L PLates For GF1--Who Has One?

[CPWarner]

I emailed along with someone else at DPReview. I also sent the link to a thread about the problem. Finally, I spoke to them on the phone. My GF1 was used as the model for the sample. Not very helpful on any resolution other than only attach the dovetail at the very end. Rationale being it is a small and light camera and even just a small portion of the plate being locked into the bracket would be fine. Bad answer. Not sure what they are thinking.

Well, I tried that and it is not possible. There is no way to grip it at all. It is simply unusable with the remote release as is.

I guess they figure everyone is using it with the 2 or 10 second timer and not the remote release? It seems that this is a consequence of the design with double sets of dovetails on both the horizontal and vertical dovetails. Since they are squares, there is no extra length to grab onto. The door is longer than the dovetail region.

There is one solution, and I am a bit surprised that they have not implemented this. They should provide a slot in the hole for the mounting bolt. They have done this in the past, My RRS L-bracket for my Canon 1Dsmk2 has this. If you use a remote release you slide the bracket out from the body so the rubber plugs for the remote release connector have space to move asside. If you do not use the remote release, one could set it up so that it was tighter to the camera side. I leave it in the out position and it works fine. The advantage is that the customer can decide. There should be enough material near the mounting bolt, even with the cutouts they have in that region, to make an adequate slot. The slot would only have to be 1/16" to 3/32" long to allow the bracket to slide enough away from the side of the camera to move the dovetail further out than the door. I would make it 1/8" to be sure. This should not cause any issues with the bracket rotating with respect to the camera because that is controlled with the lips on the front and back edges where it attaches to the base of the GF1. I would think they could modify the existing ones. If they won't, I guess I will modify mine. It would be best done with a milling machine.

I will take and post some photos of the bracket for my 1Dsmk2 and the one for the GF1 to show what I mean tomorrow night.

 

[DHart]

I guess they figure everyone is using it with the 2 or 10 second timer and not the remote release?

They failed to make note that the self-timer, though useable, is a clumsy and limited substitute for a remote release.

And for those who choose to use the AEB function on the GF1 (my primary technique with this camera when it's on a tripod), use of the timer is not possible - a remote release is REQUIRED.

Due to the design of the GF1, unfortunately, you can use the self-timer or the AEB function, but not both at the same time.

 

[Diane B]

I just got my Cactus wireless remote (which I iike a lot--always used a wired one with Canon setup) and tried it with both bodies on tripod with vertical composition. First of all, I rarely feel the need to use an L to move from horizontal to vertical for same subject/FL/comp., etc. I usually start out with how I want to shoot the subject by trying a number of compositions handheld beforehand--and even though I may try a number of shots on tripod--the L allowing me to just move from hor. to ver. isn't that big a deal for me--I just recompose, refocus, etc.

What is/was a big deal for me--is that I've always hated using the flip over the side of the tripod with a big heavy camera and thus had L's for all my cameras. Well--got a pleasant surprise (I don't think I shot hardly any--IF any--verticals with the G on tripod this past year)--the 'flip over side of tripod' works just really easily with the m4/3rds and the remote. I tried the G1 and the GF1 and was happy enough with both--and having a flat plate as opposed to an L means that much less weight, size, etc. to deal with on the bodies. So---NO L for me in the future. I don't think it will ever be that much of a 'wish for' even in the future. I was just stuck in the past LOL where I always used an L because it was easier, made sense--even made handling the 5D and some other larger bodies even easier for me.

I haven't thought this through thoroughly, so take what I say here with that proverbial grain, but....with my Canon setup I sometimes liked to do a 2 over 2 or 3 over 3 pano with my TS lens--using it vertically. I just quickly tried to think and work that through and try it--but its just not possible that I see with my focusing rail. Now--whether I would even try it with the m4/3rds is another thing to consider LOL--but that's one place an L is needed.

