L Bracket - What's it for?

[vento]

I've searched and searched but I don't understand what the purpose of an L Bracket is other then a mount for a tripod?

Can somebody enlighten me?

[elysium]

With the L bracket, it is made more for larger lenes. If you mount one of the larger lenses on your camera and then onto the tripod, it will prob tip the camera over so the bracket is made to get a balance on the lens+camera.

Not sure about other uses.

[mrclark321]

With the L bracket, it is made more for larger lenes. If you mount one of the larger lenses on your camera and then onto the tripod, it will prob tip the camera over so the bracket is made to get a balance on the lens+camera.

Not sure about other uses.

No, the L bracket is to shoot vertical and is mounted to the camera. This way you have a quick realease vertical and horizontal.

http://www.kirkphoto.com/lbrackets.html

[elysium]

No, the L bracket is to shoot vertical and is mounted to the camera. This way you have a quick realease vertical and horizontal.

http://www.kirkphoto.com/lbrackets.html
Thanks for that. Man I look so n00bish now.

We all live and learn.:o

[Roy Mathers]

That can't be all an L bracket is for - otherwise why not just use a normal tripod head?

[_aravena]

I was wondering the same.

[MarkoPolo]

The L bracket is version of the Arca Swiss quick release plate. In this case it is on the bottom of the camera and also the left side (viewed from the rear). It allows quick re-orienting the camera from horizontal to vertical WITHOUT changing the tripod setting or position. Very useful, I use mine all the time. My bigger lenses with a separate foot (ie: the 100-400L for me) allow you to rotate the camera and lens within the lens bracket. I first learned of them from John Shaw and have not had a camera without one since. Not cheap, but highly recommended--Kirk Enterprises and Really Right Stuff make good ones.

[Mike K]

I've searched and searched but I don't understand what the purpose of an L Bracket is other then a mount for a tripod?

This article is a few years old but does a ood job describing the use of the camera L plate (L bracket).

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/rrs-l.shtml

I have a 1DmkII and leave my RRS L plate on all the time. When used with a RRS lever clamp, one can change between landscape to portrait in 3 seconds, very easily. In addition all of the newer RRS L brackets have index marks to indicate the lens center. This is really useful for panos where you rotate the camera to stitch several shots together. Then centering the camera (say in portrait orientation, which is most commonly used for larger panos) on the rotating clamp is important. Notice the RRS panning clamp and the clamp on the pano elements rail also has an index mark to center the camera over the rotating axis. I also use the index marks for shift lens use, but that is a bit more complicated to explain. Suffice it to say that an centering index marks on the camera L bracket can be very useful.

Mike K

[_aravena]

Ok, so it's what I thought. Still seems like a lot of money for that. I could understand maybe $100 but $140+ seems a bit much for simple convenience. For most at least. If ou have the money sure, but I don't see myself running out to buy one. It's 33% of a decent lens. (85 F1.8, 50 F1.4, etc.)'

Still, I know what it does.

[IShootPeople]

its basically a quick release plate that allows you to shoot vertically rather than just loosening a knob and tilting the camera to vertical. I can see its usefulness though in making the whole outfit more steady on the tripod.

[Bootsie]

Ok, so it's what I thought. Still seems like a lot of money for that. I could understand maybe $100 but $140+ seems a bit much for simple convenience. For most at least. If ou have the money sure, but I don't see myself running out to buy one. It's 33% of a decent lens. (85 F1.8, 50 F1.4, etc.)'

Still, I know what it does.

I made one, because I couldn't see what the point of spending $140+ for something I could make for $5.

[cdifoto]

My 1D II came with one and I promptly sold it. :)

[jdkeck]

The RRS L bracket is fit to a particular camera model and cannot rotate in use, assuming you have tightened the screw properly. With a drop of Loctite on the screw, the bracket is vey secure. The index marks identifies the lens axis in both portrait and landscape orientation. This is very important if you take multiple image shots for stitching with a pano head.


Whether these features are important to you and worth the cost is your decision. I personally think the RRS L bracket is a valuable tool.

Jeff

[mrclark321]

The RRS L bracket is fit to a particular camera model and cannot rotate in use, assuming you have tightened the screw properly. With a drop of Loctite on the screw, the bracket is vey secure. The index marks identifies the lens axis in both portrait and landscape orientation. This is very important if you take multiple image shots for stitching with a pano head.


Whether these features are important to you and worth the cost is your decision. I personally think the RRS L bracket is a valuable tool.

Jeff

I picked mine up last week Jeff and it's very well built, ordered the quick release plate to go on my Manfrotto 488RC2, will let you know how it works out. :)

[_aravena]

I made one, because I couldn't see what the point of spending $140+ for something I could make for $5.

What makes you think you can say something like that and not explain??

[Hogloff]

It's invaluable for shooting portrait oriented images from a tripod. If you don't do this, then you don't need it. If you do any portrait oriented shooting, then I highly recommend the L-bracket for both convenience and equipment safety. Without the L-bracket, you have to physically flip the entire camera and lens to one side of the tripod, making for an unstable setup. Sooner or later, this setup will topple down, costing you more than the $140 you should have spent on the L-bracket.

[RPCrowe]

One problem facing using the camera in the vertical position (I am talking about using a lens that does NOT have a tripod collar) with a pan-tilt or ball head is that the camera tends to try to rotate on the tripod screw due to the torque applied by the weight of the lens.

One solution when using a tripod head which accepts a Bogen Manfrotto RC2 Quick Release system plate (there are several heads besides the ones distributed by Bogen Manfrotto which will accept the RC2 Plate) is using the Manfrotto QK REL Architectural Plate which incorporates a lip that prevents the camera from rotating on the tripod screw due to torque.

http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius/pid/6780?detailPid=8153&actualPathCategoryKey=1CAT:AAA1:2CAT:BB24:3CAT:CCC 1&kindOfProductCollectionRequest=productDetail&marketList=MARKET:MKT1|&productCode=3157ANR&productDescription=3157ANR%20-%20QK%20REL%20ARCHITECTURAL%20PLATE%203/8&curBrandId=MANFROTTO&product_from_search=true

This plate is an additional accessory. I have one and when I am shooting with a tripod/monopod which can accept the RC2 plate; I use the standard plate supplied with the RC2 system on my tripod collar and the Architectural Plate on my camera body. That way, when I shift from a lens using a tripod collar to a lens which the camera must be mounted to the tripod; I do not need to switch QR plates.

Bogen Manfrotto also supplies several types of L brackets including one which can be adjusted for shooting panos with the camera in vertical position (which allows greater top to bottom coverage. The side to side coverage is a factor of the number of images and the overlap used in shooting the pano strip.

Panosaurus also allows vertical configuration in pano strip shooting.

[SunTsu]

I made one, because I couldn't see what the point of spending $140+ for something I could make for $5.

How did you make it? I'd like one too, but the price does seem a lot for a metal plate. Plus, I'm not buying anything from RRS again after the sh*tty service I received from them.

Does anyone know if there is an L foot mount for larger lenses?

[SkipD]

See this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=401192) for a home-made alternative to a camera-mounted L-bracket. It works great for me.

[Bootsie]

How did you make it? I'd like one too, but the price does seem a lot for a metal plate. Plus, I'm not buying anything from RRS again after the sh*tty service I received from them.

Does anyone know if there is an L foot mount for larger lenses?

I used a 5" hardware l-bracket that I cut one side of down to about 2". drilled a new hole and used some different size 1/4-20 screws and washers to attach everything. I will take some pics and post them tomorrow if I have time.

[_aravena]

^YA better! :D