Hello all.

Do you have any experience with the Really Right Stuff L-plate for the camera body?
I have just invested in the Benro GH-1 head and would like to have the L-plate for the camera also.

Link to the L-plate here:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=BD3%2DL&eq=&Tp=

Thanks

IMO the RRS products are the best one can buy. I own quite a few.

I have one for my D300, and several lens plates as well. I particularly love the replacement foot/plate combo for the 70-200 VR lens.

I would say IF you do a lot of shooting where you switch between vertical and horizontal, then the L plate would be a good purchase.......remember that you MUST also buy a clamp (either type) for your ball head.

You gain a lot of flexibility, speed, and better (more secure) handling of the camera with the L plate/clamp combination as compared to just "flopping" the camera and ballhead over on its side. Doing the latter lock the ballhead into a single position (loss of flexibility) whereas the plate/clamp combo still leaves you with all the ballhead movement available for fine adjustments and leveling.

What's happening is that you are buying into a mounting "system" of plates, clamps and such (RRS, Kirk, Wimberly, etc., all are pretty much interchangeable) as opposed to just screwing and unscrewing (jeez, that gets old!) your camera and lenses to/from the ballhead.

costs some $$ over time, but I have never regretted it.

Gene

The GH-1 head I have bought did come with a clamp so all I need for the camera body is the L-plate. Haven`t found any dealer here in Norway yet so I might have to order it from RRS`s website.

+1 Well designed and made.

+1, I have one for my D700.

+2 I got one for my D2H, one for my D2Xs...

I have entertained the idea or purchasing RRS products for several years but was hesitant due to the cost of purchasing the items I wanted. I just pulled the trigger and purchased my first of two L-plates last week for my D3X and will purchase a second L-plate for my D3 in the very near future. I look at the RRS line as the “Swiss Army Knife” of camera support products which is a very well thought out and designed system. I would venture to guess the only brand camera support products I will own will be a combination of mostly RRS the lone exception will be my Wimberley gimbal head. My Arca –Swiss B2 ball head just locked up on me recently and will have to go to their authorized repair center for repair I have also decided to replace two of ball heads with RRS ball heads due to the quality of workmanship inherent with the RRS products and problems with the Arca-Swiss products.

Geat stuff, We have their 55 ballhead and several l plates. The used prices seem to be close to new. Especially when they first come out, as with new cameras. The 55 head come with 5 yr warrenty to original owner. We live about 40 miles from them and drop in when we need an item. Great people.
Don

James R wrote:
+1 Well designed and made.

+2

RRS makes excellent products and stand behind them. I think an L plate is a good idea even if you don't currently do verticals off a tripod. It will open up that opportunity and give you a new way to approach compositions.

Chuck

+ one billion

RRS is top notch. Either RRS or Kirk for all your mounting needs
I use a BH55 with pano head, and have used their L plates on various bodies.... though I currently have the kirk flavor for my D700 and the foot of my 70-200vr.
All built like tanks.

You may also want to check out the Kirk L-plate. I have a mix of RRS and Kirk stuff, and prefer one or the other on a case by case basis. No experience with the L-plate for the D3/D3x, but it appears from the pictures that the RRS version is a little more svelte, but requires that you loosen the hex screw with an allen wrench and move the L-plate every time you want to open or close the rubber port cover. The Kirk version appears to trade a little more size for quicker, tool-free access to these ports. Again, not sure, but I do know that's been the case for some other models, and the pix of both make it look as if it's the case here.

Not saying one approach is better than another, as each makes a reasonable trade-off. Just that one approach may fit your work style better than another. Both companies make great L-brackets (among other things). And L-brackets are, to me, indispensible--I doubt you regret buying either one of them.

I used to recommend RRS wholeheartedly. But since the owner's very substantial monetary support in the last election for an issue many of us consider repugnant, I've looked aggressively for alternatives. I now buy from RRS only when they have something no one else has. Kirk is often better and cheaper anyway.

Details of the RRS issue to which I refer: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/735863/

Best,

--Chris

I had an L-bracket for my D70s and I have an L-bracket for my D300. It is always attached and never comes off. If you use a tripod or monopod often, it is a wonderful thing to have attached and it does not interfere with any of the camera fuctions or access to anything. RRS brackets are top notch.

no one makes better the brackets by RRS. often copied and mostly by kirk but never equaled in concept, construction and and actual use

sjms wrote:
no one makes better the brackets by RRS. often copied and mostly by kirk but never equaled in concept, construction and and actual use

I have owned, and currently own mounting equipment from both companies...
I can't say I see a measurable difference. Would you mind pointing out what's inferior about Kirk?

The truth is that I prefer the design of RRS, and they're a small company based in my home town, but I don't see any applicable difference in their mounting products, ball heads are another story.

I own a couple of Kirk's L Brackets (D70, D2X, D3). I have zero fault with them over the past 5 years or so of usage.

I will say i've never used an RRS L bracket but having looked over the photos between each of them everytime I made a new bracket purchase.... they look awfully similar.

Kirk or RRS you can't go wrong. I've been using "L" brackets for years.

Sean Mills wrote:
sjms wrote:
no one makes better the brackets by RRS. often copied and mostly by kirk but never equaled in concept, construction and and actual use

I have owned, and currently own mounting equipment from both companies...
I can't say I see a measurable difference. Would you mind pointing out what's inferior about Kirk?

The truth is that I prefer the design of RRS, and they're a small company based in my home town, but I don't see any applicable difference in their mounting products, ball heads are another story.

well simply put. RRS designs a plate and then a few weeks later kirk comes out with one very very similiar. except in one case where again rrs came out with the brackets for the 1D3 and so did kirk a little later. the differences there was that RRS design incorporated the ability to use the wifi unit using the same plate with the same plate assy and the kirk option is now on close out sale due to it was a completely seperate bracket assy. the other differences are in the L plates that RRS allows a sliding fit so access to i/o ports cand be either minimal or full with the bracket remaining a lot less bulky the the Kirk design on the side. kirk has a fixed connect point on its base.

a much better thought out design just about everytime

There's a reason why they are expensive: they are worth it.

i've been using RRS stuff since 1991. kirk is good but tends to always be just a few minutes behind