L brackets

[Nobie]

So I really, really, really want a custom L bracket for my D200. The kind you get from Really Right Stuff or Kirk, that is built right.

Link to Really Right Stuff: Really Right Stuff ... Quick-Release Camera Body L-Plates
Link to Kirk: Kirk Enterprises : L-Bracket for D200

The only problem is how expensive the entire system would be. I don't want to have to buy their ball head, clamp, and L-bracket...I just can't afford it. It says the L-bracket is compatible with Arca style clamps, but 1st hand reviews online say, "Well, sort of kinda fits." So then, I would agree that you should use one of their clamps. I can afford the L-bracket, could splurge if I had to on the clamp, but can't afford the ball head too. So, that leaves me with trying to get a clamp from them that will fit on my existing ball head. The detailed specifications for me simply wanting an L-bracket has gotten frustrating given the lack of detailed and ACCURATE specs on all these small pieces of equipment.

Has anybody else tried to get this system simply by using their L-bracket but using different clamps/heads?

[WooD]

Why do you feel the need for an L bracket?

I looked into them a while back becuae the lens I used for portraits didn't have a tripod mount, and getting my camera in a vertical position on my ball head was a pain.

I looked into the L's, but also found I'd have to change out other stuff.

I ended up getting a pan tilt tripod head that used the same mounting plates that my ball head did.

[Nobie]

Originally Posted by WooD

Why do you feel the need for an L bracket?

See below:

Originally Posted by WooD

I looked into them a while back because the lens I used for portraits didn't have a tripod mount, and getting my camera in a vertical position on my ball head was a pain.

I shoot most of the time in portrait and would have much better control and use with an L-bracket like these. It would also make panos easier (I know it's not a "pano" bracket).

[inkista]

I use a Nodal Ninja 3. No idea if it's good for what you want to do, though. Costs about $200, and I just take the ballhead off my tripod, and screw the NN directly to the legs. Breaks down a lot smaller to go into the bag. But then, I'm primarily concerned with using an 8mm fisheye and shooting a cubic pano, so I desperately had to have calibrated and accurate pitch and yaw rotation.

[Nobie]

Originally Posted by inkista

I use a Nodal Ninja 3. No idea if it's good for what you want to do, though. Costs about $200, and I just take the ballhead off my tripod, and screw the NN directly to the legs. Breaks down a lot smaller to go into the bag. But then, I'm primarily concerned with using an 8mm fisheye and shooting a cubic pano, so I desperately had to have calibrated and accurate pitch and yaw rotation.

Yeah, that's not what I want. The L-bracket I want enables you to pop your camera onto your tripod, already in the portrait format.

[Nobie]

Bump for any RRS/Kirk L-bracket users.