Looking for L Bracket for Multiple Cameras

I need some advice;

I am looking for an Arca-Swiss type L bracket to mount the camera portrait style to do panoramas and such.

The requirements would be that it be as sturdy as the head and tripod I am mounting it on, which is very solid.

At present my 5D II and 1D IV have a wimberley plate mounted on the bottom, what I would prefer is a bracket that mounts on the tripod and it be equipped with a clamp to attach the camera at the 90% angle.

With this set up I wouldn't need two new brackets for each camera, only one. And if it is universal in the future I can use it on whatever camera I buy and will not have to purchase another L bracket.

These are the two I found at B&H;

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...L_Bracket.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...L_Bracket.html

Your thoughts and recommendations are appreciated.

With or without the grip for the 5DII?

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

With or without the grip for the 5DII?

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Without on the 5D II, of course it needs to handle the 1D IV as well.

I have a L-bracket from Really Right Stuff for my 5D2, and it is custom made for that specific camera. I'm not sure about these universal L-brackets in terms of how solid they might be. The RRS bracket is perfect, and I like how they carefully design the cutouts so that you can still use your cable release (even when the camera is vertical on the tripod). That's a big plus in my books.

I just realized that if you're using it for both than you'll need the taller gripped version.

I would think $250 is a lot for one L-Plate. You could almost get 2 custom ones for that price.

Disclaimer: I've never used this one, I have 2 separate L-Camera Plates for mine.

http://www.kirkphoto.com/Universal_Quick_Release_Tall_L-Bracket.html

5DII without grip: $140

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=B5D2-L&type=0&eq=&desc=B5D2-L%3a-L-plate-for-Canon-5D-Mark-II&key=it

http://www.kirkphoto.com/L-bracket_f...5D_MarkII.html


MKIV: $180 I have this RRS one! The Kirk L-plates are great too, though!

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=B1DMkIII-L&type=0&eq=&desc=B1DMkIII-L%3a-L-plate-for-Mk-III-%26-Mk-IV

http://www.kirkphoto.com/L-bracket_f...D_Mark_IV.html

Love my RRS L bracket for the 7D. Not inexpensive, but light and sturdy and well made.

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Originally Posted by Jonathan Huyer

I'm not sure about these universal L-brackets in terms of how solid they might be.

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That is the one what concerns me, it doesn't do any good to spend a ton of money on a solid tripod and head then get vibration from a clamp on the L bracket.

Thanks Rich and Jonathan, I had already looked at the Kirk and Really Right Stuff brackets. I had two thoughts, one is that I will either upgrade to the 5D III or the 1D X in soon and I would rather have a clamp I can just switch to the new camera. The other thought is that I would end up leaving the bracket on the camera full time and it would add more mass to the body, which I would find undesirable. The 1D IV with Wimberley clamp is a tight fit in the camera bag now.

I am headed to Yellowstone in three weeks, I may just buy the Really Right Stuff bracket for just the 5D II if I don't find an alternative. The bracket is the one thing missing from my 5D II landscape kit, for the most part I have other alternatives to go 90% with the 1D IV.

Just wondering, do you really need a L-bracket for both cameras? The 5D2 will be your go-to camera for landscapes, I'm assuming. The 1D4 would be for longer lenses, where you are usually attaching the lens to the tripod (not the camera). I just have a simple base plate for my 1D3, and really, I hardly ever use it. I'm always clamping the lens to the tripod instead. But the L-clamp on my 5D2 I use all the time.

Some panoramic heads, rails, and/or leveling bases also have their own quick release plates built in.

Check out the RRS panoramic components as well, spend more money here: :D

http://reallyrightstuff.com/Items.aspx?code=PanoComponents&key=cat

Helpful info here:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=108

I know you mentioned having it very stable for panoramic stitching, so I would think a separate custom plate for each camera would be better, as opposed to having your extra "standard camera plate" on your 7D and MKIV, mounted to a "universal plate" with another (it's own) "quick release", then all of that will be mounted to another QR on the tripod? I think that will make for a very unstable setting.


Also, when you switch from landscape to portrait view with the L-Bracket, you can maintain the same framing, and the RRS L-plates has marks for this. I would think that if you have your standard plate and a universal plate sandwiched on top of each other (makes it taller), and then switch from landscape to portrait, then that may throw off the composition.

I keep my L-Plate off all of the time unless I'm going out to use it on my tripod with a lens that doesn't have a lens collar, where I can just turn the lens/camera combo within the lens collar. As a matter of fact, I keep my L-plates and extra allen wrenches in a side pocket of my tripod bag, so it's always there when I need it. I don't need the L-plate with the gimbal head, nor do I use it on my monopod, so it stays off 90% of the time.

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Originally Posted by Jonathan Huyer

Just wondering, do you really need a L-bracket for both cameras? The 5D2 will be your go-to camera for landscapes, I'm assuming. The 1D4 would be for longer lenses, where you are usually attaching the lens to the tripod (not the camera). I just have a simple base plate for my 1D3, and really, I hardly ever use it. I'm always clamping the lens to the tripod instead. But the L-clamp on my 5D2 I use all the time.

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This is true, I could do without the L bracket on the 1D IV. It is a very rare occasion that I would ever need it.

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

Check out the RRS panoramic components as well, spend more money here: :D

http://reallyrightstuff.com/Items.aspx?code=PanoComponents&key=cat

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:DI think I am set for all the other components, I have one of these http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...1_dp_with.html mounted on my Gitzo tripod. I can invert the head at 90% on the head with a little help from the tripod. It can duplicate everything the L bracket would do, it just wouldn't be as stable and is a little awkward. Last year the L bracket is the one thing I wish I had on the trip.

