Flash L Bracket for Landscape and Portrait

gerfoto

New member
Hello Nikonites,

Just wondering if you have any recommendation for a Flash L Bracket to be used in landscape and portrait mode ?

I went to amazon but there are tons of L brackets but they do not really specify if i can use it in those two modes.

Thanks for your help,
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
There are L Brackets use for landscapes
There are Flash Brackets used for Portrait photography.

They're different.

One is used to mount a camera on a tripod in the portrait orientation for taking vertical aspect oriented landscape images.

The other is used for using an external flash and getting the flash up and out of the same plane as the lens to reduce/eliminate red eye, and keep the shadows from appearing on one side or the other in a portrait shot.

Which devive are you talking about?
 

WayneF

Senior Member
The flash brackets can have different methods of flipping to be camera vertical or camera horizontal, so they're not all the same, but sometimes we might have preferences how they flip. But that's what they all do, it is their purpose. Specifically, what they all are intended to hold the flash always directly above the camera lens regardless of camera orientation, which prevents the bad shadow at the side of the subject. You might check on the manufacturers web site of the ones of interest, there might be more detail shown.

A L bracket or L plate is something quite different, designed to quickly mount the camera on a tripod in either orientation.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
If you want a basic, inexpensive L-Bracket, for switching from landscape orientation to portrait orientation on your tripod, I can suggest this $14 bracket from Am-a-zon. It ain't fancy, but it'll get the the job done. Assumes your tripod uses an Arca Swiss release plate, however.

If you need a flash-bracket I can't be of any real help.
.....
 

gerfoto

New member
Well is not for the tripod though, it is to mount the flash on the L bracket, and the bracket mounted on the camera. So, you can flip the camera and bracket for portrait and lanscape.. Thoughts...!
 

WayneF

Senior Member
If you want a basic, inexpensive L-Bracket, for switching from landscape orientation to portrait orientation on your tripod, I can suggest this $14 bracket from Am-a-zon. It ain't fancy, but it'll get the the job done. Assumes your tripod uses an Arca Swiss release plate, however.

If you need a flash-bracket I can't be of any real help.
.....


Unusually inexpensive, but I would question that it would get the job done. IMO, other than speed and convenience, the purpose of a L bracket is to hold a heavy lens in portrait orientation. In which position, a heavy lens will cause the friction mount to slip, and rotate around the tripod screw, so that the lens always tilts down then. Just cannot tighten it enough to keep it level. Constant aggravation.

L brackets have to "fit" the specific camera body, because they have a fitted rear lip that extends up slightly, to be a wall so that the body simply cannot rotate on it. It solves the heavy lens problem, but it sure drives the price up.
But if it weren't for that, we could just use a regular pan head tilted up (and can, for many lighter lenses).

I've always wondered why an adjustable lip could not fit many cameras, but I've never seen that.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Well is not for the tripod though, it is to mount the flash on the L bracket, and the bracket mounted on the camera. So, you can flip the camera and bracket for portrait and lanscape.. Thoughts...!

The confusion is because the flash gear calls it "flash bracket". "L brackets" are for tripod mounting. A "flash L bracket" is not anything known.

Your question should be answered if you look at flash brackets at the B&H site. They typically offer several pictures of the item, including different orientations. Different flash brackets may use different rotation methods.
 

gerfoto

New member
Well yeah i know that. There are tons of photos about Flash Brackets but they do not specify you can move it this way for portrait and this way for landscape in flash photography
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Well yeah i know that. There are tons of photos about Flash Brackets but they do not specify you can move it this way for portrait and this way for landscape in flash photography


Maybe you need to visit them in a store then, to actually see them. The "pictures" do work better if they show the camera and the flash. For example this one:
CB Folding-T - Camera Flash Brackets - Products - Custom Brackets

Click that picture of the vertical orientation too. The bracket just folds over to always keep the flash exactly over the lens.

Brands can vary some, and some models instead just rotate the camera under the flash.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I've had my Stroboframe flash bracket since the late 1990's. I still use it with my DSLR's.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/52728-REG/Stroboframe_310_635_Quick_Flip_350_Bracket.html

Keep in mind you will need some type of sync cord so the camera and flash can communicate. There is also a flash bracket like this that comes with its own cord. I haven't used this one though as mine is like the first one (use mine with a Nikon sync cord).

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/895813-REG/Stroboframe_310_900nk_Flip_Bracket_With_TTL.html

One thing to keep watch of is to be sure the cord doesn't get caught in the hinged area when switching from landscape to portrait and back to landscape again. My first cord developed some cracking of the cord and eventually developed a short (no longer would work). Now I keep an eye on it so it isn't a problem.
 
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