L - brackets

[aeronic]

I would love an L bracket for my canon 550d for use when taking panoramas, such as:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/Product...1&desc=B550D-L:-L-plate-for-550D-without-grip

However, I was wondering if there were cheaper alternatives. (eg my meike battery grip was only £35 vs £100+ for the canon original).

Does anyone use these, or can suggest alternatives?

Cheers.

 

[andydajo]

I think this is probably what you are looking for ;0)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190697606168?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[happy haggis]

I used to buy Kirk L plates, but when I got my 5D Mk 3 the Kirk version was not available, so I looked on eBay and found one from Sunwayfoto through seller CGUK and it is fine and at half the price.
Definitely worth looking at the 3rd party versions. Just make sure that they allow for the use of a remote release (not sure if you use one, but you probably will at some stage).

 

[aeronic]

Looks great - I do use a remote release, but also magic lantern for timer control.

 

[HoppyUK]

Looks great - I do use a remote release, but also magic lantern for timer control.

I use the little Canon RC-1 IR remote control with my L-bracket, much easier than a cable - if your camera has an IR port (550D does).

RC-1 doesn't have great range, but more than a cable. Velcro'd to the tripod http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-RC-1-Wireless-Remote-Review.aspx

L-brackets are brilliant BTW

 

[RSMarco]

What's the quality of the sunwayphoto one like?

 

[happy haggis]

What's the quality of the sunwayphoto one like?

Seems fine to me and CGUK are first class sellers.

 

[border_all]

Seems fine to me and CGUK are first class sellers.

I second that i bought one also, it is well made and fits well mine is without battery grip and replaced a Kirk from my 5D2 i can get my cables in better with the new one.

 

[HoppyUK]

What's the quality of the sunwayphoto one like?

Sunwayfoto is high quality kit. They all are mostly. I use a Markins L-bracket - excellent, but more money https://www.photoproshop.com/index.php/cPath/36?osCsid=v7gr0eb9jhqdat5m8ln7dk1mu3

 

[aeronic]

I use the little Canon RC-1 IR remote control with my L-bracket, much easier than a cable - if your camera has an IR port (550D does).

RC-1 doesn't have great range, but more than a cable. Velcro'd to the tripod http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-RC-1-Wireless-Remote-Review.aspx

L-brackets are brilliant BTW

I also have an ir remote

 

[markmullen]

I've got a Kirk on my 5D3 and a Novoflex on my 1Ds2, the novoflex is a generic one, and covers up the remote socket, but is well built and cheaper than the Kirk.

 

[MWHCVT]

Silly question maybe but what exactly is the purpose of an L-Bracket?

 

[happy haggis]

Silly question maybe but what exactly is the purpose of an L-Bracket?

You can switch quickly between landscape and portrait mode without changing the composition.

 

[HoppyUK]

Silly question maybe but what exactly is the purpose of an L-Bracket?

Edit: crossed post with Trevor.

It transforms the handling on a tripod. If you want to shoot a vertical frame, you just turn the camera, rather than flipping the head over which is a PITA - it changes the viewpoint and makes the tripod side-heavy and unbalanced.

They're almost all designed for the Arca-Swiss type dovetail QR system, that is the almost universal fitting on high-end heads. They're very light, and most of them are just fit and forget. I got one a couple of years ago and it's never been off the camera.

Some of the Canon fit ones stick out a bit around the end as they have to allow clearance to plug in a cable release. I fixed that with a file on my Markins bracket, and use an IR release instead.

 

[MWHCVT]

You can switch quickly between landscape and portrait mode without changing the composition.

Edit: crossed post with Trevor.

It transforms the handling on a tripod. If you want to shoot a vertical frame, you just turn the camera, rather than flipping the head over which is a PITA - it changes the viewpoint and makes the tripod side-heavy and unbalanced.

They're almost all designed for the Arca-Swiss type dovetail QR system, that is the almost universal fitting on high-end heads. They're very light, and most of them are just fit and forget. I got one a couple of years ago and it's never been off the camera.

Some of the Canon fit ones stick out a bit around the end as they have to allow clearance to plug in a cable release. I fixed that with a file on my Markins bracket, and use an IR release instead.

Thanks Both, I'd seen mention of them in the past but never really worked out the reason for them, but it sounds like a really good thing, I may look out for one for the 5D3 at some point

 

[RSMarco]

I used to buy Kirk L plates, but when I got my 5D Mk 3 the Kirk version was not available, so I looked on eBay and found one from Sunwayfoto through seller CGUK and it is fine and at half the price.
Definitely worth looking at the 3rd party versions. Just make sure that they allow for the use of a remote release (not sure if you use one, but you probably will at some stage).

Hi mate,
Thanks for the feedback. Can you describe or post some images of the fit to the 5D MKIII as I'm interested in any fit issues like the RRS MKI had where it was slightly digging into the body.

Mark