larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Many years ago, I bought a CBJR flash bracket (Custom Bracket Junior) to use with the D200 and SB-800 that I had at the time. This is a simple, lightweight flash bracket that raises the speedlight several inches above the camera body by placing it on a hinged arm. This arm can be quickly and easily folded over when the camera is used to shoot in portrait orientation, again placing the flash above the camera lens and orienting it so that the light field from the unit continues to be oriented correctly against the orientation of the sensor. This is important when using automatically zooming speedlights in order to maintain complete coverage of the subject area.

The CBJR has the advantage of being much lighter, simpler, and less bulky than other flash frames or brackets. In addition, brackets which rotate the camera end up "crossing" the orientation of the flash and the camera, which is undesirable. Bottom line...I still love my CBJR...much more than newer systems that I have looked at.

The problem is this. The camera mounting arrangement of the CBJR perfectly matched the dimensions and layout of the Nikon battery grip for my D200. All holes were either in just the right place or well within the adjustment range of the various components, and everything worked just perfectly. (The camera body by itself wouldn't fit as nicely, but that did not matter, because I always used the grip.)

Fast forward to today. None of my newer Nikon cameras or grips will quite fit on the mounting arrangement. In particular, all of the newer grips seem to be a little thicker front to back, so that the "anti-spin" plate (a small flat piece of metal intended to keep the camera from turning on the flash bracket relative to the flash) cannot be installed without pressing against the cushioned material on the grip. This interference is great enough that it will cause damage to the battery grips very quickly.

So I am looking for some help in implementing a modification to make everything work together more harmoniously.

Now I know that the first question I'm going to get is, "Have you called the Custom Bracket folks? They are sure to be willing and able to help." The answer is that yes, both my local camera store and I have tried to contact CB. Turns out that the original owner has retired and either sold the business or transferred it to his family...it is not certain which. The new owners are not nearly as interested in working with their customers as the founder, and I have yet to receive a call back. I've been trying to have a conversation with them for the past year. In addition, the company seems to have severely rationalized the product line, since many of the flash brackets that were formerly available are no longer listed.

What I am asking here is whether anyone on the site has encountered this problem and fund or developed an elegant solution. I am not asking about a kludge here. I can certainly stick a couple of washers under the anti-spin plate, but that just generates a situation in which there are lots more little parts to get lost when making adjustments in the field. I am looking for a professional solution that will provide a little more clearance to allow mounting a slightly larger camera to the bracket. I am also not asking for recommendations for a different flash bracket. I've looked carefully at all of the ones that are readily available. None of them are acceptable to me (for one reason or another).

Any proven ideas will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

A photograph would help

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

OR, maybe two or three !

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

This may be the bracket he has: HERE
I’ve had a couple. Top knotch products.
Now if we can only see what the problem is..

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

I'M thinking the anti-rotation stop is too close to the mounting bolt, ie the plate is a little to narrow front to back.
I made one for a lady in camera club about 50 yrs ago, if the op is the least bit handy it should be no problem.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Can you grind off the offending lip? Many flash brackets do not have anti-rotation lips and they work fine. Neither do many tripod-mounting plates (Arca-Swisses for exampe). My numerous brackets and Arca-Swiss plates are not custom for specific cameras. The cork or rubber pads, with sufficient tightening (and checking them in use), have never failed me.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

If you were using Arca-Swiss quick release system, it's a simple matter to put an A-S QR platform on the flash bracket and "pin" it with one or two holes drilled and tapped for some screws. This serves the anti-twist function, as wall as quick installation or removal of the flash bracket. I've used a setup like that on an old, macro dual flash bracket for some time now.

