Getting Canon Speedlite Closer To Lens Unmounted - Terry Richardson

[ryanstrong]

Trying to find a piece of gear that will bring a Canon Speedlite closer to the lens to get a much tighter shadow instead of having it attached on top to the hotshoe. Any thoughts?

Here is Terry Richardson with something of the sorts...

[Ellis Vener]

Unless he has tossed his flash into the air or his mounting system has been retouched out of the photo  there's no way his flash is just free floating. And it fact i t isn't unmounted as you can see here: http://www.youretherealfeast.com/2012/12/lady-gaga-promises-artpop-documentary.html

it's mounted on a plate that is attached to the base of his camera.I was able to rig up a similar rig using one of these http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=192-PPP&type=4&eq=&desc=192-Precision-Plus-Package&key=it
and mounting the part of the off camera flash cable to a generic Arca-Swiss compatible quick release foot.

The camera mounted directly to the rail and the flash to the clamp.

There are much less expensive options to that  RRS gear. Hejnar Photo makes and sells like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Nodal-slide-lens-support-4-Kirk-Markins-rrs-wimberley-acratech-arca-swiss-/230746647540?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item35b9926bf4 for example

When you put a flash this close to the lens it  creates the same quality of light as a popup flash on a point and shoot camera.

[NancyP]

Go forth to the Fred Miranda macro forum and look at the "show off your kit" thread that stays at the top of the forum. You will find every possible variation on close-to-lens flash mounts, from commercial macro mounts like the MT-24EX to home-made items of all descriptions. One of the easier ones for hand-held work is to swing your tripod ring so that the foot is pointing up, and mounting your flash directly onto the 1/4-20 socket on the ring foot.

[DanielStone]

http://www.custombrackets.com/cb-mini-rc.html

[ryanstrong]

http://www.custombrackets.com/cb-mini-rc.html

Perfect. Ordering now! Thank you thank you.

OTHER QUESTION... what's the best way to get more power to your Canon Speedlite? Do they make any sort of lithium supplement for this flash? The cycle times are awful even with fully charge batteries.

[Ellis Vener]

the CB bracket is perfect for what you want- a much more elegant solution thatn what I suggested although ultimately not as versatile as it is a one trick pony.

Batteries For more shots per internal battery load and  faster recycling use  either the Sanyo Eneloop, Maha Powerex NiMH,  or even better Powergenix NiZN rechargeable AA batteries. I use the Powerex Maha MH-C801D Eight Cell 1-Hr PRO AA/AAA Charger with mine. instead of the much slower chargers usually included with these batteries.
For an external high capacity high voltage battery the best you'll find these days is the Quantum Turbo 3. 

[DanielStone]

If you're looking to "emulate" Terry Richardson for equipment, he uses speedlites and Quantum batteries. Or at least did, in every web video I've seen of him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVevrcrrt48

[Ellis Vener]

You know what I hate, after playing with that set up and that butt ugly harsh light I'm thinking that CB bracket or this version http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Aluminum-Vertical-shooting-Camera-and-Flash-Bracket-With-Quick-Release-Plate-/140878134011 at nearly half price might be worth having.

Why ? I don't know (third base)

[Publius]

Perfect. Ordering now! Thank you thank you.

OTHER QUESTION... what's the best way to get more power to your Canon Speedlite? Do they make any sort of lithium supplement for this flash? The cycle times are awful even with fully charge batteries.

That bracket comes in handy for crowded shooting. you can go landscape or portrait without knocking your flash into someone. I use Quantum power packs for my flashes. More money, but extremely reliable and long lasting.

[Ellis Vener]

Went ahead and ordered the Custom Brackets CB Mini-RC. The copycat version on eBay would take too long on the shipping.

[Ellis Vener]

I bought a Custom Brackets CB Mini-RC from B&H for about $48.00.  it arrived earlier today and I immediately tried it on a Canon EOS 1D X with a 430 EX II Speedlite using  a OCFgear.com cable (I've got a Canon OC-E3 cable somewhere but this was the first cable that was handy).  essentially there is a camera platform and a smaller platform for the flash

Here's what I like about it:

- It is well designed and manufactured and feels like a very solidly machined piece of black anodized aluminum or steel alloy.The top is basically flat but on the bottom side there are machined recesses underneath the camera and flash mount and in the short arm from the camera platform area to the flash mounting area.

- There is a reasonably deep tripod mount screw underneath the camera - the full thickness of the plate - and the area around it is an approximately  1/4" wide donut of solid metal buttressed with four ridges.

- Balance: Having the flash on the right side of the camera immediately feels more natural than having it on the left side - there is less stress on the right wrist which naturally will be gripping the camera.

- There is a generously sized lug on the right end of the camera plate lug for a camera strap or a sling type strap.

- The 1/4" - 20 threaded "tripod" screws for the camera and flash mount are also well made and heavy duty - not a cheap alloy. They tighten with butterfly handles that fold flat

- Although there is no anti-twist lip for the camera, there is a generous amount of cork stripping to grab the bottom of the camera.

- On the flash mount platform there are two anti-twist ridges for the flash shoe mount. The front one is part of the body of the plate while the back is position adjustable to accomodate different size meets. If you want to go wireless. It might work with a Pocketwizard ControlTL Flex TT5 but I haven't tried that yet.

All in all  the CB Mini-RC feels like it was designed by a working photographer who either is a structural engineer with a penchant for both elegant design and overengineering (which is always a good combination) or who knows one.

This is the first piece of Camera Brackets gear I've purchased and I'm impressed.

One thing I noticed: if you are going  to use the flash aimed forward I found that on a full frame camera at  theframe edge to frame edge coverage  is better if you  manually set  the flash setting to cover two standard focal lengths wider  angle of view (example if using a 50mm lens, set the flash to cover 28mm)  otherwise you get pretty significant falloff on the opposite side of the frame from the flash.

Now all I have to do is go find a celebrity so I can play paparazzo!

Thanks Ryan for posting your question!