Thanks guys from me too.

The main reason I want to go A-S is for the L-brackets, otherwise i'd just get manfrotto and be done with it (they do have L-brackets, of sorts, but don't look the best). I'm definitely going a 'custom-made' 7D bracket rather than a universal, if not least for the cable-entries from the side and the anti-rotation flange will fit snugly.

Is there any practical difference between the Kirk and RRS Brackets? (And apparently Markins makes them, but I can't figure out their website). They're not much different from what I can see, nor in price, anyone have good/bad experiences with either? There's absolutely no hope of buying either in Aus, best I can see is $140 from B+H plus a rip-off $30 shipping, nothing on fleabay, no grey-import online aussie shops, best I can do is find a european shop, their shipping is way cheaper, or get my mum to pick one up in Hong Kong in a month.

If it weren't for the L-brackets, i'd probably be perfectly happy with the manfrotto system(s) with sliding plates for lens-ring-mounts. Best thing is, everyone around here stocks manfrotto. For an A-S system i'll have to find somewhere around here that stocks Wimberly, and get a P10/P20 plate or so.

Or a hybrid system, like an A-S L-bracket onto an adapter with a manfrotto plate to a manfrotto head, has anyone done that? I'm thinking like these, everyone makes a version. It's an extra link in the chain for instability, I know, and probably more expensive, but is it worth it? (ie, camera with A-S L-bracket, to a QR-clamp, with a manfrotto plate underneath, and then every lens-with-tripod-ring has a manfrotto plate. Too much hassle?)