Diane

 

[CPWarner]

So here is my idea: On my 1Dsmk2, the mounting screw goes through a slot:

Once mounted one can shift it so the vertical portion is close to the camera:

Or one can shift the other way and move the vertical portion away from the camera body:

So with the GF1 bracket, I do not see why the threaded hole where the mounting bolt goes through could not be slotted as demonstrated through editing tools here:

That should provide enough movement so that the dovetail extends past the door and remote release plug.

Cliff

 

[DHart]

Cliff... judging from your physical sample of the BGF1-L, does it look like this modification would be a fairly easy do-it-yourself mod? Would the offset be enough to allow the port door to open fully and allow exit of a remote release cord? (I keep wanting to call it a "cable" release... old habits die hard!)

 

[CPWarner]

Well, the slot would need to be between 2.5 and 3.0 mm in length to get things to clear. That should leave most of the screw head tightening on the thicker portion of the plate. The milled slot next to it would be a problem if one had to make it any longer.

The question of whether this is a DIY, depends on how nice you want it to look. Doing this with a drill would be tough as you need to keep the slot parallel to the front and back of the L-bracket so it can slide back and forth. I would be concerned that one might bugger it up pretty bad. I have access to a machine shop, so if RRS won't do it, I will. I would use a vertical milling machine with a 3/16" milling bit to machine the slot. 3/16" will give enough clearance to the non-threaded portion of the tightening screw.

I am going to call RRS on Monday and see if they would consider fixing their design and retrofitting the plates for those who already purchased them. If they balk, I may just retrofit mine.

Cliff

 

[DHart]

Great information, Cliff... thank you for your efforts. As you say, it should be very easy for a decent machine shop to do this in a jiffy.

 

[CPWarner]

Yes, it should not be too much of a problem. I just got off the phone with RRS. They are not willing to modify existing plates. They did offer to take mine back since it is within the return period and mine has no marks, but I am going to go into the shop and modify it myself. I do not feel like waiting.

 

[DHart]

I am going to go into the shop and modify it myself.

Sounds like an excellent plan! Please share your success with it with us. Looking forward to it.

 

[httivals]

I use the universal Acratech L plate with the G1, and yes it allows you to tilt the screen however you want, and of course allows room for a cable release. It's quite nice, albeit a bit expensive, and a bit bulky. But it's convenient. How many times do you really need the "L" plate -- not all that often, in my experience.

Likely my solution also, but look over in the thread started by Jonas about tripod, head, strap, etc. Godfrey has given a link to a universal L--and I've asked the question if one needs to use a plate and then clamp the L to that plate--for the times one needs/wants an L. I'm not sure if that will be something I will do--but it may allow for room for the cable release (important to me also) and maybe even the tilt screen on the G1--or not LOL.

Diane

 

[CPWarner]

I use the universal Acratech L plate with the G1, and yes it allows you to tilt the screen however you want, and of course allows room for a cable release. It's quite nice, albeit a bit expensive, and a bit bulky. But it's convenient. How many times do you really need the "L" plate -- not all that often, in my experience.

That would depend on what you like to photograph and how much you use a tripod. My main focus is on nature photography, so I am on the tripod a lot. I find it to be very useful and use it a lot. I also like to work with the camera in the vertical position for doing panos. For that you do not want to be in the drop. Any way, I am fixing my RRS L-plate tomorrow.

 

[CPWarner]

So I used the milling machine in the machine shop over lunch today and fixed my RRS L-plate for the GF1. It took a total of 15 minutes, mostly because I took my time to find the center of the bolt hole. It now works perfectly. I ended up machining a slot 3.2mm long by 5mm wide (used a 3/16" end mill bit and shifted it for and aft to widen the slot to clear the shaft of the screw.

Photo of the plate with screw out showing the slot now machine in the mounting bolt hole.

Here is the bracket as shipped showing the door for the remote release sticking out.

Now with the bracket slid out from the body in the new slot, the door no longer sticks out:

Two more comparisons with the remote release cord in:

So, not too hard to do with the right equipment.

Cliff

 

[DHart]

Cliff... awesome work, my friend. Congrats on the success of your new set-up and thanks for sharing it.