K-3 L Plates for K3 with and without grip

RockvilleBob · 11-16-2013, 12:32 PM

I have this plate for my K-5 Amazon.com: FK5L Quick Release L-plate Bracket for Pentax K5 Arca Swiss Compatible: Camera & Photo
This fits the K-3 fine but the rubber terminal cover does not open properly, the slot in the bracket is just little to short.
I have this bracket for my K-5 with grip Mestos PD-K5HL
From what I first saw with the Silver edition the grip's battery door was not able to slide out. Unfortunately I had to exchange my camera and I am waiting for the replacement grip to arrive (the on switch had an intermittent problem - not turning on). What I remember was that the slide drawer just didn't fit and the MESTOS construction is well over-engineered. When I get the replacement grip I will use a Dremel tool to shave the Mestos so the draw can slide out.
I will update this post when I complete the work and include before and after pictures of the MESTOS L Bracket before and after trimming if the modifications are successful.

panoguy · 11-16-2013, 01:29 PM

Thanks for the info, Bob. The first link is also known as the "Fittest K-5 L-plate" on eBay, and I was looking at it for my K-3. My Mestos PD-K5 works perfectly on the K-3, but it's not an L-plate so it doesn't need to be so precise...

**interested_observer** · 11-16-2013, 02:34 PM

I am so completely sold on a custom form fitting L bracket designed and machined for the camera body, that I am almost to the point of saying - no L bracket, no camera body. I have used the Kirk L brackets for my current K5 and previous K20. They are great, light, incredibly useful, and just live on the body. .... and I do use the tripod that much.

I know that the K3 has not been out that long, but neither Kirk nor anyone else has one specifically designed for the body - that I know of. Perhaps that will change in the near future.

Now, that said - I have a Acratech plate for my K100D that also fits on my K20 as well as the K5 just fine. I have also used it on my Q (a tad large, but still very functional and works well). Right now I see no problem with this plate also fitting on the K3 (no I don't have a K3 as I am still very happy with my K5).

Col · 11-16-2013, 04:04 PM

If you can get to a store to try them. My RRS K5 plate is a good fit.

evilcartman · 07-18-2015, 07:25 AM

Originally posted by Col

If you can get to a store to try them. My RRS K5 plate is a good fit.

Really? I have the RRS L plate for the K5 and it doesn't fit my K3. The "hump" under the lens barrel is slightly bigger on the K3 and prevents my plate from being completely flush and or level. I am worried this also creates odd stress.

Your's fits flush and level?

RockvilleBob · 07-18-2015, 12:12 PM

This bracket works perfectly for me - it is just for the K3.
Mestos PD-K3HL
I also have their L bracket for the K5 - another excellent bracket.

evilcartman · 07-18-2015, 10:25 PM

Originally posted by RockvilleBob

This bracket works perfectly for me - it is just for the K3.
Mestos PD-K3HL
I also have their L bracket for the K5 - another excellent bracket.

Mestos is out of business apparently. The were the sole manufacturer of Pentax battery grip plates.
You can shop but you can't check out and no one has answered messages to the store for 6 months.

RockvilleBob · 07-19-2015, 04:08 AM

Originally posted by evilcartman

Mestos is out of business apparently. The were the sole manufacturer of Pentax battery grip plates.
You can shop but you can't check out and no one has answered messages to the store for 6 months.

This doesn't bode well for L plate availability for future Pentax cameras - bad news. They were they only ones I know of who made a K3 L Plate.
Do you know if Mestos is out of business or is Mad for Camera out of business?

evilcartman · 07-19-2015, 08:03 AM

Originally posted by RockvilleBob

This doesn't bode well for L plate availability for future Pentax cameras - bad news. They were they only ones I know of who made a K3 L Plate.
Do you know if Mestos is out of business or is Mad for Camera out of business?

They are one and the same actually. MadForCamera is simply the webstore run by the manufacturer of Mestos.

This indeed doesn't bode well at all. I sent a letter to Ricoh suggesting they manufacture their own QR plates and L brackets because nobody else will but I doubt anybody's going to care.

I've actually spent more on tripod gear than camera and I'm with the guy who said no bracket no body. But what really surprises me is the really small response around here. I guess nobody uses these which I just found quite shocking. Or maybe people are happy with the sort of generic little sliding the slot screw plates. Which at least explains why nobody makes these things, there's not near of a market for them as I thought.

I couldn't I couldn't live without my plates. I mean I never take them off the camera. Once installed they live there, permanently.

