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Thread: Looking for L Bracket for Multiple Cameras

  1. #1
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    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.

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    With or without the grip for the 5DII?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Lane View Post
    With or without the grip for the 5DII?
    Without on the 5D II, of course it needs to handle the 1D IV as well.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Jonathan Huyer's Avatar
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    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.

  5. #5
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    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
    Last edited by Richard Lane; 07-08-2012 at 09:50 PM.

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  7. #7
    Senior Member thekingb's Avatar
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    Love my RRS L bracket for the 7D. Not inexpensive, but light and sturdy and well made.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan Huyer View Post
    I'm not sure about these universal L-brackets in terms of how solid they might be.
    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.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Jonathan Huyer's Avatar
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    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.

  10. #10
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    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:

    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.
    Last edited by Richard Lane; 07-08-2012 at 10:45 PM.

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