Is an 'L' bracket worth it?
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Pookeyhead
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Maybe I'm missing something, but I've never seen the point in a L bracket. Why not just rotate the tripod head? Why remove the camera and remount it?
I have to be missing something obvious... surely.
I have to be missing something obvious... surely.
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Wouldn't be without one, I love L brackets for my landscape work. Main bonus is keeping composition (ish) and just a quick undo and rotate can change into portrait. Absolutely hate flopping the camera to the side when fixed normally at the base as you have to rejig the tripod legs to line up the horizon etc and it's all off balance and just doesn't work fast enough for me when you're trying to work fast in fading light
Mine's a Kirk L bracket if it's any help from WEX
Mine's a Kirk L bracket if it's any help from WEX
I think they are a must for landscape photography - if you do a lot in vertical orientation! Rotating the tripod head (well for ball heads at least) mean that there is a limited range of adjustment (as you have a tiny little recessed area on the side of the ball head for vertical shots). Also the ball head can slip more if there is a lot of weight from a heavy lens (as the ball is now on its side) rather than being supported in the regular position. I find it far easier to adjust if the ball head is in it's 'normal' position and you use a L bracket to make it vertical.
seriousrikk
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It's a tough one to explain effectively.
When I flip my tripod head over to the side, it moves the camera to an off centre position, and also begins to limit the range of easy adjustments I can do before I have to start moving my tripod about.
With a ball head, rotating up and down then becomes a different action to what it would be if the camera was above the ball rather than beside.
Tripods heads are designed to be at their most accommodating while the camera is on top of them, not flipped down to the side. Thus an L bracket makes them easier to work with.
Well I think so anyway.
gramps
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Also, assuming you are all set up already with a tripod that takes arca plates, then you only need one part - the L plate itself... (plus the screw that comes with it and an allen key if you want to be pedantic but you'd have these with a regular plate!), not sure which other 2 parts it is you mean!
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merv
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Thanks guys looks like the general opinion is that they're great.
I have a Manfrotto tripod with a Manfrotto 229 three way tilt head. On top of that is the normal hexagonal quick release plate. My camera is a D4.
Wex tell me I need a Kirk BL-D4 L bracket
PLUS
Kirk QRC-2 Quick release clamp 2 inch.
I think these 2 items are basically what I need.
BUT they were also talking about a gimbal but not sure this is anything to do with the L plate set-up
Do you think the first 2 items are all I need/
thanks
merv
I have a Manfrotto tripod with a Manfrotto 229 three way tilt head. On top of that is the normal hexagonal quick release plate. My camera is a D4.
Wex tell me I need a Kirk BL-D4 L bracket
PLUS
Kirk QRC-2 Quick release clamp 2 inch.
I think these 2 items are basically what I need.
BUT they were also talking about a gimbal but not sure this is anything to do with the L plate set-up
Do you think the first 2 items are all I need/
thanks
merv
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merv
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So let me get this right. All I need is the L Plate plus clamp and that will connect to the existing release plate on my 229 head?
Wex are suggesting an Induro ball head as an alternative which already has a quick release clamp so all I would need on this is the L bracket. How do you think the ball head would compare with the 229 head with all its nuisance levers? Obviously a dearer option. mere:bang:
Wex are suggesting an Induro ball head as an alternative which already has a quick release clamp so all I would need on this is the L bracket. How do you think the ball head would compare with the 229 head with all its nuisance levers? Obviously a dearer option. mere:bang:
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merv
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Tommy can I not go anywhere without you breathing down my neck?! This existing tripod head is a bit of a pain to use with all its levers - would you like to buy it? Off to Portrush to do a few coastal shots. No D800 for you?
merv
merv
Jan K.
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Wouldn't live without a L-bracket! 
Instead I would shift plate system to Arca-Swiss compatible and would prefer it on a ball-head...
An alternative for Kirk or RRS could be Sunwayfoto? http://www.sunwayfoto.com/?fproduct/l2/i333
Shot of own setup, here L-plate is mounted on a nodal slide for panorama shootings...
Yes... but plate on plate will look ugly!
Instead I would shift plate system to Arca-Swiss compatible and would prefer it on a ball-head...
