Question to those of you who use a tripod L bracket

[Vinny]

I pretty much figure I'll be buying the Vanguard Alta Pro 263 legs and am planning on going with the Giotto MH-1301 ball head with the MH-656 quick release since it's Arca compatible. The Smith Victor head I originally was going to get needs to have its safety pin removed to use other brands of Arca plates so I figured to go with the Giottos. The reason for an Arca compatible system is to use a L bracket.

Now my question - Do you remove the L bracket when you don't plan on using it? I am looking at a generic L bracket, the Giottos MH-680 and it supposedly is 4" x 4" roughly. The D90 has access panels on both sides and I would think that the L bracket would need to be removed in order to download photos or remove the battery (although I doubt it would be used on the shutter side). Maybe the more expensive and better L brackets don't need to be removed but I'm thinking they all may interfere with the access to the connector compartment. I would also think that removing the plate would be a pain and defeat the purpose of owning the bracket.

Any help or thoughts?

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

 

[HikinMike]

I leave my RRS L- Bracket on my 5D all of the time and I have no problem accessing my connector. I wouldn't trust a generic L-Bracket. You get what you pay for.

 

[Vinny]

Those higher end brackets are as much as the tripod!

I leave my RRS L- Bracket on my 5D all of the time and I have no problem accessing my connector. I wouldn't trust a generic L-Bracket. You get what you pay for.

 

[ann]

I never remove my L bracket, it is just part of the camera and it doesn't interfer with getting to other sections of the camera, which for me is the remote control plug.

The bracket should be made to fit the camera body, never knew a generic one was available, and yes they aren't cheap. I think mine was 175, from Kirk, if i remember correctly.

It comes with an alan wrench to blot it into the camera plate.

 

[HikinMike]

Those higher end brackets are as much as the tripod!

Again, you get what you pay for.

 

[Professional]

Yes, you get what you pay for, and i never take my RRS L-bracket from my cameras unless i take them for repair.

 

[Vinny]

I did some more research and I see the Kirk has an hole cut out for the door on the D90, I guess the others are the same.

 

[KmH]

I buck the trend and use 3-way pan/tilt heads, which means I don't need an L-bracket.

I do use quick-release heads though, and keep a quick-release plate on each of my cameras.

 

[Vinny]

The truth is I probably don't need a L bracket but it seems logical to have the camera centered on the column. I have an old CHEAP tripod with a pan head on it and whenever I use it in portrait orientation it's off to the side. Maybe the better pan heads center the camera onto the column. I will be using the ball head and be off to the side as well until I get an L bracket ... of course I may find out I don't need or want one.

I buck the trend and use 3-way pan/tilt heads, which means I don't need an L-bracket.

I do use quick-release heads though, and keep a quick-release plate on each of my cameras.

 

[Ron Evers]

The truth is I probably don't need a L bracket but it seems logical to have the camera centered on the column. I have an old CHEAP tripod with a pan head on it and whenever I use it in portrait orientation it's off to the side. Maybe the better pan heads center the camera onto the column. I will be using the ball head and be off to the side as well until I get an L bracket ... of course I may find out I don't need or want one.

I made my own to keep the lens over the point of rotation for panorama shots. It works fine in conjunction with a set of focusing rails.

 

[ann]

You just need to be sure that in portrait mode with your longest lens that it remains stable. Both types work fine. Quick release plates are the best thing since sliced bread.