The drop down notch is fine in a pinch for the MKIV, as long as you won't need it for panoramas, which you wont if you're bringing your 5DII also.

I agree with Jonathan that you don't need two L-Plates. The 5DII is FF and better for landscapes, so just get one custom L-plate. If you think you may eventually get a 1DX, then I would rather see you get an L-plate for that later on, as opposed to get one for the MKIV now.

Rich, Of course as always looking for things you always find more things that would work even better. :rolleyes:

I found this on RRS's website;http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...pe=3&eq=&desc=

I already own this rail;http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...sing_Rail.html

I think I can use the Kirk as the top rail, and the Arca-Swiss ball head I have will take care of the lower pivot. I think this combination would be the ultimate in what I was looking for.

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

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These are the two I found at B&H;

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...L_Bracket.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...L_Bracket.html

Your thoughts and recommendations are appreciated.

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I just bought an Arca Swiss Ball Head a few months ago... so I had to buy Arca Swiss compatible plates and am in the process of ordering an L bracket. I know everyone is recommending the RSS brackets, but the Kirk is custom made for your camera (or battery grip) and seems to be a real good fit. However, as Rich already said, the Kirk costs less. I bought one Kirk plate to check it out, and now I am in the process of buying an L bracket and a plate for my 100-400mm lens. I really cannot see what a competitor of Kirk's could do to make it better to justify the extra money you would spend.

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Originally Posted by conropl

I just bought an Arca Swiss Ball Head a few months ago... so I had to buy Arca Swiss compatible plates and am in the process of ordering an L bracket. I know everyone is recommending the RSS brackets, but the Kirk is custom made for your camera (or battery grip) and seems to be a real good fit. However, as Rich already said, the Kirk costs less. I bought one Kirk plate to check it out, and now I am in the process of buying an L bracket and a plate for my 100-400mm lens. I really cannot see what a competitor of Kirk's could do to make it better to justify the extra money you would spend.

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They are probably very equal. But there is only a 5 cent difference between RSS and Kirk;
http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...Mark-II&key=it
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...for_Canon.html

I think either one would serve well.

That's correct they're the same price.

Both the RRS and Kirk L-brackets are custom made and costs the same $140 for the 5DII without grip, and $180 for the MKIV.

I would venture to guess that the RRS and Kirk brackets are of equal quality and workmanship, so either one would work great.

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

They are probably very equal. But there is only a 5 cent difference between RSS and Kirk;
http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...Mark-II&key=it
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...for_Canon.html

I think either one would serve well.

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Sorry... I did not look up for the 5D, but when I was looking a couple of months ago for a plate for my gripped 7D there was quit a difference, so I went with the Kirk. Evidently, they have evened things out.

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

I would venture to guess that the RRS and Kirk brackets are of equal quality and workmanship, so either one would work great.

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I'll have the Kirk vs. RRS decision to make for a 1D X L-bracket. In the past, there have been some minor differences in terms of which had a slightly lower profile, etc., but they seem equivalent in terms of quality and price.

It may come down to who has one ready first. If at the same time, I'm inclined toward the Kirk, because RRS sells only direct while B&H distributes Kirk - means overnight vs. cross-country shipping.

@Neuro, I think you should go with the one that looks the coolest. You wouldn't buy a Ferrari and put stock rims on it after all.

I do think they are very close. For me the decision came down to the fact that I initially bought a Markins Q20 without a quick-shoe plate, because I wanted the RRS quick-shoe with the lever release, so I figured I might as well get the RRS camera plate to attach to their own quick-shoe. I'm very happy with RRS and you can call them and ask questions and I've found them to be very informative and responsive.

I would say the RRS, Kirk and Wimberley offer the tightest tolerances for Arca-Swiss compatibility, however you can never go wrong with sticking with one brand. I also have the RRS monopod head with their RRS levered QR, and I have my eye on some other RRS products, such as macro rails and flash brackets, so I usually just sit around with the RRS catalog and create my own wish list.

You definitely should wait a little on your decision, to make sure that there aren't any snafus with either product.

I just noticed that Kirk doesn't list a 1DX L-bracket yet, and RRS ($250) is taking pre-orders and stating that the design is not finalized yet.

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=B1DX-L&type=4&eq=

I believe that RRS did a revision of their initial 5DIII bracket, but I'm sure that they would stand behind any problems.

I think RRS swapped out the bad brackets. What you probably got for your scratches if you had a 5D III was an apology.
I agree with Rich, unless it was a have to have tool I think I would wait a few weeks before buying one for the new 1D X.

Definitely. I've got a Wimberley P-5 that'll do for the time being...

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

I'll have the Kirk vs. RRS decision to make for a 1D X L-bracket. In the past, there have been some minor differences in terms of which had a slightly lower profile, etc., but they seem equivalent in terms of quality and price.

It may come down to who has one ready first.

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John,

I wouldn't think you'd be in a rush for this, but if you haven't seen it yet, the RRS 1DX L-bracket is finalized and backordered all at the same time.

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...DX-L&type=4&eq

Rich

Thanks, Rich! No real rush, but I previously noticed the higher price than their other L-brackets, and wondered why. The modular design, especially being able to convert from base plate to L-bracket, is very attractive! I'll wait to see what Kirk comes up with, but unless it's similar the RRS plate is likely the one I'll get.

Yes, it looks pretty cool and innovative in that it's a modular design, yet also custom for this specific body. The 1DX is a fairly large camera thereby requiring a large L-bracket, so the split design may come in handy to reduce bulk. I also like the idea of storing the hex key in the base plate. I wish mine had that.

I agree, lets see what Kirk comes up with!