Mestos was it, except for one exception, the really right stuff K3L bracket. Which of when looking at it is I literally half the bracket the K5L bracket is. I don't like it. It's almost generic and only cradles one side of the bottom which means you're not distributing the stress along camera body anymore. It's not really custom "fit" but more of a custom aligned.

To this extent I'm considering ditching to both of my K-3'(ii)s and pick up a pair of K5iis.

One thing I suspect but cannot confirm until my K-3 gets back from service is that it's not identical and body shape to the K3ii. Which means my L bracket may actually fit on the K-3. But not my K3ii.

Or seriously look again at switching back to the evil Empire.

**MJSfoto1956** · 07-19-2015, 08:31 AM

I stopped buying (expensive) L plates for every new camera body once I invested in an Acratech universal L plate which I now use for all my various camera bodies. As such I only need an inexpensive basic plate on the bottom of each of my cameras. For my K-3 I "modified" the K5 plate by adding layers of felt until it fit "properly". Works well.

YMMV

Michael

RockvilleBob · 07-19-2015, 08:42 AM

To me an L Plate would be even more important if I went with a full frame camera - which would have more use for me with landscapes, panoramas and HDR photography. With panoramas the L Plate is key for me when I use a Nodal Ninja head. For wildlife I mostly use a gimbal.

Like you I never take the L Plate off. I even find it "handy" for hand held shots.

I did go on the Mad for Camera site. You can order items, just not the Pentax L plate for the K3.

I put the L plate and a Canon item in my cart. At Checkout the message was that the K3 L Plate is not available.

I did send them an email asking to reorder the K3 bracket - I hope I get a response.

Originally posted by evilcartman

They are one and the same actually. MadForCamera is simply the webstore run by the manufacturer of Mestos.

This indeed doesn't bode well at all. I sent a letter to Ricoh suggesting they manufacture their own QR plates and L brackets because nobody else will but I doubt anybody's going to care.

I've actually spent more on tripod gear than camera and I'm with the guy who said no bracket no body. But what really surprises me is the really small response around here. I guess nobody uses these which I just found quite shocking. Or maybe people are happy with the sort of generic little sliding the slot screw plates. Which at least explains why nobody makes these things, there's not near of a market for them as I thought.

I couldn't I couldn't live without my plates. I mean I never take them off the camera. Once installed they live there, permanently.

Mestos was it, except for one exception, the really right stuff K3L bracket. Which of when looking at it is I literally half the bracket the K5L bracket is. I don't like it. It's almost generic and only cradles one side of the bottom which means you're not distributing the stress along camera body anymore. It's not really custom "fit" but more of a custom aligned.

To this extent I'm considering ditching to both of my K-3'(ii)s and pick up a pair of K5iis.

One thing I suspect but cannot confirm until my K-3 gets back from service is that it's not identical and body shape to the K3ii. Which means my L bracket may actually fit on the K-3. But not my K3ii.

Or seriously look again at switching back to the evil Empire.

Jake21209 · 07-19-2015, 09:21 AM

RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US).

Jay

**MJSfoto1956** · 07-19-2015, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by Jake21209

RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US).

I applaud them for their new updated design using "square" mounts both bottom and side. Here is the link: L-plate for Pentax K-3

Michael

evilcartman · 07-19-2015, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by MJSfoto1956

I applaud them for their new updated design using "square" mounts both bottom and side. Here is the link: L-plate for Pentax K-3

Michael

Isn't my K5 RRS L plate also a square mount? I believe it is. I've known about the K-3 plate, there just hasn't been any for the battery grips.

I have yet to get confirmation that the K3 and K-3ii bottoms are identical. I K-3 is being serviced and My II is about to have to go back, it has that power problem.

I really thought Pentax was aware of the issue of these plates which is why they kept the geometry the exact name from the case seven all the way through the K5iis. Now we're getting all these really arbitrary unnecessary and random design changes that are small enough that you know they don't need to be there. Particularly with the battery grip that performs the exact same function and uses the same inner mounting plate, it just has a slightly thicker lip.

Which leads me to...

I have made a breakthroughs as far as the grips are concerned but both of these work arounds require that you have the plate is for the BG4 and that you have both the BG4 and BC5 battery grips. You can actually swap out those mounting plates of the camera grips. they are absolutely identical ( held in by the same 13 tiny screws ) The camera mountains are actually attached to this plate so once you switch them you can mount the K-3 on to the BG4 and the K5 to the BG5. The size of the lips are slightly different so the cameras don't fit perfectly. But it shows you that they certainly could. These design changes were absolutely arbitrary, and it hows the company is ignoring their customers who are heavily invested in plates and other outer camera accessories.

