Nikon SC-29 cord

G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
So I bought this cord in order to come up with a better solution when using the 70-200mm f2.8 lens for event portraits. I wanted to try this instead of paying for a very expensive flash bracket from Really Right Stuff.

Flash Brackets

Has anyone used this type of configuration or am I nuts to do this? Your feedback is always appreciated.

BTW: If you like the idea, I just placed a patent for it. LOL!

Nikon SC-29
Nikon SC-29 TTL Off-Camera Shoe Cord with AF Assist - 4766 B&H

My solution using a 1/4 inch screw to hold it in-place on the tripod foot. I have an event (birthday celebration) that I was hired to cover and it will require heavy use of flash.


Nikon SC-29 004 by gqtuazon, on Flickr


Nikon SC-29 007 by gqtuazon, on Flickr
 
W

WayneF

Senior Member
But a flash bracket really does not have to cost RSS prices. :) There are many other bracket choices for the less snooty. :)

I don't like your second picture, with flash at side of camera. I feel sure you know that that will cause terrible shadows at the opposite side of standing guests in event situations. The single one purpose of a flash bracket is so it can always rotate the flash to be directly ABOVE the lens in any situation/orientation. Which puts the shadow HIDDEN BEHIND (and somewhat below) the subject, so no terrible side shadows. Your top picture does that for portrait orientation, but fails for landscape orientation in lower picture.

However, I may misunderstand... If the flash is attached to the 70-200 lens tripod foot, then why can't you rotate that foot, to return the flash directly above the lens? I can see the beauty of that, and it is probably the entire point, but it does not explain including the second picture?
 
G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
WayneF said:
But a flash bracket really does not have to cost RSS prices. :) There are many other bracket choices for the less snooty. :)

I don't like your second picture, with flash at side of camera. I feel sure you know that that will cause terrible shadows at the opposite side of standing guests in event situations. The single one purpose of a flash bracket is so it can always rotate the flash to be directly ABOVE the lens in any situation/orientation. Which puts the shadow HIDDEN BEHIND (and somewhat below) the subject, so no terrible side shadows. Your top picture does that for portrait orientation, but fails for landscape orientation in lower picture.

However, I may misunderstand... If the flash is attached to the 70-200 lens tripod foot, then why can't you rotate that foot, to return the flash directly above the lens? I can see the beauty of that, and it is probably the entire point, but it does not explain including the second picture?
Click to expand...

hi Wayne. The second picture was to show the Af assist feature of the cord and not meant to be used in that orientation. It can be easily rotated to keep the flash on top.


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W

WayneF

Senior Member
OK, I'm sorry that I misunderstood the second picture, but I get it now. It does seem a clever idea, but it just didn't look right at the side. :)
 
G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
WayneF said:
OK, I'm sorry that I misunderstood the second picture, but I get it now. It does seem a clever idea, but it just didn't look right at the side. :)
Click to expand...

No worries Wayne. I'll be using this set-up for portraits or when a longer zoom lens is required to shoot the stage. The other camera will have the 24-70mm f2.8 to cover the group shots. I might add some strobes to add some lighting since the venue has dim incandescent lights. I still need to try that set-up to see how the images will look like. If not, I'll stick with the single flash with higher ISO.
 
G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
yauman said:
Hmm.. why all that trouble - flash brackets are quite cheap! I have this one and it works very well with my D7100 and my SB700 or SB910.
Click to expand...

I intend to shoot an event using two cameras with the 24-70-200mm f2.8 plus two speed lights. This is one less bulky item that I do not want to deal with especially when moving around the tables and chairs. How does your set-up works for you?
 
Y

yauman

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
I intend to shoot an event using two cameras with the 24-70-200mm f2.8 plus two speed lights. This is one less bulky item that I do not want to deal with especially when moving around the tables and chairs. How does your set-up works for you?
Click to expand...

I shoot events too with the same lens :cool:. With my D7100 and SB700, this brackets gives me a very comfortable and secure grip when I'm walking around. When I'm shooting events in big convention halls where I have no ceiling to bounce my light, the bracket raise the speedlight high enough away from the camera I can strap on one of these 11" Lumodi Beauty Dishes instead of using those mini soft boxes.

The bracket have the advantage also of letting me use the pop-up flash as the commander and use CLS in the wireless IR mode with the SB700 set as remote. Then I don't even have to use the SC-29 cord at all. (Doesn't work in the portrait mode as the IR sensor window of the SB700 when laying on it's side is pointing upwards, away from the camera. I can make it work by mounting it backwards and twisting the head all the way around - then I lose the SB700 focus assist - it's pointing to my forehead instead!!!)
 
G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Interesting.

I'm not sure if you understood what I previously mentioned. I will be carrying two bodies at the same time and the stuff that you are suggesting makes it more bulkier to lug around.

Any feedback from wedding photographers on how you tackle this at the reception?


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Y

yauman

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
Interesting.

I'm not sure if you understood what I previously mentioned. I will be carrying two bodies at the same time and the stuff that you are suggesting makes it more bulkier to lug around.

Any feedback from wedding photographers on how you tackle this at the reception?


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Click to expand...

Ah.. I got it.. I see how you can do with your setup. I don't do wedding - don't have the talent for the more social "human" side nor do I have the artistic talent to do weddings well :( I do mostly conventions and corporate events so I only need to carry one body with a versatile lens (like the 24-70mm f2.8) with me since I'm snapping pictures of people mugging for me with their friends and colleagues or feeding their faces. My onsite commitment is usually not more than 2 or 3 hours. Nothing glamorous or artistic like wedding photography - I think of myself as the "truck driver" of photography!
 
G

gqtuazon

Gear Head
yauman said:
Ah.. I got it.. I see how you can do with your setup. I don't do wedding - don't have the talent for the more social "human" side nor do I have the artistic talent to do weddings well :( I do mostly conventions and corporate events so I only need to carry one body with a versatile lens (like the 24-70mm f2.8) with me since I'm snapping pictures of people mugging for me with their friends and colleagues or feeding their faces. My onsite commitment is usually not more than 2 or 3 hours. Nothing glamorous or artistic like wedding photography - I think of myself as the "truck driver" of photography!
Click to expand...

No worries. I have not shot weddings either but the reception should be similar. I'll be using 2 FX cameras so, anything efficient and less bulky is what I am looking for.


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