Really Not so much Right Stuff - Lecia M9 / M8 Base Plate (BM9-B)

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Last weekend I decided to order RRS's Lecia M9/M8 base plate (Model # BM9-B) to allow for my M's to mount on arca swiss mount and Tripod.

Well, to make a long story shore, I like the build of the plate. For a $165 including shipping, it should be a good product... right.


The base plat has 7 machined holes for "accessories". For those of us who do not order the accessories, you will see 7 3.5 mm metic holes exposing your batter /memory compartment.

The plate ships with 7 cheese rubber fillers that you have to insert into the holes and cut.

The problem is it is nearly impossible to cut them flush. If they are not flush, the door will note close.

After a day of fiddling with the product, I called the customer service line (888-777-5557) to let them know that I was so disappointed. The man on the line was distant and not very cordial. He basically gave me the size of the screw I would need and I was on my own to find it on the internet.

Well, I found a vendor that would supplies these screws at a cost of $0.01 a screw. That would be a wapping $2.15 with shipping.

Now really... Really Right Stuff, Could you not afford to pickup 7 additional screws and ship it with the darn Leica plate or even offed to purchase it for me? If you like you can contact me on my email address [email protected]. BTW-- the last time I counted I have ~$2K of you gear in my studio.

Word to the Wise.... Don't order this base plate until Really Right Stuff starts including screws to seal the holes properly.

 

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Hear is RRS's Reply!

WOW!

David,

We do not have screws for sale to plug those holes without mounting the
L-component or the Grip to the body - they would be too long without the
extra components in place. The threads should be M3-0.5 size, but the
screws we have are 5mm threads and are thus too long for such use.

If you have any further questions please let me know.


Jim
_________

Really Right Stuff, LLC
205 Higuera St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 USA

Toll free from the US and Canada - 888.777.5557
Phone - 805.528.6321
Fax - 805.528.7964

ReallyRightStuff.com

 

[Terry]

Return the product.

Honestly, they make a lot of good stuff but I got turned off when I got an L bracket for a Panasonic GF1 and I could not use the L-bracket properly with the cable release (the door when open protruded out from the bracket and would get smashed in the clamp). If I was using the thing on a tripod the cable release was integral to that process. I really got an unsatisfactory answer just about like yours. I've pretty much switched to using all Arca Swiss plates.

 

[Photojazz]

Thanks for the info, you know I first went to RRS wondering about a bracket for the M9 about a week ago, however, knowing it will be an occasional tri-pod camera for me, I went there out of curiosity as much as anything. I already have a universal bottom mount I can use. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed they wanted to replace the whole Leica bottom plate. I was thinking I'd be hesitant to do this. I wasn't sure about the grip or L, but if I got it, I would probably get both anyway. But it is difficult to cost justify replacing a factory part. In a sense it would be ok, you could use both plates. Uncaring customer service is a turn off though.

You might check Kirk out. No M9 product listed, to bad. They mention a L plate for M8, custom, but I don't see a thing about it other than that. They do have a M8 base plate, I guess still works on M9, but I can't say for sure.

 

[JohnW]

I didn't find inserting the rubber seals to be a challenge at all. The ones that can be easily reached I cut with nail clippers, and the others with a single-edge razor blade. Pretty simple.

I agree screws would be nice and should be supplied. But I could not disagree more with zoomstop's boycott recommendation. It is an extremely well-made component -- way better than Leica's base plate. I use it with an RRS ballhead, and it's a dream combo, in my view.

 

[weinschela]

I didn't find inserting the rubber seals to be a challenge at all. The ones that can be easily reached I cut with nail clippers, and the others with a single-edge razor blade. Pretty simple.

I agree screws would be nice and should be supplied. But I could not disagree more with zoomstop's boycott recommendation. It is an extremely well-made component -- way better than Leica's base plate. I use it with an RRS ballhead, and it's a dream combo, in my view.

+1. I had no trouble with a single edge razor, and I use the bottom plate plus grip on a M9 and a M8.

 

[Steve Fines]

Interesting discussion.

In the last California election RRS publicly donated a lot of money to what I felt was the wrong side of the Prop 8 issue.

I am glad to live in a country where they can do that. I fully support their right to donate to whatever causes they choose.

But I can also vote with my wallet, and because of their stand on this issue I'm done with RRS stuff. Too bad as, seemingly except for the M9 plate, they make good stuff.

Necessity now being the mother of invention, I'm going to figure out how I can fashion a better L plate for my M9.

 

[GrahamWelland]

My experience with RRS has been nothing but excellent, professional and customer focussed.

