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When it comes to shooting with fill flash, photographers all face the problem of how to mount a flash to their camera set ups. Attaching the flash directly to the camera causes several problems: 1) verticals are difficult to shoot this way and 2) most of the time, the subject will have “red” or “steel” eyes, due to the flash being too close to the focal plane of the camera. To avoid this effect, the flash needs to be higher and farther away from the camera itself. I tried several weak products from a variety of manufacturers before purchasing Wimberley Flash brackets to solve this problem. I should have done it much earlier.
Available for purchase in the NatureScapes store.
Wimberley has a whole lineup of flash brackets. You can either buy single pieces and build your own flash set up according to your needs or you can buy a combo that already contains what you need to start shooting right away. If, like many nature and wildlife photographers, you use the Wimberley Head II, the best flash bracket solution is the Wimberley Combo 9. This combo also works with the sidekick.
Size, Weight, and Fit
All parts are made from black anodized solid 6061 T6 aluminum and are very lightweight. The additional weight to your set up is barely noticeable. For transportation purposes all parts can be folded and will fit in any bag.
The flash brackets are well crafted state of art accessories that will last a lifetime. I originally waited to buy the Wimberley Combo 9 because of the price tag, but advantages of the system and the fact that I will never need to replace it make the purchase worth every cent for me.
Flash bracket connected to the swinging arm
Tilt Arm with adjustment knob and connection for the flash cord
The lower part of the bracket directly attaches to the swinging arm of the head. This connection is so sturdy that I sometimes find myself carrying the tripod for short periods by just grabbing the flash bracket. I would, of course, not recommend this, but it shows how well made these products are.
Tilt Arm with flash and flash cord attached
The main advantage of the Wimberley flash brackets is that they position your flash at the optimal point. With the Wimberley Combo 9, my flash sits centered right above the lens and will follow every lens movement. The higher position of the flash mostly eliminates the problem with the “flashed look” in subjects’ eyes.
Full set up: 600 L IS on Wimberley Head II with flash brackets and flash (with Better Beamer) attached.
Cars and Blinds…
When shooting with flash from a car or a blind, you are likely to face different problems. In a pop-up blind the flash simply does not stick out far enough and is squeezed into the fabric. As a result you are in an endless fight with the blind and lens movement is limited. Fortunately Wimberley provides a solution for this as well.
For shooting from a blind I recommend to additionally buy the Wimberley M-6 Extension Post. This module enables you to extend your flash further out.
When you now shoot from a blind your flash sits in a comfortable position and does not touch the fabric anymore.
With Extension post (left). Without (right). You can clearly see the problem described before.
If you intend to use your flash from a car you have different options. When using an Apex Bean Bag and a Wimberley Head you can just use the system described before (see note below). For those of you shooting from a normal bean bag Wimberley offers two more modules that simplify shooting: the M-1 and the M-2. The M-1 Quick Release Arm attaches directly to your Arca-Swiss-Style lens plate.
Quick release Arm attached to P-50 Lens plate.
The M-2 Upright Module extends the bracket upwards above the camera. The Tilt Arm from the combo finishes the set up and positions the flash in the center above the camera. As an option you can use the M-6 module to position your flash even higher.
With M-6 Module.
Without M-6 Module.
Optionally you could add another M-6 and move the flash further out. This set up also enables you to use a flash when shooting hand held.
If you have a small or medium sized car you might want to measure whether this set up fits your window size. With a bigger SUV it shouldn’t be a problem. The combo without the M-6 Module measured from the knob at the bottom to top the tilt arm (without flash attached) is 10.2 inches (26cm) tall. With the M-6 Module the combo has a size of about 17 inches (43cm). A replacement foot for your lens can help to decrease the size if height is an issue.
Blind
Car / handheld
You can also purchase the components of the Wimberley flash bracket system separately and build your own bracket to best suit your equipment and needs. I prefer the Wimberley Combo 9, as I find it more stable when the bracket is attached to the swinging arm and not sitting on the lens plate, as some combinations do.
Additionally, you need a flash cord from your camera manufacturer, which is mounted on the tilt arm of the bracket. This allows you to electronically connect the flash to the camera hot shoe when the flash is mounted on the bracket.
At the end…
The Wimberley Flash brackets are pieces of art and very well made. The adjustment knobs are well formed and can be easily used with gloves, and these durable brackets can withstand all kinds of bad weather. I have never had one fail on me, and I consider Wimberley flash brackets the only way to safely and securely mount your flash to your camera setup. The many modules make possible a variety of combinations to fit almost every photographer’s need perfectly and can be used for a number of applications (see one such example in Wil Hershberger’s article on Cross-Polarization Flash Technique). While these brackets are pricey, I find they are certainly worth the extra cost. For me Wimberley flash brackets are the only way to mount your flash safely to your camera set up.
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