I have a couple of different flash brackets from eBay in Hong Kong. They do the job they are supposed to, of positioning the flash above the lens when you turn the camera to portrait orientation, but neither one is especially nice to use. There are two main types....
- Camera Rotator, in which the flash head stays exactly where it is while you rotate the camera within the bracket itself;
- Flash Rotator/Flip, in which you rotate everything and then flip or rotate the flash back to where it should be.
I prefer the former. Even within the camera rotator design there are two main mechanisms. One is a sort of cantilever style that sort of lunges the camera into position. The other is with an arced rail and a ball bearing runner that allows the camera to rotate smoothly within the bracket. Given the choice and the money I'd go for the latter option, but they are pricey.
Here are the types of brackets that I have....
This is a camera rotator style with a cantilever mechanism. It is big and bulk and a bit unwieldy and hard to pack/store neatly. Like I say, it does the job, but I don't like using it. In fact, I never have used it on a job. I've just toyed with it at home.
On camera flash rotation bracket on eBay, also, Flash Units, Digital Camera Accessories, Photography (end time 03-Jun-09 18:29:50 BST)
Here is a flash flip design. I have used this on a job, once, but got fed up with it and gave up after 20 minutes with it. I really don't like the flash flip design at all, but it is cheap, fairly compact, and does at least work.
Flash Rotating Bracket fits all camera SLR DSLR UK on eBay, also, Flash Units, Digital Camera Accessories, Photography (end time 28-Jun-09 15:01:52 BST)
The better quality brackets tend to cost well over £100, perhaps nearer £300. Here is one sweet looking bracket, but v.expensive and also heavy. I wouldn't like to lug that thing around at a wedding for hours on end with a 1D3, 70-200/2.8L IS and 580EX II attached, or even just a 24-70/2.8L. And what the frack would I do with my other camera/lens/flash while lugging that lump about?
YouTube - Just Rite Camera Brackets
I was all set to get this as a chrissy present last year but realised that apart from the crazy price - ~£280 I think (not my money at least
) - the weight would be prohibitive and it would probably end up as an expensive piece of unused junk. In all honesty I prefer to simply bounce my flash and the nasty side shadows largely, or completely vanish.
If you should decide to get a bracket, rather than simply bouncing with something like
ABETTERBOUNCECARD, then don't forget you'll need an OC-E3 flash cord as well. The Canon originals are pricey but the two eBay knock-offs I have seem to do the job well at around half the price.
I'm curious about the £4 Hama bracket. Do you have a link? If it's what I imagine then I think it will prove to be utter pants for quick changes of orientation - fine if you're just going to shoot a ton of stuff in portrait orientation but hopeless for switching back and forth to/from landscape.