I was one of the earliest recipients of the M9 plate & L bracket and quickly found that the plate was slightly too tight for the M9. They immediately handled the issue and redesigned the plate based on the collective feedback from M9 users and offered to replace my plate - as you'd rightly expect. I subsequently sold my M9 and so didn't take up their offer. After having bought back my M9 (That sounds familiar doesn't it Steve? :ROTFL, I called them and they graciously still offered to replace my plate for free even after 7 months or so. That's the type of service that keeps me a loyal customer ...

 

[Jan Brittenson]

The grip and plate is excellent, and I often like to keep them on when shooting since they greatly improve my ability to hand hold the camera. I just unscrew the side plate and put it in my bag. I have a little ziplock baggie for the screws so they don't get lost, and I don't bother using the rubber inserts. Shooting vertical I find I can steady it by holding the plate with my left hand.

Thanks for bringing up their prop 8 support. This is probably my last RRS product.

 

[Terry]

Interesting. My GF1 was the prototype for the L bracket. When I received it and found that using it with a cable release on a tripod (the intended reason for buying the bracket) would smash the hinged door I reported the problem. The answer was "we are not redesigning it (we were only talking about 1-2mm) I should mount the bracket at the very edge of your clamp". That solution was pretty dumb as you then had a very small amount of the bracket in your clamp.

That was my last purchase. Off to look up their prop 8 stance.

 

[TimWright]

I have bought a number of items from them and all were excellent. I pre-ordered the M9 plate and received it when it started shipping. It fit my M9 perfectly so did not need to return it. Months later I found it did not fit a 2nd M9 so called them. They told me to ship it back and they would send out a replacement unit right away, all I had to pay was shipping. I received the replacement a couple of days later it was perfect. Almost a month later I received a phone call from them apologizing for having charged me shipping. They explained it was a mistake on their part and that they picked up shipping (both ways) and wanted to know the amount I had paid to ship the old one to them. I had never complained or even mentioned the shipping charges, I was just happy they were willing to exchange the plate. I will not hesitate to purchase from them again.

 

[D&A]

Interesting, we all have our "customer service" stories and how they reflect on future purchases made. Some companies don't get it, that product alone doesn't make a company nor repeat business.

Onto RRS and a comparison to one of their largest competitors. I've found RRS very responsive and generally flexable enough to respond to some changes/requests....like a particular shipping method for a very tiny, inexpensive part being simply put in an envelope, rather than charging exhorbitant shipping charges. For this alone I commend them. In contrast, a number of years ago while also ordering a very small repalcement part from one of their chief competitors, they (RRS's competitor) not only charged me $34.00 for shipping, for a tiny inexpensive part that could easily go into some sort of small envelope for a fraction of the cost...but when I called back within 10 minutes (early in their business day) and got the same part owner of the company on the phone to add another inexpensive small part to the order and to please stick it in the same parcel, they replied that they sealed the box up already and they wouldn't be opening it, so it will be another $34.00 for shipping. Absolutely no flexibilty on their part..and it wasn't a case of the 1st parcel in a different location or it's already gone..just shear lazyness and a unwillingness to be flexable (and greedy too).

I guess their inflexability (RRS competitor) didn't surprise me since up to that time, I would find simple phone inquires regarding some custom made to order products they advertised was met with basically "you want to order it now?" as opposed to 1st responding to some basic questions about their product...and this response was from one in the company who had more information regarding their products and design than anyone.

Clearly they lost 95% of my by business (to others over the years), unless they are the only ones who make a particular item that I need. Like many expressed, I voted with my wallet. Word of mouth also spreads quickly. As a postcript, I've heard similar complaints about how this company has also been stubborn/costly from others, although no doubt when its simply to order an item from them and nothing else, there is little to complain about except for their often over the top shipping charges (at least at that time they were). This is not a reflection of the quality of their items but customer service, which I find is a big part ot the equation when making purchases.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Godfrey]

I've personally never had any problems with RRS products and the quality of what I've bought from them has been excellent.

I don't like the owner's politics (evidenced by the Prop 8 supporters listing) so I don't buy from them much any more. Since I learned about that in 2008, I've bought from them only when they are the sole supplier of a particular thing I need (like the L-bracket for the E-5). All of my other RRS clamp and plate purchases pre-date that.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Interesting. My GF1 was the prototype for the L bracket. When I received it and found that using it with a cable release on a tripod (the intended reason for buying the bracket) would smash the hinged door I reported the problem. The answer was "we are not redesigning it (we were only talking about 1-2mm) I should mount the bracket at the very edge of your clamp". That solution was pretty dumb as you then had a very small amount of the bracket in your clamp.

That was my last purchase.

Interesting and a little surprising from RRS. I agree with you that you'd think that they'd be somewhat more flexible than this given the intended use for the L bracket.

Well, the good news is that RRS don't have a monopoly on fitted brackets, heads and plates. There are plenty of other vendors of Arca compatible gear and really the only thing that they sell that locks you in to RRS gear are their QR lever clamps.