Need some help here guys. Looking for a flash bracket and just wondering which one to pick up. Either the 85B or the 87B from RRS. Gonna use the brackets for two applications. First and foremost, it will be for portraitures with 17-55mm lens and also the 70-200mm VR. Will use it with the MPR-CL plate in a portrait perfect package. Secondly, it will be used as a telephoto flash bracket for something like a 300mm f/2.8 AFS lens. Intended purpose is to use it with a Better Beamer. Will the 85B even clear this lens or will I have to step up to the 87B? TIA
Eric, I have the 87B. I honestly don't know whether the 85B would be enough for your needs, but I would guess it would. The one thing I notice about the 87B is that when you use it with the MPR-CL attached to the left hand side of the L-bracket, when it is in landscape mode, the flash is slightly off-centre to the right, due to the extra diameter of the bracket. It is possible to use the MPR-CL on the bottom of the L-bracket to overcome this, but then it is slightly off-centre when used in portrait mode. When it is used with the RRS replacement foot on the 70-200VR, it sits dead centre when in landscape mode, but is slightly offset when in portrait. With the 87B you will obviously get a minimal amount of extra height, more so when in portrait mode I think.
When making macro photo with a flash bracket would it better to use the middle one or the big one. I have seen too that Nikon is supposed to introduced a new flash system for macro work, i dont know if that system would be better than using normal flash like the SB-800.
I started out with a 85B and found it was too small when I upgraded my lens kit to include the 17-55, 70-200 and 200-400. Bought the 87B and have had no further problems!
I have the 87B, and agree that it's the size to get especially if you foresee a pro body and/or pro glass in your future. And IMHO it's flexible enough to use for macro shooting so I really can't see the need for the new ring flash unless you're shooting really close and need full frontal lighting. For the closeups I've done tilting the RRS bracket's flash holder works great, and you also have the flexibility of being able to rotate the flash around the bracket. My only real complaint about this setup is it's fairly heavy and throws off the balance of the camera; if I was going to be shooting hand-held for hours on end (at a wedding for instance), I'm don't think the RRS flash bracket is the one I'd want to use.
I currently have an old Stroboframe Pro-T bracket. The situation I am in during the High School football season is one of very VERY dismal lighting. Here in Washington we lose the night very quickly even early in the season and have to depend on sub-standard stadium lighting, which means that using flash becomes a "very good thing". Now, what this causes is the old dreaded Red-Eye, and it is REALLY annoying shooting with my 120-300. The Stroboframe does not help much either. My current solution is to live with it and fix in Post, but this is a real pain. I have been looking at the RRS brackets, but I don't want to spend this kind of money if I don't think it has a chance to help. So, what do you folks think? Would this help in such a situation? As an aside, I am always amused when someone asks if the flash can help 50-60 yards away, and the look on their face when I show them the Dreaded Red-Eye across the field is quite humourous :smile: . Thanks for the info and education.
I don't really see how the RRS would help in your situation; if anything the Pro-T looks like it puts the flash higher up. The only way to avoid redeye is to get the flash away from the lens axis, either by bouncing it, moving it to one side, or by raising the flash up high enough. From the distances you're working with, it's going to take a lot more than raising the flash a few inches to get it off the lens axis.
With distances of 20-30 feet, I've not had any problems with my SB800 on the Pro-T. Beyond that... a whole other story. The 12" above the lens is for a distance up to 20'. Bounce it if you can. Of course Reteif can't on the field... And IBN... Please let us know what you go with, and your thoughts on it.
Bill, You might want to look in to the Wimberly brackets. Dorky but looks like they might be effective. Seems they're designed for telephoto. Having the "ol' devil eye" problem myself with the RRS products. :frown: http://www.tripodhead.com/products/flash-bracket-telephoto-brackets.cfm
Thanks for the replies all. Some interesting points that have been brought up. I was gonna spend some money on the 87B since I will eventually head into the big glass area. I'll look into it again next season when the birds return. Also interested in seeing how the bracket would work with the D200.
I went with the B87B since i have currently the 300/F4 and 70-200/f2.8 it might be lisghtly bigger, but it allows youto have the flash higher up so prevent the eye shine in animals and people...