An alternative for Kirk or RRS could be Sunwayfoto? http://www.sunwayfoto.com/?fproduct/l2/i333
Shot of own setup, here L-plate is mounted on a nodal slide for panorama shootings...
Tommy can I not go anywhere without you breathing down my neck?! This existing tripod head is a bit of a pain to use with all its levers - would you like to buy it? Off to Portrush to do a few coastal shots. No D800 for you?
merv
No Merv no D800 for me I have my eyes on a bigger prize.
markmullen
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If you're wanting to do more landscapes an l bracket and a geared head make the job tonnes easier in my opinion, I wouldn't be without them.
HoppyUK
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Best thing I did a few years ago was swap everything to Arca-Swiss compatible and fit an L-bracket. AS is the fitment used by most high-end support systems for a good reason. L-brackets are light as a feather, super strong and stable, fit and forget. Makes using a tripod a pleasure and vertical shooting a breeze rather than a right PITA.
Kirk, Markins, Benro, Sunway, RRS etc etc.
You have a D4 and 200-400? Then you really should be looking at a quality tipod with a gimbal head, and start afresh with Arca-Swiss dovetail QR plates and clamps and an L-bracket.
You can convert most heads to Arca-Swiss with either an adapter or by removing the existing QR plate and replacing with an AS clamp, but you have to be careful matching up threads and mounting as they're not all the same. At the end of the day, maybe easier to simply buy a new AS-type head.
JonathanRyan
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There's pretty much 2 camps on this. Those who think L brackets are an overpriced waste of money and those who have them.
Somebody else mentioned Sunway. I have a Kirk plate for my D3S and a Sunway for my D800. Sunway is half the price and pretty much identical. Comes in a really nice box too.
Somebody else mentioned Sunway. I have a Kirk plate for my D3S and a Sunway for my D800. Sunway is half the price and pretty much identical. Comes in a really nice box too.
AshleyC
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I've got a kirk plate for mine and love it, defenitly overpriced though, even the Chinese knock offs arent that cheap. Don't really see the point for landscapes but for portraits its invaluable paired with a decent quick release plate.
seriousrikk
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I like the way you put this!
In addition folk who move from one camp to another are usually folk who have used them...
maninsuitcase
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The price comes from the fact it's machined from 1 lump of alu, most of which is removed but still needs paying for. Sadly the Chinese cheap labour can't get past that too much.
There's a video floating about (http://www.wildphotoadventures.com/archives.html here I think , the bonus episode at the bottom) that shows just how much waste is involved.
HoppyUK
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I have several of these A-S type clamps, £23 cheapest I've found from CameraGearUK http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50mm-Quic..._Tripods_Heads_Stablisers&hash=item4d013e3b6c
Benro A-S plates are good value from DC's Store here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/DCs-Photography-Store though looks like they're closed for Chinese New Year right now. £20-ish as I recall.
Red Snapper plates are also A-S compatible, for £7 here http://www.redsnapperuk.com/camera-accessories/RSH-12_Ball_Head_QR_Plate.html
maninsuitcase
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Sorry I meant the L bracket, though there are some 2 or 3 peice designs which are cheaper.
I do need a clamp for my monopod so will have a look at the benro link.
HoppyUK
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Oh right, sorry. L-brackets also from those links. Clamps I use are from CGUK, loads of others on their link too.
Like Drew I wouldn't be without mine, I never take it off my D700 it is no problem to handhold either I got it in the first place because I hate to see a camera hanging off the side of a tripod.
Bob.
Gaz J
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I bought a Kirk L bracket recently as I want to do more landscape. Must admit it's a well engineered piece of kit. Pricey but then quality usually is. Unfortunately can't use it because stupidly I bought a gitzo ball head previously which doesn't take arca plates. So now in the process of making a slot in plate to convert it to arca.
Kirk seem to make conversions for manfrotto but not gitzo.
Kirk seem to make conversions for manfrotto but not gitzo.
markmullen
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You could get an Arca clamp and just attach it to the quick release plate.