My second discovery is that the Neewer aftermarket grip for the K-3 actually has the same bottom is the BG4. So if you have those old plates for the K5 grip, they will fit perfectly. But you have to use an aftermarket slightly less quality grip that is not weather sealed. Seems that all of the solutions of some kind of compromise.

Good to know the MadForCamera still alive. I have not heard back from numerous inquiries and I've only tried to buy the Mestos stuff so I assumed they were out of commission. I do still believe that Mestos is either their storebrand or they are the sole distributor.

RockvilleBob · 07-19-2015, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by Jake21209

RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US).

Jay

Thanks Jay. I do plan to buy the next Pentax offering provided continuous autofocus is brought up to current standards. I have every confidence Ricoh will improve AF when they announce both the FF and K# follow on camera. Not sure which I would buy but knowing RRS has L plates for Pentax is encouraging. A year or two ago when I looked they did not have one. I appreciate you posting this information.

11-16-2013, 12:32 PM	#1
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780	K-3 L Plates for K3 with and without grip I have this plate for my K-5 Amazon.com: FK5L Quick Release L-plate Bracket for Pentax K5 Arca Swiss Compatible: Camera & Photo This fits the K-3 fine but the rubber terminal cover does not open properly, the slot in the bracket is just little to short. I have this bracket for my K-5 with grip Mestos PD-K5HL From what I first saw with the Silver edition the grip's battery door was not able to slide out. Unfortunately I had to exchange my camera and I am waiting for the replacement grip to arrive (the on switch had an intermittent problem - not turning on). What I remember was that the slide drawer just didn't fit and the MESTOS construction is well over-engineered. When I get the replacement grip I will use a Dremel tool to shave the Mestos so the draw can slide out. I will update this post when I complete the work and include before and after pictures of the MESTOS L Bracket before and after trimming if the modifications are successful.

07-19-2015, 08:03 AM	#9
evilcartman Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 69	I'm surprised so few are bothered by this. Originally posted by RockvilleBob This doesn't bode well for L plate availability for future Pentax cameras - bad news. They were they only ones I know of who made a K3 L Plate. Do you know if Mestos is out of business or is Mad for Camera out of business? They are one and the same actually. MadForCamera is simply the webstore run by the manufacturer of Mestos. This indeed doesn't bode well at all. I sent a letter to Ricoh suggesting they manufacture their own QR plates and L brackets because nobody else will but I doubt anybody's going to care. I've actually spent more on tripod gear than camera and I'm with the guy who said no bracket no body. But what really surprises me is the really small response around here. I guess nobody uses these which I just found quite shocking. Or maybe people are happy with the sort of generic little sliding the slot screw plates. Which at least explains why nobody makes these things, there's not near of a market for them as I thought. I couldn't I couldn't live without my plates. I mean I never take them off the camera. Once installed they live there, permanently. Mestos was it, except for one exception, the really right stuff K3L bracket. Which of when looking at it is I literally half the bracket the K5L bracket is. I don't like it. It's almost generic and only cradles one side of the bottom which means you're not distributing the stress along camera body anymore. It's not really custom "fit" but more of a custom aligned. To this extent I'm considering ditching to both of my K-3'(ii)s and pick up a pair of K5iis. One thing I suspect but cannot confirm until my K-3 gets back from service is that it's not identical and body shape to the K3ii. Which means my L bracket may actually fit on the K-3. But not my K3ii. Or seriously look again at switching back to the evil Empire.

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11-16-2013, 01:29 PM	#2
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Thanks for the info, Bob. The first link is also known as the "Fittest K-5 L-plate" on eBay, and I was looking at it for my K-3. My Mestos PD-K5 works perfectly on the K-3, but it's not an L-plate so it doesn't need to be so precise...

11-16-2013, 02:34 PM	#3
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	I am so completely sold on a custom form fitting L bracket designed and machined for the camera body, that I am almost to the point of saying - no L bracket, no camera body. I have used the Kirk L brackets for my current K5 and previous K20. They are great, light, incredibly useful, and just live on the body. .... and I do use the tripod that much. I know that the K3 has not been out that long, but neither Kirk nor anyone else has one specifically designed for the body - that I know of. Perhaps that will change in the near future. Now, that said - I have a Acratech plate for my K100D that also fits on my K20 as well as the K5 just fine. I have also used it on my Q (a tad large, but still very functional and works well). Right now I see no problem with this plate also fitting on the K3 (no I don't have a K3 as I am still very happy with my K5).

