DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I wonder how many of us are sitting on "necessities" that haven't been touched in years!

Some day I'll get rid of them!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Boxes of them!

pgiraudin3

I have used a Stroboframe for years. It keeps the flash high above the camera, AND when you flip from portrait to landscape, the flash stays above the camera. No extra attachments are needed, and you can support most any flash. In the days, long ago, I would use PC cords, but more recently, I prefer the wireless connection from the camera to the flash.

Peterfiore Loc: Where DR goes south

You'r just not trying hard enough! Just kidding

JR69 Loc: Wolverine Michigan

I switched over to an arca swiss gimbal for my legs years ago. I recently purchased here on the hog a RRS L Bracket for my D850. Have played with it a little. With my shorter lens, where I don't have the ability to change from landscape to portrait with the lens collar. It is just another tool in the bag.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Lol, to make matters worse, a different bracket is needed depending upon whether a battery grip extension is used.

Yeah, I have two for the 850 and 500.

photoman43

I also like the protection feature. And the L bracket may allow for both vertical and horizontal images where the center of interest remains in the same place on the sensor. For some photo applications, this is a major benefit. Without a L bracket, if you shit to vertical using a ball head the orientation changes.

Some L brackets offer ports for mounting camera straps, like those with QD attachment points. Here is a link to the L bracket plate kit for the Nikon Z9. The QD port is on the camera base plate.

https://reallyrightstuff.com/nikon-z9-modular-plates/

Deecee

I own the ball head made by Really Right Stuff paired with their L bracket. Pretty expensive set up but worth every penny.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I believe the difference between rotating the tripod head vs using an "L" bracket is when the head is rotated (or flipped) it places the camera on the tripod as an overhung load which may cause the tripod to be less stable.

When using an "L" bracket, the camera stays over the center of the tripod making the load more stable and evenly distributed. I'm just a mechanical-minded guy and I have no dog in this fight for I seldom use a tripod and I do not own an "L" bracket.

hcmcdole

I am wholeheartedly with you on this. I have a Gitzo tripod and Gitzo monopod with RRS ball head and monopod head as well. I bought the RRS L brackets for my Canon 40D and then the 7D with grip (cha-ching, cha-ching), and their 100-400 lens foot bracket. When I got an 80D to replace my fried motherboard 7D, I decided to go with the Sunwayfoto L-bracket for a whole lot less money. When I got my R5, I bought the same vendor's L-bracket for the camera (fits nicely). I bought Neewer foot brackets for my 2 RF long zoom lens and the 800mm. L-brackets and lens plates are just pieces of machined metal that fit nicely with the RRS heads for a lot less $$$ than RRS. I keep my L-brackets on the camera all the time as they aren't that heavy and have mounting threads for other gear such as Black Rapid straps and Cotton Carrier CCS hub. I must remove the hub to use the L-bracket on a tripod though - so the hex key stays inside my bag when I plan on using a tripod. Ah, the joys of photography.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Just flipping the head changes the perspective slightly and throws the center of gravity OFF - which puts a strain on the head. This is of little consequence with small/light weight camera/lenses. But as weight increases, this becomes a serious problem.
Shooting in vertical orientation/composition can enable a more dynamic 3-dimensional near/far relationship - IF - done properly !
.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

"Overhung" or "hungover" - both cause instability.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

If it isn't broke, why change it?

cmc4214 Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania

For a $4000 camera?

MJPerini

L- brackets are a personal choice, and their utility depends on the kind of photography you do and personal preference. They only work in Arca Swiss compatible clamps ,and good L-brackets are expensive and add weight.
So if you are using a manfrotto system and are happy with it, and don't see any particular advantage in using one, it really makes no sense to buy or use one.
I use a RRS L bracket on every camera, and absolutely love them. But they are not all created equal. The RRS brackets (and possibly some others) never block a battery door, or any of the ports on the camera, mine also have cable management for shooting tethered as well s on bracket allen key storage. The best ones are able to keep the camera centered on the optical axis in both vertical & horizontal. They increase the stability of your tripod by always keeping the load centered over the Apex of the tripod. I shoot panos often and they integrate with nodal slides, and multi-row panorama clamps. Arca Swiss spec plates and clamps had two innovations that often do not get mentioned, they are anti rotation by design,( because plates and brackets are contoured to a specific body) and Arca did away with any rubber padding on the plates & clamps which offers zero play when locked in.
But, setting up all my cameras, tripods, nodal slides, & multi row bracket was quite expensive, and adds some bulk/weight. I mostly do not use a camera shoulder/neck strap, but a tight leather hand strap, and use a tripod 50-60% of the time. If I shot mostly hand held, the L-Brackets would be less important to me.
I am not one to recommend them to everyone, because unless you see it and immediately think about the benefits they bring, you are probably not going to be happy replacing a bunch of stuff just to use an L bracket.