Bracket Safety

The DiCR  series bracket is designed so that you can use your camera the same way you would use it if the bracket were not on the camera.  It is unique in that it has no handle as most of my competitors have so that you use the camera grip for your handle instead.  When I was a wedding photographer I used a Bronica ETR body with the standard 75mm lens on just about all of my pictures.  The balance and weight distribution did not create the problem that 35mm digital does.  The heavier body with a longer and heavier lens creates a lot of pressure on the lens mount and tripod socket.  Without a bracket you should be holding the camera grip and supporting your camera body and lens with your left hand.  This puts most of the weight on your left hand and relieves the stress on your right wrist.  With the new DiCR bracket design you should do the same.  The weight of some flash units will cause the rotator to relieve itself in some cases if the bracket frame is not supported.  By using your left hand to support the bottom of the bracket as you would the bottom of your camera you are solving this problem and relieving the stress on your right wrist.

What I am suggesting here can be applied to any manufacturers bracket system.  You have invested a lot of money in your equipment.  Newton brackets are built strong but I do not have any control over their use in the field so from a standpoint of being safe - both for you and me - I am suggesting the following.

When you use a camera with a long heavy lens you know that you should not try to do this. The pressure on your right wrist is too much and is not good for you or your camera body.
 

If on the other hand you support the bottom of the heavy lens and camera body with your left hand you can relieve the pressure on your right hand and on the camera body.  This in practice should be the way you hold your equipment regardless of the lens you have on the camera.  And when you carry the camera around you should always hold it by the camera grip.

 

Since the Newton bracket is designed to be used on the camera the same way the camera would be used without the bracket you should hold the camera with the right hand on the camera grip and support the bracket and camera with your left hand under the bracket base and lens. In this manner the weight and balance of the system is distributed properly.

 

When carrying your camera with bracket and flash hold the system with the camera grip.  Your most important investment is your camera and lens and the best way to protect them is to have your hand on the camera grip at all times. When you are holding something attached to your camera you are putting a lot of pressure on your camera lens mount and tripod socket.

 

Do not carry your camera and flash by the bracket overhead flash unit.  This is the natural way to carry your camera but it is not the best way to protect your investment. Always carry your camera by the camera grip or by a neck strap.

   

The above information is aimed at the DiCR brackets but it also applies to the DiFRs and DiFR2 flash rotators as well.