Really Right Stuff L plate for Sony Alpha 900

[aformaphoto]

Very interesting site, Frank, many thanks for this suggestion.
Antonio

[hotwire]

So I'm probably resurrecting a thread from the dead, but I'm working on an L-bracket setup for my cameras (a900 w/ Grip, a700 w/ Grip, Maxxum 9 w/ Grip).

For the two sony bodies, I'm ordering Acra swiss flat plates from a site in Korea (www.mestos.com), there is an ebayer dksummer that is my point of contact in English.

From California, I'm getting the acratech extended universal l-plate (the extended is not listed on their website), so while not custom for my cameras, I like the plan since I can switch the l-bracket for multiple cameras, and I only have one tripod anyway.

The problem I currently have is that Kirk made, but discontinued an arca swiss plate for the Maxxum 9 w/ VC-9 grip. According to my searches, a site in the UK, Warehouse Express apparently has it in stock (Kirk PZ-45), but will only ship to the UK, and definitely not across the pond to ye old Canada. Since I know there to be a lot of UK users on this site, can anybody help me out?

[UrsaMajor]

From California, I'm getting the acratech extended universal l-plate (the extended is not listed on their website), so while not custom for my cameras, I like the plan since I can switch the l-bracket for multiple cameras, and I only have one tripod anyway.

By chance, I went by the Acratech shop earlier this week to check how well their universal L-plate would fit my A700. I had seen some comments on the web about L-plates for the A700 from other companies having interference problems with the connections on the side of the A700, and I was not enthusiastic about the design of some of the other universal L-plates. (For example, the Kirk L-plate is made in two pieces that are joined by two relatively small screws in an area that would potentially carry high torques.)

I found that the Acratech L-plate fit well, and that the design allows the position of the plate to be infinitely adjustable from side to side over a broad range. Accordingly, even if the portion of the plate that parallels the side of the camera were to conflict with one of the connections on some make or model of camera, the L-plate could be slid to the left to open up a large gap between it and the camera, allowing access to all of the camera's plugs. Also, rather than using a screw directly into the camera's tripod mount, the L-plate incorporates an Arca-Swiss compatible clamp. This allows multiple cameras to quickly and easily use the same L-plate if each camera is equipped with an Arca-Swiss compatible plate. (For me, this means that I can also use my KM-7D without even taking the L-plate off of my tripod.)

On a somewhat different subject, I found the owner of AcraTech to be quite willing to answer questions and also very pleasant and helpful in general - to the point where we chatted for over an hour. He got into the business of designing and manufacturing ball heads, mounting plates, etc. by accident. He was operating a machine shop that produced parts for the aerospace industry, and was also a serious amateur photographer who liked to hike in the mountains with his camera and tripod. When he could not find a ball head that was as light as he desired and also performed to his satisfaction, he designed and manufactured one for himself. Other mountain hikers asked him where to buy that ball head, and he started making them as a sideline. The "sideline" business has grown to where the entire production of his 12-man shop is now related to camera equipment - which does not surprise me since I have been quite impressed by the design and manufacturing quality of the Acratech ball heads and other hardware.

During the conversation, I asked about the lack of availability of Acratech mounting plates, etc. designed to fit the Alpha cameras, given the large selection available for other makes such as Pentax and Olympus that have an even smaller market share than Sony. His response was that other manufacturers have been very, very cooperative and willing to loan cameras to him to measure them to allow custom fitting plates to the bodies of each model, but that dealing with Sony is like talking to a brick wall - he is ignored.

He said that some of the photographers who are part of the Sony "Artisans" program use his ball heads, have asked him to make plates for their A900s, and have given him contact info within Sony management- but that all of his attempts to get Sony to loan him an A900 for a week or so have been met with total silence from Sony. He has not received enough inquiries from the general public for Alpha plates that he felt he could justify buying any of the cameras to develop custom plates in hopes of selling enough plates to recover his initial outlay. I offered the loan of my A700, but a camera that is already out of production looked like a questionable business decision to him.

In case it is of interest, Acratech has a web site at:

http://acratech.net.

I find it interesting that they have taken the approach of using on-line videos as the manuals for all of their hardware.


With best wishes,
- Tom -

[hotwire]

Thanks for the positive mention of Acratech, Tom, makes me feel a little better about the purchase since this was essentially bought sight unseen.

When I was on the phone with them, they had mentioned that someone had come to to their shop to try the L-bracket with a Sony body, but the lady on the phone did not know which one.

I have a thread on dyxum documenting a lot of my research into the l-brackets, and now the plates. For your interest, the link to my findings of arca swiss body plates is here: http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic60937_ ... tml#695040

For what it's worth, I'll be talking to the local Sony Canada reps in a few weeks when I get a chance.

