It allows you to switch between horizontal and vertical compositions instantly.
 The Press-T is a slightly shorter and even more compact version of the Pro-T.
It is popular with photojournalists and other shooters who work out of a camera bag.

How Does It Work?

The top surface of the camera mount has a machined cross-sectional recess and is covered by dense textured rubber material. This ultra thin barrier, grips the bottom of your camera body and provides an extremely solid connection. When your camera is securely mounted, this design concentrates the maximum frictional force to the outside edges of the mount to prevent twisting.

Key Features

• No camera plates required

• NEW adjustable flash height knob

• More robust camera mounting base for added security and confidence

• Integral QR style camera mount compatible with Stroboframe 300-BASE (receiver)

• Pivoting flash arm centers flash over the lens for both landscape and portrait
• Convenient fold away kickstand
• Solid machined T6061 Aluminum construction

• Five Year Warranty

 

Pro-T and Pro-T/m Specifications
Digital Pro-T Flash Bracket (310-800EX)
Net Weight: 14 oz.

Maximum Height: 10-3/4"
Nominal Lens-to-Flash Distance: 12"

Includes: 1/4"-20 camera mounting screw & flash mounting knob (1/4"-20), 5/16" Allen Key.


Press-T Specifications
Digital Press-T Flash Bracket (310-810EX)

Net Weight: 11 oz.

Maximum Height: 8-5/8"

Nominal Lens-to-Flash Distance: 10"

Includes: 1/4"-20 camera mounting screw & flash mounting knob (1/4-20), 5/16" Allen Key


Stroboframe Pro-RL Flash Bracket

The Pro-RL is loaded with new features and represents a major advance in handling speed and ease of use. It's supported comfortably with your left hand, leaving your right hand free to operate all camera and bracket controls. It is the best bracket to use with a tripod and the use of a cable release is not required.



Features:
    •    Rotate your camera instantly and effortlessly from vertical to horizontal with a flick of the wrist.  In each position, the flash remains centered over the lens, for optimum lighting quality.
    •    Fingertip-activated lock secures camera-rotating system in the horizontal position.
    •    Exclusive, one-hand TiltTrigger™ lets you set the flash angle to any of 12 click-stop positions, from close-up to bounce.  Just squeeze and twist to set.
    •    One-handed, instant flash height adjustment.  You can position the flash 11 to 18" above the lens, simply by twisting a knob and lifting the flash arm.
    •    Unique "kickstand" pivots out to safely support and stabilize the bracket when it is set on a table or floor.
    •    Solid, machined components for optimum rigidity.
    •    When the bracket is mounted to a tripod, the flash can be positioned and aimed, and the camera rotated, just as if shooting hand-held.
    •    Fully compatible with cameras with accessory battery packs or motor drives.
    •    Integral QR (Quick-Release) Plate mates with optional QR Receiver, allowing the bracket and tripod to be attached or detached instantly.
    •    Accepts all Stroboframe flash mounts, Camera Anti-Twist Plates and quick release accessories.
Pro-RL

Specifications


Net Weight: 33 oz.

Bracket Height: 14"

Nominal Lens-to-Flash Distance: Adjustable from 11"-18"

Includes: 1/4"-20 mounting knobs for camera and flash, cork base pad

Suggested Accessories: Camera Anti-Twist Plates, Flash Mounts, Camera and Flash Quick Releases
Cat. No.: 310-700

Stroboframe RL 2000 Flash Bracket

RL 2000
The RL 2000 is a traditional-style flash bracket for those who prefer brackets with grips. Very compact and lightweight, it's intended for use with cameras that have standard cable-release fittings; a cable-release is included.

Features:

• You can rotate your camera instantly and effortlessly from vertical to horizontal with a flick of the wrist.  In either position, the flash remains centered over the lens for optimum lighting quality.
• Three-position flash tilt selection for lighting all subjects evenly, particularly in close-ups.
• Dual American walnut grips.  The palm grip helps you balance and support the bracket in your hand, while leaving your fingers free for fast focusing.  The contoured side grip can be adjusted to any of four positions for maximum comfort.
• A cable release (supplied) attaches to the side grip.  It can be adjusted to rest comfortably under your finger.
• The flash arm can be removed without tools, making the bracket more compact for storage in a camera bag.
• Bracket base accepts small battery packs, such as the Quantum Battery 1.
• Optional Low Platform (Cat. No. 300-331) is required for use with cameras with larger accessory motor drives or battery packs such as Nikon MB-21 or Canon BP-E1.  Replaces standard camera platform.
• Accepts all Stroboframe flash mounts, Camera Anti-Twist Plates and Quick-Release accessories.

RL 2000 Specifications
Net Weight: 19 oz.
Bracket Height: 9.75"
Nominal  Lens-to-Flash Distance: 10.5"
Includes:  1/4"-20 camera mounting knobs for camera and flash, cork base pad, cable release.
Suggested Accessories: Camera Anti-Twist Plates, Flash Mounts, Camera and Flash Quick-Releases.
Cat. No.: 300-300

Stroboframe Flash Brackets for Better Flash Photography

First introduced in 1976, Stroboframe flash brackets have evolved into a comprehensive system known for innovative features and outstanding quality. Stroboframe brackets provide perfectly centered, overhead flash, eliminating side shadows and "red-eye". With your camera and a Stroboframe bracket you'll produce the kind of natural, flattering photographs that will delight your clients, time after time.

Stroboframe brackets are available for the majority of professional cameras, they are even available for medium format models as well.

1.  "Camera-Rotating Brackets" - The Most Versatile
Featuring the original, patented Rotary-Link™, this family of brackets is made especially for rectangular-format cameras.  These brackets allow you to rotate the camera, keeping the flash centered above the lens for both horizontal and vertical compositions.  This design permits unlimited flash positioning and aiming.  It is also the best bracket for use with a tripod.  Rotary-Link brackets are the most versatile of the Stroboframe system.

2. “Flash-Rotating” Brackets - Compact and Lightweight
Rotate the flash, not the camera. Keep the flash centered over the lens for horizontal and vertical compositions. Generally lighter and more compact than the camera-rotating models.