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Really Right Stuff L Bracket


rramesh

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Would like some feedback from those using it on the M10 or M10-P.

Understand that it replaces the standard base plate.

Is it heavy or bulky? Does it cause any usage interference? Would it be difficult to replace battery or SD Card?

Would it be more useful than a simple ARCA type plate which is much cheaper?

Edited by rramesh
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I have the RRS grip and L bracket for the M10, it weighs just under 160 gms, no interference when using the camera, good to have for tripod work and I find it no more difficult when replacing the battery or SD card than the normal base plate is.  It's not something I use everyday, but when I know I'm going to be using a tripod, and sometimes with heavier lenses, like the Noctilux.

 

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I have had various dedicated RRS plates over the years (for the M240 and now SL2 ....and also for my Mamiya 7, Sigma DP Merrill and Leica M7!) but do not have an M10. With that caveat, I never weighed the difference between the M240 camera’s base plate and the RRS. I expect the latter’s L bracket added some weight, but it was more than offset for me at least by knowing the camera was super solid without any way to twist on the tripod plate due RRS’ precise design and machining, such that the bracket “cradles”’ the camera. I prefer to only have the L bracket mounted on camera when I know I’m using a tripod, but it didn’t particularly get in the way either when doing handheld shots.

 

Edited by Jon Warwick
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I had the RRS L-plate for my Leica M (typ240). When I traded the camera in for a Leica M10, I had to sell the plate for practically nothing. It could not be used with the M10, because the base plates were of different sizes.

I never really needed it. I never used the verticale part of it. All I needed was a Arca Swiss type plate.  I could manage the vertical shots by adjusting the ball head.

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I have owned a number of RRS plates for various cameras  and all have been of the highest quality, but obviously they are only useful when using a tripod.  If you use heavy lenses and chose to support the body rather than the lens (I don't) the anti-twist properties are very useful.  They are also around 5 - 10 times the cost of a cheap eBay Chinese L plate that under light duty conditions works just as well.

One of the major positive characteristics of the M10 is the physical size having been reduced from the M240 so that it more close fits the hand like the older film Leica's.  Also the rounded ends of the body fit the hand nicely.  Adding an RRS plate with an integrated L bracket and an Area Swiss rail on the bottom, in my view, pretty much negates this advantage.

My suggestion is that you slap pretty much any old cheap L plate on the camera and shoot held with it exclusively for a few days and see if you can live with the increased bulk and various protrusions.  If you're on a tripod al the time it may not matter, but if you shoot hand held and leave the plate on the camera it may not be much fun.

Regarding battery/SD card changes, as the plate attaches with the tripod socket screw the baseplate removal process is a bit different.

I strongly suspect you will be removing it when you are not using a tripod, so if you are going to have an expensive accessory only used occasionally you might wish to consider that.  My WAG is that unless you spend a lot of time shooting portrait mode on a tripod you would be better served by a cheap Swiss Area comparable plate for a couple of bucks.

Edited by Good To Be Retired
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I swap back and forth as required. It's trivial to change between the factory plate and the RRS and with the RRS easy to access the battery and card. Adding and removing a standard plate each time you want to remove the battery is a total PITA.

I also love the QD mount in the RRS plate. I dislike straps on the M10, except occasionally a wrist strap. But the QD mount and a sling strap is much nicer for me.

At the moment my RRS plate is on my M10R and I keep the L plate part in the bag for when it's needed and a normal plate on the M10M.

Gordon

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I like the system. If you are going to use a tripod at all, it’s frankly easier to swap baseplates than adding a smaller twistable plate which has to be removed before you remove the original base plate to get at the card or battery. It is high quality. But yes it adds weight. It’s not something you would leave on the camera for walking around even though I bought it with the hand grip. I bought the base with the L and the hand grip. Given my usage, I could have skipped the handgrip and the L. But I leave them assembled because I know if I disassembled them I would lose the screws and parts.  My advice to you is just buy the baseplate not the L or handgrip.

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Novoflex L-Bracket MiniConnect

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by Peter Zapp
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On 12/8/2020 at 7:24 AM, rramesh said:

Is it heavy or bulky? Does it cause any usage interference? Would it be difficult to replace battery or SD Card?

Would it be more useful than a simple ARCA type plate which is much cheaper?

In response and based on my versions for the M8/9:

The RRS 'L'plate is not very heavy nor very bulky but it does increase weight and size which, on a 'small' M camera, is not ideal. Yes, it gets in the way to a certain extent because of its basic design and shape. If its like the M8/9 version its easy enough to replace battery and SD card because it operates like the ordinary baseplate.

I sold off my RRS 'L' plate/baseplates and now I use Kirk PZ-118s on my M9s - smaller, light and I've never found them to get in the way. In short they are far nicer but I have tripod heads which allow the camera to be used vertically with this plate - so check yours does, some foul on the tripod before becoming truly vertical.. I'd strongly recommend a similar plate to the PZ-118,  but any plate needs to have a lip to ensure that its anti-twist - the Novoflex in the previous response doesn't seem to have one so I'd not touch that, nor any other without an anti twist lip.

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I like the RRS plate. It replaces the base plate and it is a modular construction, so can be used without the L part or the grip. Unfortunately it's a bit pricey and can't be used on any other camera.

None of the local shops seem to have it, so will need to order online.

 

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The Sunwayfoto DPL-06R L bracket arrived today. It was a lot cheaper than the RRS which was unavailable. Works well.

Not as snug as the RRS as it has a longer L section, but it does have safety stops along the L, an anti slip base, and the L can be removed if not required.

 

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Edited by rramesh
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  • 2 weeks later...

The problem now following Brexit, is that RRS no longer ship to the UK! Does anyone have a way around this?

My RRS L-bracket has been on my M240 since I bought it new. The original camera base plate resides completely mint/unused in the delivery presentation box. Crazy as it may sound, but I'm not sure I would buy an M10-R now if I couldn't get the RRS L-bracket for it. My hands are large and the grip has been a Godsend for me, and the ability to quickly clip it on and off my tripod when out "Landscape Photographing" has also been much appreciated.

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