What Is A L Plate Used For?

I can hear it now......what a dumb cluck, but frankly after looking at one, I'm trying to figure out what it's used for. This is what I looked at.

http://reallyrightstuf​f.com …-Canon-5D-Mark-II&key=ait

It's for changing your camera orientation from landscape to portrait. Yes you can just flip the tripod head but this isn't generally as stable.

crn3371 wrote in post #12254208
It's for changing your camera orientation from landscape to portrait. Yes you can just flip the tripod head but this isn't generally as stable.

I don't see how. There is only one mounting screw on the bottom.

from the manual

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WaltA wrote in post #12254304
from the manual

Ahhhh, a quick release clamp is required. Understand zee now. Thanks.

It adds a lot of bulk to your camera.

I use a plain Arca-Swiss-style anti-twist plate on the bottom of my cameras instead...

http://reallyrightstuf​f.com …px?code=BodyCan​on&key=cat

Those work just fine when the camera is in lanscape orientation. A little awkward for portrait mode, though, especially if using a ballhead.

But it so happens I also use a Wimberley Sidekick (http://www.tripodhead.​com/products/sidekick-main.cfm ... mine is used with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead) for long lenses. Didn't take me long to discover this also works very well to mount the camera vertically in portrait orientation, when I'm using shorter lenses. That saved me buying an L-bracket and keeps the bulk of the camera, and amount of stuff I have to haul around to a minimum.

RRS just came out with an ingenious L bracket. I got the catalog yesterday. It has a removable L part so you can take it off when not using it. Fantastic idea.

amfoto1 wrote in post #12254628
It adds a lot of bulk to your camera.

I use a plain Arca-Swiss-style anti-twist plate on the bottom of my cameras instead...

http://reallyrightstuf​f.com …px?code=BodyCan​on&key=cat

Those work just fine when the camera is in lanscape orientation. A little awkward for portrait mode, though, especially if using a ballhead.

But it so happens I also use a Wimberley Sidekick (http://www.tripodhead.​com/products/sidekick-main.cfm ... mine is used with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead) for long lenses. Didn't take me long to discover this also works very well to mount the camera vertically in portrait orientation, when I'm using shorter lenses. That saved me buying an L-bracket and keeps the bulk of the camera, and amount of stuff I have to haul around to a minimum.

Wowsah, 250 bucks just for that?

James Emory wrote in post #12254807
Wowsah, 250 bucks just for that?

RRS makes good products but to say they are proud of them is a huge understatement.

I call it insanely high pricing in an environment without enough competition.

Consider the cost of the Wimberley...

Wouldn't an l-plate need to be different for every camera, seeing as cameras are different sizes?

Fitting the camera aside, aren,t tripod mounts positions so they are centre of the sensor plane? Surely smaller cameras have the sensor at different heights so that in portrai orientation in an l plate, it'll be off centre?

Maybe it just doens't really matter that much.

Also, do you need to urchase two quick release plates to use it too?

mrkgoo wrote in post #12255402
Wouldn't an l-plate need to be different for every camera, seeing as cameras are different sizes?

Fitting the camera aside, aren,t tripod mounts positions so they are centre of the sensor plane? Surely smaller cameras have the sensor at different heights so that in portrai orientation in an l plate, it'll be off centre?

Maybe it just doens't really matter that much.

Also, do you need to urchase two quick release plates to use it too?

I think this video on the RRS website explains both those questions better than I ever could.

http://reallyrightstuf​f.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx​?fc=42

Hope this helped.

yep. That is why RRS, Kirk, Markins and other vendors offer several models.

example: http://reallyrightstuf​f.com …ey=cat&code=LPL​ATES-CANON

anymore feedback from this observation?:

http://users.gsinet.ne​t/pjwhite/rrs.htm

ps I use an L plate with no complaints so far, but I do not do much portrait stitching, where the problem this fellow discusses would rear its ugly head.