RRS L-Plate for 7D w/ BG-E7 Grip - Mini Review with Photos

I just received my Really Right Stuff (RRS) L-Plate for gripped 7D today and thought I would post a few photos.

Please Note: The features described herein may or may not pertain to the RRS L-Plate for 7D camera without grip.

A few thanks for PacAce, stax, and hfgarris for their clarification on the small bottom dovetail.

The dovetail on the bottom side of the plate is small and square instead of running the length of the bottom, like on many other RRS L-Plates. The square design of the dovetail allows the plate to be mounted in a clamp in both orientations, parallel to the plane of the longest side (length) of the camera, or perpendicular to the plane of the longest side (length) of the camera. This can be advantageous in applications such as using the clamp on a Wimberly Tripod Head II or certain video tripod heads. Another example, switching from a lens with a tripod mount ring to a lens without one; with a conventional camera plate on which the dovetail runs the full length of the plate, you need to turn the tripod or tripod head 90 degrees as you switch from the lens foot mount plate to the camera plate in the clamp. With the smaller square dovetail, there is no need to turn the tripod or tripod head.

Some of you (including myself) had concerns that the smaller dovetail may be unstable. It mounted solidly in the clamp on my Markins ballhead even though it is shorter than the length of the clamp. I also mounted the 7D with my 70-200 2.8L IS on, and it felt solid. Of course, with that kind of lens, I would normally use the lens tripod mount ring rather than the camera to mount on the tripod.

The dovetail on the vertical portion of the plate runs the full length. There is an opening to attach the remote controller to the port on the side of the camera. There is also a groove on the side of the L-Plate to make it easier to access and open the port covers.

At the very top of the vertical portion of the plate, there is a groove to fit the left-hand strap mount of the camera, so the strap won't be obstructed.

1. Top view. You can see the groove for the camera strap mount.

looks nice!

expensive though IMHO

krepta wrote in post #9005274
I just received my Really Right Stuff (RRS) L-Plate for gripped 7D today and thought I would post a few photos.

Please Note: The features described herein may or may not pertain to the RRS L-Plate for 7D camera without grip.

A few thanks for PacAce, stax, and hfgarris for their clarification on the small bottom dovetail.

The dovetail on the bottom side of the plate is small and square instead of running the length of the bottom, like on many other RRS L-Plates. The square design of the dovetail allows the plate to be mounted in a clamp in both orientations, parallel to the plane of the longest side (length) of the camera, or perpendicular to the plane of the longest side (length) of the camera. This can be advantageous in applications such as using the clamp on a Wimberly Tripod Head II or certain video tripod heads. Another example, switching from a lens with a tripod mount ring to a lens without one; with a conventional camera plate on which the dovetail runs the full length of the plate, you need to turn the tripod or tripod head 90 degrees as you switch from the lens foot mount plate to the camera plate in the clamp. With the smaller square dovetail, there is no need to turn the tripod or tripod head.

Some of you (including myself) had concerns that the smaller dovetail may be unstable. It mounted solidly in the clamp on my Markins ballhead even though it is shorter than the length of the clamp. I also mounted the 7D with my 70-200 2.8L IS on, and it felt solid. Of course, with that kind of lens, I would normally use the lens tripod mount ring rather than the camera to mount on the tripod.

The dovetail on the vertical portion of the plate runs the full length. There is an opening to attach the remote controller to the port on the side of the camera. There is also a groove on the side of the L-Plate to make it easier to access and open the port covers.

At the very top of the vertical portion of the plate, there is a groove to fit the left-hand strap mount of the camera, so the strap won't be obstructed.

Other than the L-plate for the gripped 7D being taller to accommodate the grip, the gripless version has the same basic designed.

Thanks for posting.

merlin2375 wrote in post #9005303
looks nice!

expensive though IMHO

Yes, it is but once you've used it, if you're like me, I think you'll find that the L-plate is worth every penny it costs.

I have 6 bodies and only two of them do NOT have an L-plate installed (just have the "standard" camera plate on them). And I regret it every time I need to shoot either one in the portrait orientation on a tripod.

Beautiful.

PacAce wrote in post #9005557
Yes, it is but once you've used it, if you're like me, I think you'll find that the L-plate is worth every penny it costs.

I could not agree more. I am grateful I found out about L-Plates. I can't imagine not using them anymore.

And, upon reading that you have 6 bodies, I feel very, very envious!

ben_r_ wrote in post #9005794
Beautiful.

Thank you!

By the way, Ben, it was thanks to your review that I purchased the Gitzo GT1541T tripod with Markins Q3T ballhead. It was a while back, a year ago, I think, but in any case, just to say thank you since I never had the chance to post back in your thread.

was wondering do you have any wiggle if u pull it from the side of the l Plate? or is it solid?

PacAce wrote in post #9005557
Yes, it is but once you've used it, if you're like me, I think you'll find that the L-plate is worth every penny it costs.

Exactly!

I'm also looking to invest in some serious tripod accesoires.

Very cool. Use it in the best of health.

Can you use a cable remote without moving the bracket on the bolt when the camera is in portrait mode? I have to move my RRS out about 5mm on my 5D2 by loosening the bottom bolt to do that.

Jay, i have the RRS model for non-gripped... you can use cable remote without removing the bracket on mine and i'm sure the same on the model in the above review.

that little cutout on the side view makes room for the cable remote.

RRS gear is awesome.

kinghong1970 wrote in post #10944779
Jay, i have the RRS model for non-gripped... you can use cable remote without removing the bracket on mine and i'm sure the same on the model in the above review.

that little cutout on the side view makes room for the cable remote.

i don't mean the cutout since i have a grip not made by canon it seems to wiggle with some movement when u pull to the left of the L bracket just wondering if its the same case with the original battery grip because i have the B87-QR Bracket that attaches to the left side so when i go portrait it move just slightly not bad like its gonna break just a little concerned

jay_jay_n wrote in post #10944537
was wondering do you have any wiggle if u pull it from the side of the l Plate? or is it solid?

jay_jay_n wrote in post #10947323
i don't mean the cutout since i have a grip not made by canon it seems to wiggle with some movement when u pull to the left of the L bracket just wondering if its the same case with the original battery grip because i have the B87-QR Bracket that attaches to the left side so when i go portrait it move just slightly not bad like its gonna break just a little concerned

jay_jay_n, I believe Albert (kinghong1970) was responding to the other Jay (tvphotog).

But to answer your question, no, there is no wiggle that I can discern. The plate is very solid and well constructed, and there is no play in the mount area and the screw. As long as the plate is securely fastened to the camera (or rather, to the grip in this case), everything stays in place nicely.

tvphotog wrote in post #10944742
Very cool. Use it in the best of health.

Can you use a cable remote without moving the bracket on the bolt when the camera is in portrait mode? I have to move my RRS out about 5mm on my 5D2 by loosening the bottom bolt to do that.

Jay, you do have to space the plate out to allow for the connector of the remote to fit in when shooting in portrait mode. It does not show in my original pictures, but I do this from the get-go when I mount the plate so that I don't have to adjust it (sliding it outward) when i want to switch from landscape to portait mode. Of course, doing this moves the nodal point slightly off center from the camera (in landscape mode), but that's not really a big deal.

Here are some additional pictures to show the plate used in portrait mode.

1. It's hard to tell in this one, but the connector of the remote switch does not even touch the clamp on the tripod head. So it's not a tight fit. It's close, but you don't have to worry about it getting squished. Notice the gap between the vertical side of the L-Plate and the side of the camera.