picked up a desmond L plate yesterday.....

for a $32 on ebay (I offered less than the BIN price).

http://www.ebay.com …_trksid=p3984.m​1497.l2649

now that really right stuff was forced to make a lever QR that will work with any arca swiss plate I am breaking away from using its pricey bits and pieces.


oh I know its blasphemous but i'm sick of paying through the nose for overpriced bits of metal everytime I buy a new camera or long lens.

I may fit the L bracket with a QR so it can easily be clamped onto any camera with an arca swiss plate. my goal is to make this the last L bracket i'll need for a DSLR.

I recently scored an arca swiss plate for $10 that fits perfectly the foot of my 70-300L tripod ring, and works perfectly with the newer RRS adjustable QR.


I had to sell my old RRS clamps to upgrade to the adjustable clamps at about $50-$60 hit per clamp. but that's the last time.

I found a way out and i'm taking it !

What camera does it fit? It doesn't seem to mold to the camera like other L-brackets. Can you get to the ports on the camera with this installed?

Heath wrote in post #16207663
What camera does it fit? It doesn't seem to mold to the camera like other L-brackets. Can you get to the ports on the camera with this installed?

well, it is a universal bracket. like I said my tentative plan is to install a QR on the bracket so it can quickly be clamped onto any camera with an arca swiss plate attached. don't know about port access but I suspect it will work.

ed rader wrote in post #16207697
well, it is a universal bracket. like I said my tentative plan is to install a QR on the bracket so it can quickly be clamped onto any camera with an arca swiss plate attached. don't know about port access but I suspect it will work.

The L plate looks to have Arca Swiss built into it. So there is no need to install a QR plate.

1KIND wrote in post #16207800
The L plate looks to have Arca Swiss built into it. So there is no need to install a QR plate.

I must not be explaining myself very well. i don't want to leave the L plate on the camera. i want to get away from that because i usually shoot in landscape orientation and i don't want the extra bulk.

i want a universal L plate that i can quickly install without tools when i am shooting in vertical orientation.

so, if i attached an arca swiss clamp to the L bracket i could quickly attach it to any camera that has an arca swiss plate installed.

It took me a few seconds to understand how you intend to use your new universal L. I have something similar as a set up for my G12. I use it with a Newton FR3 rotating flash bracket. It gives me a universal L bracket that I can use with my G12 and my wife's SL1, until such time as someone makes an L bracket for it.

I have a Arca Swiss plate on the bottom... and a quick release clamp on the top (I think this is how you are going to use yours) so all three of our cameras will snap in with no fuss, plus we have the benefit of rotating flash for indoor work.

How in Desmond quality?
I was about to buy a Benro lens plate, but figured out that desmond cost 2x times less: something like $16 and $35 for benro.

TLN wrote in post #16207844
How in Desmond quality?
I was about to buy a Benro lens plate, but figured out that desmond cost 2x times less: something like $16 and $35 for benro.

all the online reviews that I've read have been very positive. i'll report back when I get mine .

Phoenixkh wrote in post #16207832
It took me a few seconds to understand how you intend to use your new universal L. I have something similar as a set up for my G12. I use it with a Newton FR3 rotating flash bracket. It gives me a universal L bracket that I can use with my G12 and my wife's SL1, until such time as someone makes an L bracket for it.

I have a Arca Swiss plate on the bottom... and a quick release clamp on the top (I think this is how you are going to use yours) so all three of our cameras will snap in with no fuss, plus we have the benefit of rotating flash for indoor work.

good thinking! the way I envision using the L bracket would 1) make the bracket truly universal 2) make the bracket simple to install and remove (want to lighten my load) 3) keep the bracket from slipping (because it's not form fitted) if used with a heavy lens and 4) eliminate the need to pay nearly $200 for any future brackets that I would be lucky to sell for half price when no longer needed. I figure my universal L bracket will cost about $60 but of course I would need to buy a regular fitted bracket for my camera.

also, since there would be an arca swiss plate on the camera I could still always use my tripod. I prefer the markins arca swiss plate over the RRS because it's smaller and lower profile and cheaper. but unfortunately the first generation RRS flip lever QR would not securely hold a markins plate.

I have one for my gripped 7D. It comes half way up the port covers so if I want to use an release I have to open the cover before mounting the plate. Not a big deal. It would be much better without the battery grip. It is only used with the 18-135 as my other lenses have a feet.

My complaints. 1) It didn't come with a 1/4 inch screw even though it was advertised as having one. Neither Amazon or the seller could understand that and wanted me to send it back for replacement, when I just wanted them to send me the *%^$ screw. 2) There is no rubber or cork to grip the camera so I had to buy an allen screw and use an allen wrench to get it tight enough to not swivel. D-screws that are small enough to fit cannot be tightened enough by hand.

C Scott IV wrote in post #16208656
I have one for my gripped 7D. It comes half way up the port covers so if I want to use an release I have to open the cover before mounting the plate. Not a big deal. It would be much better without the battery grip. It is only used with the 18-135 as my other lenses have a feet.

My complaints. 1) It didn't come with a 1/4 inch screw even though it was advertised as having one. Neither Amazon or the seller could understand that and wanted me to send it back for replacement, when I just wanted them to send me the *%^$ screw. 2) There is no rubber or cork to grip the camera so I had to buy an allen screw and use an allen wrench to get it tight enough to not swivel. D-screws that are small enough to fit cannot be tightened enough by hand.

these L plates are made to be used with non-gripped cameras I believe. I used IDs with L bracket for more than four years. I've sworn off grips and L brackets on my 5d mark III.

if you attach the bracket like I plan to do (with QR) you won't need rubber, cork or allen wrench. as long as the arca swiss plate on the camera body is form-fitted it's not going to twist.

I've been eyeing the Acratech universal L-plate. Am I correct in saying that this is what you are trying to build, at a lot less money?

http://acratech.net/pr​oduct.php?productid=71

ed rader wrote in post #16208713
these L plates are made to be used with non-gripped cameras I believe. I used IDs with L bracket for more than four years. I've sworn off grips and L brackets on my 5d mark III.

if you attach the bracket like I plan to do (with QR) you won't need rubber, cork or allen wrench. as long as the arca swiss plate on the camera body is form-fitted it's not going to twist.

You sure the QR isn't going to pivot against the L plate under load? Then too, there's the extra half inch or so the plate and clamp will add to the mechanism. Good luck!

ChristopherMadison wrote in post #16208789
I've been eyeing the Acratech universal L-plate. Am I correct in saying that this is what you are trying to build, at a lot less money?

http://acratech.net/pr​oduct.php?productid=71

exactly! I knew I stole that idea from somewhere !

Jon wrote in post #16208804
You sure the QR isn't going to pivot against the L plate under load? Then too, there's the extra half inch or so the plate and clamp will add to the mechanism. Good luck!

i'm pretty sure I can figure out a way to make it work ! my biggest lenses have tripod collars; so the biggest lens i have that will be used with this set-up is the 24-70L II.