The only catch is that you need to be using A-S camera plates.... but there are custom fitted ones (anti-twist) available to fit most cameras , as well as alternate versions if the camera is fitted with a battery/vertical grip. Kirk Photo makes a lot of them. Really Right Stuff makes some others. Here are the many different "fitted" anti-twist camera plates offered by B&H Photo: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=arca%20swiss%20camera%20plate&filters=fct_camera-compatibility_6438%3Abronica-gs-1%7Ccanon-1ds%7Ccanon-1d-x%7Ccanon-1d-x-mark-ii%7Ccanon-5d-mark-ii%7Ccanon-5d-mark-iii%7Ccanon-5ds-5ds-r%7Ccanon-6d%7Ccanon-7d%7Ccanon-60d%7Ccanon-d30%7Ccanon-d60%7Ccanon-rebel-t2i%7Ccanon-rebel-xs%7Ccanon-rebel-xsi%7Ccanon-a2-a2e%7Ccanon-elan-7-series%7Ccanon-rebel-ti-35mm%7Ccanon-t90%7Ccanon-powershot-g10%7Ccanon-powershot-g11%7Cfujifilm-s2-pro%7Chasselblad%7Chasselblad-1-4in-20%7Chasselblad-3-8in-16%7Cleica-m%7Cleica-m9-m9-p%7Cleica-r%7Cleica-t%7Cmamiya%7Cmamiya-6-6mf%7Cmamiya-645%7Cmamiya-645af%7Cmamiya-7%7Cmamiya-rb67%7Cmamiya-rz67%7Cnikon-d1-d1h-d1x%7Cnikon-d3-d3s-d3x%7Cnikon-d4-d4s%7Cnikon-d5%7Cnikon-d100%7Cnikon-d300-d300s%7Cnikon-d500%7Cnikon-d600-d610%7Cnikon-d700%7Cnikon-d800-800e%7Cnikon-d810%7Cnikon-d5100%7Cnikon-d5200%7Cnikon-d7000%7Cnikon-d7100%7Cnikon-d7200%7Cnikon-f5%7Cnikon-f100%7Cnikon-n90-n90s%7Colympus-e-3%7Colympus-e-5%7Colympus-e-30%7Colympus-e-620%7Colympus-e-m1%7Colympus-e-m5%7Cpanasonic-g1%7Cpanasonic-gh1%7Cpanasonic-gh2%7Cpentax-645d%7Cpentax-67-67ii%7Csony-a100%2Cfct_category%3Acamera_plates_l_brackets_38006%7Cother_flash_bracket_accessories_4941

There are probably others offered... or some of the above might fit other cameras. (For example, A-S the plate made for Mamiya 645, RB67 & RZ67 film cameras will also fit the Mamiya C-series twin lens reflex cameras. I'm sure of this because other base-mounted accessories for those cameras are fully interchangeable.)

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

My bracket is similar to the one in your photograph, but the details around the camera mounting area differ. My problem is as described elsewhere.

I intentionally did not provide a photograph, because my hope was to find at least a somewhat elegant solution. The anti-rotation plate attaches with machine screws, so the simple solution is simply to leave that part unattached. Unfortunately, a D810 or D850, with or without a battery grip, is just too heavy to stay solidly in place on the bracket, especially if the camera has a substantial lens attached...I find myself continuously having to straighten the camera on the bracket and tighten the attachment screw when using the setup that way. It's never a problem with the tab in place.

Thanks for the offers of help. I will keep studying options.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

If you could post an image of your camera, including the grip- front and back view and include a diagram or overlay of the measurements, I can suggest a stock bracket, or show you how to modify a stock bracket or combine parts of different brackets. The ideal height over the lens is 12" and feathered down slightly.

I started making and buying flip, encircling, and pentagraph type over-the -lens brackets in 1962. The stock bracket can be augmented with aluminum bar stock which is easily bent int various shapes when heated with a propane torch. It is easily drilled and tapped for 1/4 x 20 hardware.

My current rig is show here on the Canon camera.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Thanks Ed and others who have responded. I've been struggling to figure out how to depict exactly what is going on with the bracket and what is different. The new battery grips are just the tiniest bit bigger than the D200 grip for which I originally bought the bracket. The camera bodies have always been a little bit too big...even the D200.