[UrsaMajor]

Thanks for the positive mention of Acratech, Tom, makes me feel a little better about the purchase since this was essentially bought sight unseen.

When I was on the phone with them, they had mentioned that someone had come to to their shop to try the L-bracket with a Sony body, but the lady on the phone did not know which one.

I suspect that the reason she knew it was a Sony is that I had placed my camera on a table while chatting with the owner, and she had to move it to have space to package a ball head for shipment. Acratech does not waste a square meter of space inside their building.

On the chance that it will clarify the design of the Acratech universal L-plate, I'll attach some images of the L-plate that I bought from them. The first two photos show the L-plate with the Arca-Swiss compatible clamp installed at about the middle of the open space on the bottom rail of the plate. As you can see, the rail is held between the Arca-Swiss compatible clamp on the top and a metal wedge on the bottom that fits into a groove. What you cannot see are the anti-rotation pins on the bottom of the clamp, which fix its position relative to the L-plate. Once the Arca-Swiss plate on the camera is inserted into the clamp on the L-plate and the clamp tightened, the camera's orientation relative to the L-plate is locked.

The third image shows the L-plate and my A700 installed on my tripod in portrait orientation. As you can see, with the L-plate's clamp in the location shown in the first two photos, there is a noticeable gap between the camera and the L-plate. If the opening in the side rail of the L-plate did not line up properly with one or more of the plugs on the side of some particular camera make or model, the plate can be adjusted to open up a gap that would still permit connection to the plug(s). Alternatively, the L-plate's clamp can be adjusted to move the plate's side rail up against the camera, or to open up an even larger gap, if needed. I made a very casual measurement of the maximum possible gap that could be obtained on my A700, and estimate that the gap might be adjustable to approximately 4 cm. Obviously, that value might be smaller or larger on some other camera make or model.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[WaltKnapp]

They are a bit of a cult accessory. You still have buy a very expensive Arca Swiss head, and if my Arca Swiss ballhead (almost $500) is anything to go by, they are not long-lived when used with heavy equipment. I usually work with a pan and tilt head giving more than 90 degrees of flip (vital, many cheap ones do not) as this enables very quick portrait/landscape orientation switches when equal alignment (axial) is not needed - as for most distant subjects.

I've used the Saunders system and the Justrite rotator in the distant past. One benefit is that if you buy this, it fits your A700, A900, A100 or KM7D or Nikon D300 or whatever - it is not camera specific, almost generic within each range A or B fit.

David

I have the RRS L plate for the a700, but don't like how bulky it makes the camera so only use it when a lot of switching orientation is in the offing. I normally use a small Markins dovetail plate on my a700s. That provides a anchor for the wrist strap and two orientations 90 degrees apart for the dovetail system.

I suppose the slight offset in balance with a small lens on a regular head might torque a light tripod too much, but if your tripod is capable of handling a long lens it's probably not going to notice that torque.

RRS does make a camera rotator system as well. Kind of pricy, but looks much more optimum than a L plate. It handles both camera and flash rotation, can double as a dual flash mount for macro and lots of other uses. Look for the CRD-87

Walt

[hotwire]

Well, I got the L-plate in the mail today. Still waiting on my camera plates, so I can't even use it yet.

Decision decisions on a new ballhead to replace the Manfrotto 488RC2...

[hotwire]

I have posted a review of the Acratech Extended Universal L Bracket at dyxum: http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic62685_ ... tml#698712

[UrsaMajor]

I have posted a review of the Acratech Extended Universal L Bracket at dyxum: http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic62685_ ... tml#698712

Thanks for the write-up. Overall I think that you did a nice job with your review, especially in describing what you are looking for when buying such a product.

I do have one suggestion, however. Although you do address the issue elsewhere, the photos of the interference of the bracket with the remote release may give the casual reader the impression that this interference cannot be avoided. Personally, I would have included an additional photo showing how the interference goes away if you adjust the L-plate to provide a larger gap.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[hotwire]

Tom,

I've updated the image captions to indicate minimum spacing required for the wired remote release.

[Lonnie Utah]

Much simpler solution. Control each axis of rotation independently.....



Ballheads are nice and speedy, but that speed comes with a price...

[WaltKnapp]

Ballheads are nice and speedy, but that speed comes with a price...

And when folks all switch to video with their DSLRs the ball heads will be much more of a problem.

Walt

[Lonnie Utah]

Ballheads are nice and speedy, but that speed comes with a price...

And when folks all switch to video with their DSLRs the ball heads will be much more of a problem.

That is a good problem to have...







...if you are a manufacturer of tripod heads!