I use two geared heads, my 410 has a proper Hejnar Arca Swiss conversion, on my 405 I keep meaning to get it converted but in the meantime have a Kirk 1 inch AS clamp from Wex screwed tightly onto the Manfrotto 410PL plate, this lives in place on the head and my L brackets (a Kirk on the 5D3 and a generic Novoflex on my 1Ds2) just drop straight in.
HoppyUK
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Gitzo makes an A-S adapter and also an A-S clamp. SunwayFoto makes a three-pin Gitzo conversion here http://www.sunwayfoto.com/html/products/200912/162.html I think Hejnar Photo (e-bay) also does something similar, certainly for Manfrotto.
Gaz J
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My gitzo is an SQ which doesn't go to the vertical position like most ball heads. The adapter for it doesn't get good reviews so rather than consign a £300 head to the drawer I bought an arca clamp and made the infill for the original gitzo plate to accept the clamp.
HoppyUK
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Thanks guys have ordered the L bracket from Wex. Will think about a new ball head such as Induro which seems to be recommended and incorporates a QR clamp Arca Swiss style
Induro/Benro (same thing) makes some good stuff but those B-series heads are far from my favourites. Markins, SunwayFoto, or bargain of the bunch, Feisol - all with Arca-Swiss clamps. FWIW, my next head will be the amazing Arca-Swiss P0 with SunwayFoto circular A-S clamp. King of ball heads is Arca-Swiss Z1.
PS If you're tempted by the lever-release A-S style clamps, as opposed to screw, try before you buy. I don't like them at all. They attempt to solve a non-existant problem but introduce several more along the way :thumbsdown:
Xenon54
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Thanks guys have ordered the L bracket from Wex. Will think about a new ball head such as Induro which seems to be recommended and incorporates a QR clamp Arca Swiss style
Take a look at this shoot out by a german website (the google translation can be a tad difficult to follow). They tested over 40 ball-heads and rated them on the amount of sag under 3 different loads (upto full frame camera and 300mm f2.8 lens), plus measured the amount of vibration dampening, features etc etc. Then they ranked them in a table at the very end.
My advice would be to take a look at Sirui ballheads. I just ordered the K-20X, primarily based on favorable reviews and the tests above. What made my decision was not the measured weight the head could handle (although you should make sure this is enough for your gear, obviously), but the vibration results. We all know tripods (esp traveler ones) are a compromise between portability and stability, and we accept some small degree of vibrations as a result (esp in windy conditions), but choosing the right head can make a big difference (as their results clearly show). And unsurprisingly, the heads from some of the big boys (RRS, swiss-arca, manfrotto) all score very highly on the dampening tests. But right up there alongside them is the K-20X, at half the price.
I'll be testing my new head and legs (also Sirui) for 3 weeks in South Africa, so perhaps in a month or so I could give you some real world feedback. But a quick google search should tell you what others think.
HoppyUK
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Yes, those Traumflieger tests are good. Also note how well the Feisol 40D performs, and the price. Excellent head.
In terms of vibration, I'm less convinced by those reviews. It's rather more basic physics rather than the particular design of head and to properly dampen vibration, you need sheer weight and a primarily heavy head connected directly to the camera with no rubbery bits inbetween. That should kill it at source, and any residual vibration is then transferred to the tripod legs - wood is best, carbon pretty good, aluminium least effective. The same applies to vibration coming the other way, wind buffeting on the legs etc.
At the end of the day though, there are other more important considerations in practise. For me, I want a light yet strong head (strong enough, it doesn't have to hold dozens of kilos as some claim) and particularly one that is quick and easy to adjust accurately and doesn't shift position when locked down. It's that last feature, zero shift on lock-down, that distinguishes the best ball heads.
Xenon54
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+1 well said. I was kinda assuming that all of the heads near the top of that list have zero shift on lock-down and hold enough weight. In that case, it comes down to price, weight, features, and (for me at least) something which I don't often see talked about, how well they handle vibrations. Take your pick on which means the most to you.
HoppyUK
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Not necessarily. One of the most expensive heads I've tested has the worst lock-down shift - Acratech GP. The Benro/Induro B-series is not good either, J-series is better (I have one) and I'm sure the newer V-series is better still. On the other hand, the humble RedSnapper RSH-12 (£60) is really good on that score and a nice head to use, even if it lacks ultimate strength to hold a really heavy load.