Newbie Questions :)

[Innocence]

Hi All,

Here are a few questions about things which sit on top of a tripod QR clamp (i think) which I hope wont sound too silly!

I just know that you can buy a QR plate to stick on your camera, which you can then quickly clip on and off your tripod...(i think haha)

What's an L bracket?
What's a flash bracket(?) ?
If I already have an existing ball head with a QR clamp, is there any reason I would need anything other than a QR plate?
Do these "generic" QR plates which I have pictured in my mind (a piece of metal with a screw in it) differ in any way which I need to know about when selecting one?Thanks!

I had a look at the tripod FAQ QR discussion but I dont even know how QR plates look differ let alone ARCA/RRS(?) functionality. Please forgive any incorrect terminology.

[Woolburr]

Here is an example of an L bracket (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554706-REG/Kirk_BL_5D_BL_5D_Compact_L_Bracket_for.html). Used for quick release with a specific QR clamp, the L bracket gives speed and functionality to shifting a body from horizontal to vertical, while maintaining the center of balance over the center of the tripod head.

A flash bracket is designed to move the flash unit up and off the camera body and also to allow the flash to be rotated to remain above the lens in either horizontal or vertical orientation.

It depends on your QR clamp...is it rated for the load you want to put on it? Do you know the brand so that you have the correct plate for it?

The QR plate is your link between your camera and your tripod. Do you really want to take a chance with thousands of dollars of equipment's security with a cheap knock-off plate? Sometimes it is just better to buy the real deal and be able to rest easy when you mount your camera to the tripod.

[krb]

1. A bracket shaped like an L. :D It allows you to mount the camera sideways (aka portrait) and still have the weight of the camera over the center of the tripod for stability.
2. A bracket that holds a flash. These are generally for handheld use and are used to get the flash up higher and/or to the side to change the angle of the light relative to the lens. Some more expensive models allow the camera to be rotated from landscape to portrait while keeping the flash above the line of sight.
3. The plates are generally proprietery so you'll need QR plates that match your existing system.
4. As with most things, you get what you pay for. A cheap system that allows the camera to rock around in the mount isn't going to do anything positive for your pics. An insecure mount that lets your camera take a fall onto the pavement (or worse, over the edge of a cliff) isn't going to help your photography either.

but I dont even know how QR plates look Most vendor sites like B&H and Amazon provide pictures of the products as well as a handy search feature... ;)

[Innocence]

Thanks guys for the quick responses!

I'm eyeing the Markins Q3 and I'm wondering what plate I should get to slot into the existing clamp.

I'm coming from one of those $5 tripods you get at Kmart so this is a pretty steep learning curve haha! Deary me.

Ok, so the L bracket let's you do different orientations, do you need to physically remove the camera+plate away from clamp and then put it back or does it like...slide around the corner?

And are L brackets only camera specific?

Do flash brackets sit on the tripod too? haha so many things sticking off the top of the tripod!

[krb]

Ok, so the L bracket let's you do different orientations, do you need to physically remove the camera+plate away from clamp and then put it back or does it like...slide around the corner?

And are L brackets only camera specific?

Do flash brackets sit on the tripod too? haha so many things sticking off the top of the tripod!
There are hundreds of different variations of each of these products on the market so just about anything is possible. I think you would be well served by spending some time browsing vendor web sites to see what's out there.

[Innocence]

Thank you kind sirs. I decided on a universal wimberley plate. =)