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KIRK
L-BRACKETS
Kirk
Enterprises produces high quality equipment for
the outdoor photographer and offers a wide range of
custom-made
one-piece L-brackets,
machined from light weight 6061-T6 aluminum.
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Kirk
BL-D80
bracket for the Nikon D80 |
As
mentioned before, with the L-bracket it's much easier
to work
with your ballhead while changing from a vertical into a horizontal
composition and viceversa, without compromising the stability
of the tripod with your camera. And Kirk has most models required
by Nikon and other brands SLR camera bodies, both film
and digital. We currently
carry them at the Nikonians
Proshop, including those for the D200,
D100 and D70/D70s, as well as for film bodies, available all
around the globe.
At
right,
the
BL-D2H
for Nikon D2H, D2Hs, D2X, D2Xs -> |
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Again,
yes -like BJ said- the L-brackets are somewhat expensive; depending
on camera and configuration, between US$130 and US$180. They
lift weight from your wallet, add a little of weight to your
setup and are cold hard metal instead of the nice leatherette
or rubberized working surfaces. But now that we use a tripod
for the majority of our shots, the L-bracket convenience is
more than worth the cost and the bulk. Many refuse to use a
tripod because "it slows you down". Well, not anymore
with a L-bracket on a pro ball head.
Perhaps
Nikonian Photo_Phil summarized
it better:
"I
have one on both my bodies and never take them off:
1.
Fast change from horizontal to vertical while maintaining lens
and viewfinder to
eye-level
relationship.
2. Help protect body like a truck grill guard.
3. Keep weight of lens and body over the tripod's center of
gravity.
4. Look cool and like you know what you are doing!"
Like
him, I now have one on each of my bodies.
Try them, you'll love them.
| Furthermore,
by buying them at the Nikonians Proshop you also help to
support the operations costs of the community |
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One
of many testimonials
After
receiving my Kirk L-bracket for the D2x I couldn't believe how
much easier it is to shoot vertically.
I am fairly partial to the portrait format so when shooting
with the ball head I've always had to flop it down on
its side.
Now with a heavy camera and a heavy lens such as the 28-70/F2.8
this can seriously wreck havoc with the balance. The
L-bracket
has allowed me to maintain the Center of Gravity whilst in
portrait format.
The
center of gravity (COG) becomes even more important whilst
using
a monopod. I only have Kirk QRC-2 on my monopod with no head.
The Manfrotto 234/Bogen 3232 which many people recommend
for
the monopod, although more convenient, alters the COG making
the monopod less stable.
For
anyone that still hasn't gotten a L-bracket for the D1/D2 GET
ONE NOW! Whilst supporting the NIkonian community (check out
the Nikonian proshop).
Shing
Yan Lau (Guts80) a Nikonian from Hong Kong
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