Variable Friction Arm

plastic_ · Post by **plastic_** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:20 am

I'm using this arm from ebay instead of a flash bracket.
I think it's great. It's totally solid. In fact the only part of my rig with some play is the hotshoe/flash.

Extreme Macro Setup by Marc Lorenz, on Flickr

Variable friction power arm by Marc Lorenz, on Flickr

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:39 am

Very nice. That's a clever idea, to attach the flash arm to a rotated tripod mount on the lens.

So this is the "Variable Friction Power Arm (Short) For DSLR DV bh53" ?

--Rik

plastic_ · Post by **plastic_** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:57 am

I'm not sure if ebay links are allowed here, if you click on the spider, in the flickr description you will find a link to an ebay store where I purchased the arm...

Jumping Spider Super Macro by Marc Lorenz, on Flickr

edit: it comes in two sizes, I got both, because they cost almost nothing. I'm using the shorter one, it's the perfect size for the 100mm lens. I guess that with a longer lens, as the MP-E 65mm in 5x extension, the long version of the arm will be better suited.

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:30 pm

Marc,

Thanks for the information and images of your setup.

One question regarding the tripod collar mount; is it the expensive Canon version or an alternative?

I'm yet to find a good alternative

There are some really, really bad ones floating 'round.

One example of an 'alternative' (I have not used or tested this one).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0670224207

It was possible to adapt the tripod collar mount of the MP-E to the 2.8/100 Macro via an accessory from Canon. I'm not sure if this can be done with the 2.8/100 IS L Macro? If someone has been down this path, please let us know

In regard to diffusers, see this post on flickr by morfa (Raynox featured about half-way down the page):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4978832703

and here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/4756920573

Craig

plastic_ · Post by **plastic_** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:20 am

Hi Craig,

This is the tripod mount I got: http://cgi.ebay.com/Tripod-Mount-Ring-D ... 4711wt_989

As you see it's really cheap. I'm not familar with other versions, or the Canon one.
It certainly works. It seems very robust, but there is no flocking inside.

Thanks for the links with the yogurt bottle diffusors, I'm going to find a fitting bottle to try this!

Marc

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:58 pm

Marc,

Yes, I've used one of those JJC (scary) plastic tripod collar mounts. The one I have is okay as part of a flash bracket assembly, but I would not trust it as a tripod mount ring.

I've purchased another item from iShoot (link in earlier post), if this one also fails to impress, then I'll buy the Canon product, expensive, but I can have confidence in it when 2-3K of gear is attached.

Craig

DaveinMpls · Post by **DaveinMpls** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:38 am

It appears you can buy the friction arm from Fotodiox in the U.S. for a little quicker delivery. I have ordered one.

http://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Variable ... 094&sr=8-4

Dave

seta666 · Post by **seta666** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:59 pm

I ordered one of the 11" friction arms, I allready owned an old one but it is not that good. I will give this a try
Regards

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:17 am

I cannot comment on the overall quality of these items; but I have purchased some and will let you know.

The prices have dropped since I last looked, there are quite a few out there now, however, they look very similar, if not identical. Prices vary depending on the seller.

Three particular items: two articulating variable friction arms and the third link is to what appears to be a handy, small super clamp.

11" Adjustable Variable Friction Arm
http://cgi.ebay.com/250820173077

7" Lightweight Adjustable Friction Arm
http://cgi.ebay.com/260803435658

Small Super Clamp
http://cgi.ebay.com/260815979398

Craig

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:54 am

Craig Gerard wrote:I cannot comment on the overall quality of these items; but I have purchased some and will let you know.

The prices have dropped since I last looked, there are quite a few out there now, however, they look very similar, if not identical. Prices vary depending on the seller.

Three particular items: two articulating variable friction arms and the third link is to what appears to be a handy, small super clamp.

11" Adjustable Variable Friction Arm
http://cgi.ebay.com/250820173077

7" Lightweight Adjustable Friction Arm
http://cgi.ebay.com/260803435658

Small Super Clamp
http://cgi.ebay.com/260815979398

Craig

I have all of those. As stated before, bangs for the buck they are good but are not the highest quality. Examples - the clamping bolt on the superclamp is wobbles but works perfectly well, the friction arms are not the smoothest on the world but work perfectly.

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:54 am

... just for anyone interested, the ones currently listed on eBay with a hot shoe mount adapter actually let you easily couple two together if you wanted to bend around multiple corners.

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:16 am

Andrew,

Thanks for the information.

I'm intending to use the items I've purchased for 'light' duties.

Craig

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:09 am

Andrew,

The clamps I received do not 'wobble'. There appear to be two flavours available. I ordered the clamps with the black aluminium handle (eBay item#: 260827994063). Also see the Manfrotto 386B Nano Clamp (eBay item#:220815738587).

Regarding the 11" articulating arms. They are certainly not up to the quality of the Manfrotto 819-1; but reasonable for the current price.

The 11" articulating arms attach directly to my optical breadboard via a 1/4-20. The other end holds either the aforementioned clamp and a fiber optic illuminator light guide, or a flash unit. Adjustment capababilities are adequate, build quality acceptable (for the price), though the ball-joints are a little bumpy and 'sticky' without a drop of lubrication (and still a bit 'bumpy' afterward).

I can finally retire my cumbersome magnetic base, flexible arm gauge holders. These could only manage to hold FO light guides and were always falling over at inopportune times, mostly due to the fact that my breadboard is aluminium. They were also limited as to which light guides they could accommodate. The clamps are much more adaptable and could be used for various applications.

Craig

Craig Gerard · Post by **Craig Gerard** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:36 am

Just adding an update to this thread with additional details which came to light in another thread after a field test.
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=14427

Variable Friction Arm, eBay item #:390333007875

Custom Brackets Mini-RC:
http://www.custombrackets.com/products/ ... ni-rc.html

Here is an image of the arrangement (Custom Brackets Mini-RC and Variable Friction Arm).

I could have taken a number of images showing the various positioning capabilities of the Variable Friction Arm; but suffice to say it is very accommodating and has considerable 'reach'. It will comfortably position the flash unit beyond the front of a fully extended MP-E, a bellows or permit appropriate positioning when using a shorter lens such as a 50mm. Positioning changes can be easily made within a matter of seconds and the flash can be located in almost any position required.

P.S. This is not the diffuser I would normally use with the 270EX.

Craig

stevekale · Post by **stevekale** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:51 am

Howdy. I need a couple of arms to hold flash units. Are the 11in arms (Ebay 250820173077) up to the task? I agree that generally you get what you pay for and that Manfrotto or Noga solutions may well be best but I'm not yet ready to add a steel surround for magnetic bases a la Chris S (not yet). So after a workable, elegant solution to clamp two 2 flash units to a desk edge.

Cheers

Steve

Variable Friction Arm

Friction arm source