L-Bracket

[Alex Maxim]

Hi,
I am trying to choose between Kirk and RRS L-brackets.

http://www.kirkphoto.com/L-Bracket_for_H3.html
http://reallyrightstuff.com/RRS/Itemdesc.asp?ic=BH1%2DL&eq=&Tp=

Did you guys have experience with both of them? I am interested in L-bracket + quick release clamp combination.
Are they equally good or one is superior to the other?

I know Derek you use RRS. Did you try the one from Kirk?

As I see from the pictures a camera is always centered with Kirk L-bracket and RRS has its rails across which means that you have to center the camera before clamping down?

Also which ball head would you prefer BH-1, BH-3 from Kirk or BH-40, BH-55 from RRS?
http://www.kirkphoto.com/BH-1_Ball_Head.html
http://www.kirkphoto.com/BH-3_Ball_Head.html
http://reallyrightstuff.com/RRS/Itemdesc.asp?ic=BH%2D40&eq=&Tp=
http://reallyrightstuff.com/RRS/Itemdesc.asp?ic=BH%2D55&eq=&Tp=

Thank you!
Alex

[Alex Maxim]

Hi Derek,
thanks for the reply. I think I'll go with RRS.

[Dustbak]

You cannot go wrong with RRS IMO. I have one permanently mounted on one of my bodies. I also use the screw clamp and not the lever clamp. There are advantages and disadvantages in both, in the end I still preferred the screw clamp.

[Alex Maxim]

Thanks for the reply. I ordered the one with a lever.
After considering all the point I decided it's equally safe and probably a little quicker than a screw.
Will see.

[pchong]

the screw quick release is better if you have plates made by different manufacturers (like me)...as they are all slightly different. The lever quick release is ok if you only use one manufacturer's plate.

[MW]

The RRS L and clamp for H3 is great for most applications but does not allow full rotation of the HTS 1.5
I'm looking into a potentiality smaller RRS plate to resolve this issue.

[Dustbak]

I use the spacer block supplied with the HTS combined with a regular RRS plate to take care of that.

The thing mentioned by Pchong is exactly why I have chosen for the screw clamp as well.

[TimH]

One problem with the RRS L-bracket (haven't tried the Kirk so I don't know about theirs) is that it won't work with the Hasselblad GPS unit without some modification.  At least when I bought mine a couple of years ago.   It takes a wee bit of after-market modification with a steel file then fits neatly around the GPS on the second notch--offset the way Derek describes....and yes, it provides a great left-handle for all kinds of purposes.