sanyasi Posted October 23, 2012 Share #1 Posted October 23, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) When I bought my MM, I reflexively bought the accessory plate with the handgrip. In retrospect, that was a mistake. I use Really Right Stuff ballheads and clamps that accommodate their L plate. The L plate allows you to mount the camera on the tripod either horizontally or vertically because the plate is L shaped. When you want to switch, you just open the quick release clamp and reposition the camera. To make a long story short, the Really Right Stuff L Plate has three pieces. The bottom plate, the grip, and the short portion of the L plate that runs along the side of the camera. They are held together with allen screws. You can purchase each part separately. This is a cheaper alternative to the Leica plate and grip and if you use Really Right Stuff clamps designed for the plate you also have a built-in tripod plate. Really Right Stuff - Item Listing I like the Really Right Stuff clamps and bullheads. I don't like the L plate for the Leica M when fully assembled because the strap becomes an issue (although really Right Stuff claims otherwise). So all I did was remove the short end of the L plate and I was ready to go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 23, 2012 Posted October 23, 2012 Hi sanyasi, Take a look here Leica Plate for M and Really Right Stuff. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Lindolfi Posted October 24, 2012 Share #2 Posted October 24, 2012 Agreed on the quality of the RRS L-plate and also on the fact that it does not work well with the strap, since you have to re-hook the strap to the eyelet on the L part of the plate and back to the camera if you want to use the normal bottom plate for street photography. There is a solution that RRS should have implemented: you can mill some of the material off from the short part of the L plate, to allow the strap to stay on the camera body. The L plate is so strong, that it won't loose noticeable stiffness from this operation. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted October 24, 2012 As a general proposition, if I bought another Leica M, MM, M9, etc. I would buy the RRS plate than the Leica one. The base plate with grip is cheaper than the Leica one and in using it over the last day or so, I have determined that it is more solid and better made. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabriel Posted October 25, 2012 Share #4 Posted October 25, 2012 As the new Leica M240 has a different baseplate attachment system tp the M8 and M9 it would be interesting to see what RRS produces to attach the M240 to their quick release system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted October 25, 2012 Share #5 Posted October 25, 2012 Hopefully their new L-plate fits both the new M as well as the M with Handgrip M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted October 25, 2012 Share #6 Posted October 25, 2012 I have never been a fan of L plates but that is just me. I use all RRS ballheads and minimalist plates for both my Leica and Nikon bodies. I use this one on my M9. It is the B9 plate. I only attach it when I will be suing a tripod. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted October 30, 2012 Share #7 Posted October 30, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) The RRS strap issue really bugs me too. I stopped using a neck strap with the RRS setup and attached a Gordy strap to the right side which means I can take off the RRS, say for street work, and the Gordy strap is right there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaPassion Posted October 30, 2012 Share #8 Posted October 30, 2012 The RRS bottom plate is great. Sometimes I use the handgrip. The L plate is poorly designed due to the strap connection as others have mentioned. Also it is very uncomfortable in the hand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted October 31, 2012 Share #9 Posted October 31, 2012 I have never been a fan of L plates but that is just me. I use all RRS ballheads and minimalist plates for both my Leica and Nikon bodies. I use this one on my M9. It is the B9 plate. I only attach it when I will be suing a tripod. More or less the same approach - but with Manfrotto plate and tripods (apart from the tiny Gitzo Traveller where I screw on directly. So far no problems of the base flexing + no issues in landscape or vertical shots... I'll be happy with the new solution on the M-240. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted October 31, 2012 Share #10 Posted October 31, 2012 Chris, I also have a "tiny" Gitzo tripod. I think it is a series 1 something in carbon and I use a Really Right Stuff BH25 Ultra Light ballhead on it. It weighs nothing. Of course it is sorta short as I am over 6 feet but my knees do not mind it after hiking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted November 1, 2012 Share #11 Posted November 1, 2012 Chris,I also have a "tiny" Gitzo tripod. I think it is a series 1 something in carbon and I use a Really Right Stuff BH25 Ultra Light ballhead on it. It weighs nothing. Of course it is sorta short as I am over 6 feet but my knees do not mind it after hiking. Bill - sorry - I wasn't clear here. I use the Gitzo ball head that came with my Series 1 traveller - small, light, very solid and works very well for my purposes with the M9. For heavier use the large Manfrotto carbon fibre does the job with a pano head - but I'd never carry one of these on a long walking trip. That's where the Gitzo comes in (but not screwed directly to the tripod!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frits Posted November 8, 2012 Share #12 Posted November 8, 2012 I am new to Leica (M9) after many years of shooting Nikon DSLR's. I always had a RRS L-plate on my Nikons, but I like to keep my Leica outfit compact. I ended up buying an Arca Swiss style 3S-Kangrinpoche PM9/M8 plate on eBay, which I really like a lot. High quality, light weight anodized aluminum and very reasonably priced. Excellent form fit also. It lives in my small (Artist & Artisan) bag and does not need a hex tool to attach it to the camera. It is just a bottom plate, so I need to tilt the tripod head when I shoot portrait, but I can live with that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted November 8, 2012 Share #13 Posted November 8, 2012 BTW, RRS has a similar integrated plate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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