For those looking for a great flash bracket (albeit an expensive one) - this one is just incredible!

Movement of the flash carrier around the circle is silky smooth - no binds, no play, just positive smooth movement with multiple detents for various flash positions. There's 90 degrees up/down adjustment for the flash.

Very quick in use. No need to tighten/loosen the knob. Simply hold the flash in place when rotating the camera.

For macro buffs - you can add a second flash carrier to use two flashes.

Great for supertele use as well, plus it serves as a great "handle" when moving the rig around, since it attaches at the balance point.

Definitely on the expensive side, but, IMO the best flash bracket out there in both features and workmanship!<ul><li><a href="http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/items.asp?Cc=FlashTele&amp;iTpStatus=0&amp;Tp=&amp;Bc=">link</a></li></ul>

just more stuff to deal with..

when you need direct flash, brackets do help.

In my case, I really mostly need it for use with the 300mm. Using the bracket helps with balancing the rig on the Sidekick and keeping the flash above the lens...

I generally dislike flash brackets as well, but this one is less obtrusive - it's just a metal ring around the lens. The cable is still inconvenient though, so I doubt I'll use it much other than with the 300...

I had no need for one either, until I started shooting birds early in the mornings, when light is still low and direct flash really helps to bring out the details. "Stopping" action a bit doesn't hurt either :)

580ex II is powerful enough to shoot across the pond, but the Better Beamer may help with the frame rate, as I can set the flash to lower power

my 420EX most often.. I think I may pick up the 430Ex..

Unless you really need a bit faster recycling, 430 has only 3 feet advantage in power...

If anything, if budget is tight, I'd get the old 550ex - this way you can have master/slave arrangement with your 420

more intuitive and easier/quicker to use

agree, they are both great, just targeted at different uses.

I had a Wimberly F6 for use in a sidekick and found that when I shot from a bean bag it didn't work. Switched to the RRS 87B for both tripod/sidekick mount as well as bean bag. Fantastic.

You need to take some time to align it properly. I have both of my speedlights shimmed under the head because the heads on Nikon speedlights typically fall low and right when combined with a Beamer.

A simple shim fixes it. A strand of 14 gauge wire taped under the legs of the beamer.