What camera plate are you using?

I have a 6D and 70D and I'd like to pickup an L bracket or plate . Which one do you use or recommend? I'd use the plate with my wide angle lenses for scenic pictures and landscapes. Prices are all over the place on eBay with the cheaper ones form China. I've looked at a few that are universal and can be used with both cameras. But my preference would be something dedicated to each camera with or without BG's attached. Thanks in advance for your comments.

I use a Manfrotto 394 Low Profile Quick Release Adapter with 410PL Plate LINK, I have three of these plates. I use these plates with a Manfrotto Ball Head mount. LINK I wanted something that was heavy enough to hold fairly heavy lenses like a Canon 100-400mm or a Sigma 150-600mm. There may be newer and better options but this works okay for me.

I prefer a dedicated AS, L bracket. I have a generic plate on my camera now, and it sometimes rotates under the body, and that is irritating. Hence my preference for a dedicated L bracket. But if a generic L bracket fits and works, that is a good option. I like the L bracket because it gives me the option to rotate the camera into portrait mode, and keep the center of gravity of the camera over the tripod.

 

I am tempted to pick up one of the generic L brackets, for when I have to rent/borrow a body.

Or when one of my students wants to work with me, as all of my tripods are setup for AS.

 

I was working with a pro who used the Bogen QR system. What was nice about that was that the clamp is opened, then when the camera inserted, it automatically trips the release and the clamp locks. So you can do it one-handed, and it locks. With the AS, I have to use 2 hands, and make sure that I have the rail inside the clamp.

+1 for the Manfrotto RC4/410PL system. Just snaps in place; much faster to use than the AS system but YMMV.

OTOH I have doubts about the Manfrotto universal L bracket system. It might work but I'd need to see/use it before making up my mind on it.

The best camera tripod plates are made and sold by Kirk and Reallyrightstuff. They are a little pricey but work with their expensive tripod ball heads, or the Arch Swiss ball heads and fit the cameras perfectly. Manfrottos are a lot cheaper and can work okay. I use both the few times I use a tripod anymore. With modern image stabilization lenses tripods are becoming superfluous with hand held being much more versatile.

It's really a number of decisions.

 

First, what connection system do you want? there are two opinions noted so far: the Arca-Swiss compatible plates and clamps, and Manfrotto's proprietary ones. I personally much prefer the AS-compatible systems because almost everything is compatible with almost everything else (with a few exceptions). Over time, I have accumulated heads and plates from quite a number of manufacturers, and they all work with each other. In fact, I spent extra money for a Hejnar conversion kit to convert my Manfrotto geared tripod head to AS-compatible. it's true that the standard clamps are slower because you screw them closed, but that has never bothered me, and for enough money, you can find some that use quick-release clamps.

 

Then, for plates, you have the question of whether you want something that is customized for the particular body. Most are not, but a few expensive ones are. Some of these are molded so that they won't rotate. I don't bother with that. I have any number of different brands of generic AS-compatible plates, and I use them interchangeably on my two different camera bodies and on the feet of tripod rings.These differ in terms of length and whether they have screwed-in stops.

 

L-brackets are another matter. My own opinion is that the L-brackets customized for the particular body are better. I have had one generic one and one Really Right stuff one, and the difference was substantial. the RRS fits like a glove. However, Kirk and RRS are very pricey.

 

But as one person wrote, YMMV.

I just thought of an issue.

Does your camera has a swiveling rear screen?

The L-bracket might prevent the screen from swiveling all the way to the left. You need to check this out for your specific camera and the L-bracket.

I had not thought of this, because my camera does not have a swiveling screen.

Now the removable vertical portion of the L-bracket makes sense, so that you can just use the bottom piece, like a plate. In which case, why by an L-bracket, just buy a plate.

 

As for L-bracket vs. plate, that depends on how and what you shoot.

I think I used the L bracket on my D70 in horizontal position 98% of the time. IOW comparatively little time in vertical position.

If I shot individual portraits, it might be very different, with much more in the vertical position, in which case the L-bracket would be more valuable.

My current camera has a generic plate, as I have not got around to buying the L-bracket. I have not yet had the occasion to want it in vertical position on a tripod, so getting a L-bracket is not of high priority.