I find it weird too that they would design and ship something like this given their track record in the past. I will be sending mine back and they should pay for shipping. I just looked at my 5D MkII plate and the rear flange is machined with two curves to fit the contours of the camera. Don't understand why they would deviate from such an elegant design.

For those of you whose cameras were damaged, I hope RRS steps up and offers to repair them.

kf4wm wrote:
I am using the L plate from my 7D body on the 5D Marklll. Works great.

It's a pretty lousy fit, not flush at the bottom.

Mike Tuomey wrote:
stan, that L plate doesn't look flush across the bottom to me (look closely at the left side/corner of the camera).

Oh my. There's a small notch to accommodate for the small screw at the bottom. Without it, it would damage the camera. The other gap, where the little lip is, is there simply because the bottom is flat and the cut is straight around, not because it doesn't fit straight. It fits perfectly. Look at it how it looks like compared to the 5D2 - same fit, with the exception of the L part which is now actually smart in a way that you can use the cable release in vertical position without messing with the plate. I wouldn't send mine back even if they offered me to. I think it's a big improvement over the 5D2 (and esp. original 7D) L-plate.

These are all crappy iPhone photos because all my gear is already packed for my next job, but I did pull my two cameras out of the bag just for this.

I am not a RRS advocate, just stating *my* observations with *my* plate. I don't know how yours fit. It very well may be messed up. I am just posting my observation because people asked me to.

Stan, could you do us a favor and remove the plate and see whether ther is an indentation on the bottom of your camera? No need to take a picture of it but if you could just let us know, please?

Thanks,
Joshua

ghozer wrote:
Wow. That is very unlike RRS. I couldn't wait for them to produce a plate before a recent trip and they didn't have a good generic option so I went with a Wimberley generic plate. Very satisfied with it. In fact, so much so that I may not go with the L- plate at all, which is normally on every body I use and I had planned on getting one once available.

Ghozer -

Is this the plate?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276977-REG/Wimberley_P_5_P5_Universal_Quick_Release.html



I use that plate too. Hasn't moved or needed adjusting in 5 years. The custom plates are too big for my liking and offer no benefit (not counting L plates).

Stan, dude. Major fingerprints on that LCD!
I also took your iPhone pictures and ran it through Lightroom with Fill = 100. It fell apart. The iPhone sucks. Can you try taking another set of pictures with your hand across the iPhone lens and then shine a bright light across the front of the phone? This will be necessary before I can determine whether the 7D L-Plate fits appropriately.

juicer wrote:

ghozer wrote:
Wow. That is very unlike RRS. I couldn't wait for them to produce a plate before a recent trip and they didn't have a good generic option so I went with a Wimberley generic plate. Very satisfied with it. In fact, so much so that I may not go with the L- plate at all, which is normally on every body I use and I had planned on getting one once available.

Ghozer -

Is this the plate?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276977-REG/Wimberley_P_5_P5_Universal_Quick_Release.html


I use that plate too. Hasn't moved or needed adjusting in 5 years. The custom plates are too big for my liking and offer no benefit (not counting L plates).

Yeah, the generic plate is so low profile. It's like taking pictures while naked!
Though, no one wants to see me doing that. Not even my wife!

My L-plate is on its way and stanj's photos look as good as fit as any of my other RRS L-plates that I have for the 7D and 5D2. I am also using my regular 7D plate on the 5D3 and it fits good. Even my 7D L-plate fits okay and is useable but it just sticks to far off the one side to be a permanent solution.

That said that regular 5D3 plate is not right. Everyone who receives one should quickly check and then call RRS and complain if it fits the way it shows in the OPs photos.

Even the best companies make mistakes. What separates the truly outstanding from the also-rans is how they deal with those mistakes. My guess is RRS will make this right.

It's not the front and back fit, it's the view from the side that shows all. The side view of the " normal plate" shows gaps where it doesn't touch the bottom of the camera body. That plate has the rear edge machine cut at what looks like 45 degrees. The camera body is captured in the wedge. It doesn't fit the body. Stan, please look at the shutter button side of the camera for a poor fit against the bottom and let ius know. The mounting screw pulling aginst the wedge puts a huge strain on the threaded hole and body. The wedge tends to pull harder on the screw as you tighten it, but form the side not straight up and down. The plate should be curved on both front and back edge and fit to the body properly.

AGeoJO wrote:
Stan, could you do us a favor and remove the plate and see whether ther is an indentation on the bottom of your camera? No need to take a picture of it but if you could just let us know, please

Just for you: no blemishes that I can tell.

It's not the front and back fit, it's the view from the side that shows all.

You beat me to it. I have RRS plates for a 40D and 7D, as well as a RRS tripod head, and the quality was top notch. This is poorly designed.

Wes N.

geniousc wrote:
It's not the front and back fit, it's the view from the side that shows all. The side view of the " normal plate" shows gaps where it doesn't touch the bottom of the camera body. That plate has the rear edge machine cut at what looks like 45 degrees. The camera body is captured in the wedge. It doesn't fit the body. Stan, please look at the shutter button side of the camera for a poor fit against the bottom and let ius know. The mounting screw pulling aginst the wedge puts a huge strain on the threaded hole and body. The wedge tends to pull harder on the screw as you tighten it, but form the side not straight up and down. The plate should be curved on both front and back edge and fit to the body properly.

I am kinda tired of taking pictures (I *really* have to pack for my next job, flying out tomorrow) but will it be sufficient if I say that from the left side, right side, front, and rear, it looks absolutely perfect? That if I put the camera on a desk and turn on the level (ha! I bet you didn't think of that), it's perfectly straight?

AGeoJO wrote:
Stan, could you do us a favor and remove the plate and see whether ther is an indentation on the bottom of your camera? No need to take a picture of it but if you could just let us know, please

stanj wrote:
Just for you: no blemishes that I can tell.


Stan, thank you! Good night and have a safe flight tomorrow!

To others, I am inclined to think that the design of the L-plate is different than that of the regular plate. First thing in the morning, after they open, I will give them a call again and try to confirm that. I will update here again.

Stan,

Thanks much! Your front and rear shots wouldn't show the problem, hence the additional requests. Heaven knows why RRS designed the L-plate to fit properly, but not thr regular plate.

Wes N.

Here's my issue with the plate. What exactly is the appropriate PR response to address this?

This is probably the dumbest question in this thread, but let me ask it: is it really a 5D3 plate? Would be embossed on the bottom. I mean, stranger things happened than getting the wrong item in the mail... If it is, then it's clearly an "oops" and I am sure they'll fix it. I have a dozen or so of their products and their support has been nothing short of fantastic, even out of warranty. As people said, everyone screws up sometimes, it's how they handle these instances is what separates companies.

I'm not happy with this! Who is behind releasing this BS fitting product? Now i have to refuse shipment but i am using USPS priority, so it'll be in my mailbox, i suppose i can just bring it to the postoffice un opened.

Actually like Stan says, maybe a double check to make sure you got the right plate? John, your latest picture with the bubble levels speaks volumes.

stanj wrote:
This is probably the dumbest question in this thread, but let me ask it: is it really a 5D3 plate? Would be embossed on the bottom. I mean, stranger things happened than getting the wrong item in the mail... If it is, then it's clearly an "oops" and I am sure they'll fix it. I have a dozen or so of their products and their support has been nothing short of fantastic, even out of warranty. As people said, everyone screws up sometimes, it's how they handle these instances is what separates companies.

Another of the pics I sent them: