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Leica M8 QR plate

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Just curious what you guys use for a QR plate on the M8, if you use one at all? Just a generic small one? Or none? (I'm thinking Arca style dovetail, does anyone use anything else anymore? :))
 

carstenw

Active member
I have the tiny square RRS B9 E, two copies, one of which lives on my Bellows II, which lives on my Visoflex III. The other one I have in my bag with a hex key. It works with all the usual ballheads with quick-release clamps.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
I also use the small RRS plate but in addition have the RRS generic L plate. Once in place either provides a good solution. I used to keep the small one on a handgrip plate but I now have a Luigi case with his stainless screw so its inconvenient. The L plate would be my choice if I was doing a lot of tripod work..but its not perfect like the solutions for Canon bodies.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I use the RRS plates also but on one body I use the BP-Cs which has a loop at the end so i attached a hand strap to that. The other body has a generic plate that not sure of the number though. I should switch it now for the M8 plate though which is smaller. Both plates are on the camera all the time. I like the RRS plates the best since when holding it is smooth and does not cut into your hands basically smoother corners than the Kirk plates. I may get a L plate at some point for stitching with verticals, just need to find the right one





http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/items.asp?Cc=BodyLeicaR7&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I had the small, square generic plate but now use the BPCs. It fits almost like it's custom for the camera and I find the wider size lets the camera sit more balanced when set down, plus they add more protection to the base. The "s" at the end means it has that strap loop which makes it the choice if you want to mount a hand-strap to your M8.

However, I also want an L bracket on occasion, so I mount the RRS generic L bracket on one of the standard baseplates so I can do a quick-swap to an L bracket if I feel the need. :D

Cheers,
 

woodyspedden

New member
I use the Cam Adapter wrist strap which is quite wide and gives a lot of stability for the M8. On the other end of the wrist strap is an Arca Swiss plate which is great for QR. Jim Caravuso is mr. camadapter so look to him for the specifics. Link is www.camdapter.com

Woody Spedden
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Good thing I asked, almost got the Kirk one. But I like the possibility of a hand strap, so ended up buying the RRS BP-Cs. I also liked that it only has one flange instead of two. My Mamiya 7 plate from Kirk has two flanges as well, and it definitely makes the camera feel a little fatter when handheld.

It's pretty neat that one can have multiple base plates with different QR plates! I can use my regular plate with a Luigi half case, or the handle plate with a QR adapter, that's really nice.

Please post your impressions if you do try an L bracket with the M8...
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I have two bodies that I have fitted with the Artisan and Artist wrist straps.
On one of the base plates, I have attached semi permanently, a RRS generic L bracket. The other body is fitted with a grip.
One is black and one is silver, so I almost never coordinate :)
The mix and match capability helps a lot.
Silver body has a magnifier, so it tends to have the longer lenses mounted, black body tends to have wider lenses.
-bob
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Please post your impressions if you do try an L bracket with the M8...
Jan, per above I wrote:

>>However, I also want an L bracket on occasion, so I mount the RRS generic L bracket on one of the standard baseplates so I can do a quick-swap to an L bracket if I feel the need. <<

The RRS generic L bracket fits almost as though it was custom made for the M8. The one nit is there is only a tiny bit of room for the strap to pass between the tip of the L and that side of the body. I know you're not averse to slight modifcations, so I can assure you a few passes of the inside of the L upright against a 1" sanding drum solves that issue ;)
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Actually, that is one reason that I moved from neck to wrist straps.
That way, only one of the camera lugs is used and the L plate has nothing to interfere with.
Also, the wrist straps take up less space in the bag.
-bob
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I love wrist straps . On the M8 i am using some cheapy from Sunpack and it works okay. What we need is a redesign on the handgrip that has a built in hand strap. I love the DMR strap setup
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Yeah, the DMR has an excellent hand strap... Now I really want a hand strap for the M8 too!

I'm not that big on using cameras on a tripod with a full strap dangling from it, so that part probably won't matter to me. I'll have to get the RRS multi-camera L bracket, considered it but couldn't judge the size from the pictures.

Got my BP-Cs... nice...

How do you attach a hand strap to the lug on an M8? Will a small key ring work?
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
The Artisan and Artist hand strap as well as a few others, attach via a small split ring. The A&A version is one of the few that I could manage to put on and take off without using a tool of some sort.
I leave the handstrap on both bodies all of the time. If the strap is attached to the side of the camera that features the power switch then the handstrap is clear of the RRS L plate.
The advantages that I see of this arrangement are:
1) handstrap is less clutter and easier to manage in a bag than full neck strap
2) L bracket on standard plate allows easy tripod mounting when desired
3) Accessory Grip is a good "walk-around" solution although the standard bottom plate with the L bracket attached is not too hard to get used to.
4) If you travel with two bodies, then one with grip and one with L bracket provides versatility and minimizes stuff to carry.
-bob
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
ok guys, I am a bit foggy, but why the standard plate with the "L" bracket?
Since I have a grip base, the standard M8 base doesn't get used. Since the L bracket rarely gets used and is kind of in the way for handheld M shooting -- it interferes with your left hand position when focusing -- I mount the L on the standard base so I can swap quickly between the L bracket/regular base for tripod use and the grip base for handheld use. Make more sense now?
 
S

Shootist

Guest
Jack I do the same, although I'm not using one of those L brackets or the dove tailed small QR plates and clamps.
 

gogopix

Subscriber
Since I have a grip base, the standard M8 base doesn't get used. Since the L bracket rarely gets used and is kind of in the way for handheld M shooting -- it interferes with your left hand position when focusing -- I mount the L on the standard base so I can swap quickly between the L bracket/regular base for tripod use and the grip base for handheld use. Make more sense now?
Yes, thought the reference was to the standard RRS base.

Guess I was foggier than I thought!

:)

PS I have the grip so I can do the same thing
good clue

Muchas gracias!~

Victor
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Since a picture is worth 1000 words and this is a photo forum...



Note where the wrist-strap can mount to the BPCs plate. On the L-Bracket, the gap between the camera and plate is large enough for the strap to clear, however you need the clearance so you can tilt the base/L-assembly to mount it on the M8. So unless you cut some extra clearance at the top inside of the L-bracket, mounting the base/L-assembly is fussy unless you remove the strap first. (Larger photo in my gallery if you click twice: http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=155&catid=newimages)

Cheers,
 
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