11-16-2013, 04:04 PM	#4
Col Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Stansted Essex Photos: Gallery Posts: 614	If you can get to a store to try them. My RRS K5 plate is a good fit.

07-18-2015, 07:25 AM	#5
evilcartman Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 69	Originally posted by Col If you can get to a store to try them. My RRS K5 plate is a good fit. Really? I have the RRS L plate for the K5 and it doesn't fit my K3. The "hump" under the lens barrel is slightly bigger on the K3 and prevents my plate from being completely flush and or level. I am worried this also creates odd stress. Your's fits flush and level?

07-18-2015, 12:12 PM	#6
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780 Original Poster	This bracket works perfectly for me - it is just for the K3. Mestos PD-K3HL I also have their L bracket for the K5 - another excellent bracket.

07-18-2015, 10:25 PM	#7
evilcartman Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 69	Originally posted by RockvilleBob This bracket works perfectly for me - it is just for the K3. Mestos PD-K3HL I also have their L bracket for the K5 - another excellent bracket. Mestos is out of business apparently. The were the sole manufacturer of Pentax battery grip plates. You can shop but you can't check out and no one has answered messages to the store for 6 months.

07-19-2015, 04:08 AM	#8
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780 Original Poster	Originally posted by evilcartman Mestos is out of business apparently. The were the sole manufacturer of Pentax battery grip plates. You can shop but you can't check out and no one has answered messages to the store for 6 months. This doesn't bode well for L plate availability for future Pentax cameras - bad news. They were they only ones I know of who made a K3 L Plate. Do you know if Mestos is out of business or is Mad for Camera out of business?

07-19-2015, 08:31 AM	#10
MJSfoto1956 Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Boston Posts: 1,305	I stopped buying (expensive) L plates for every new camera body once I invested in an Acratech universal L plate which I now use for all my various camera bodies. As such I only need an inexpensive basic plate on the bottom of each of my cameras. For my K-3 I "modified" the K5 plate by adding layers of felt until it fit "properly". Works well. YMMV Michael

07-19-2015, 08:42 AM	#11
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780 Original Poster	To me an L Plate would be even more important if I went with a full frame camera - which would have more use for me with landscapes, panoramas and HDR photography. With panoramas the L Plate is key for me when I use a Nodal Ninja head. For wildlife I mostly use a gimbal. Like you I never take the L Plate off. I even find it "handy" for hand held shots. I did go on the Mad for Camera site. You can order items, just not the Pentax L plate for the K3. I put the L plate and a Canon item in my cart. At Checkout the message was that the K3 L Plate is not available. I did send them an email asking to reorder the K3 bracket - I hope I get a response. Originally posted by evilcartman They are one and the same actually. MadForCamera is simply the webstore run by the manufacturer of Mestos. This indeed doesn't bode well at all. I sent a letter to Ricoh suggesting they manufacture their own QR plates and L brackets because nobody else will but I doubt anybody's going to care. I've actually spent more on tripod gear than camera and I'm with the guy who said no bracket no body. But what really surprises me is the really small response around here. I guess nobody uses these which I just found quite shocking. Or maybe people are happy with the sort of generic little sliding the slot screw plates. Which at least explains why nobody makes these things, there's not near of a market for them as I thought. I couldn't I couldn't live without my plates. I mean I never take them off the camera. Once installed they live there, permanently. Mestos was it, except for one exception, the really right stuff K3L bracket. Which of when looking at it is I literally half the bracket the K5L bracket is. I don't like it. It's almost generic and only cradles one side of the bottom which means you're not distributing the stress along camera body anymore. It's not really custom "fit" but more of a custom aligned. To this extent I'm considering ditching to both of my K-3'(ii)s and pick up a pair of K5iis. One thing I suspect but cannot confirm until my K-3 gets back from service is that it's not identical and body shape to the K3ii. Which means my L bracket may actually fit on the K-3. But not my K3ii. Or seriously look again at switching back to the evil Empire.

07-19-2015, 09:21 AM	#12
Jake21209 Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 81	RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US). Jay

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07-19-2015, 10:26 AM	#13
MJSfoto1956 Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Boston Posts: 1,305	Originally posted by Jake21209 RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US). I applaud them for their new updated design using "square" mounts both bottom and side. Here is the link: L-plate for Pentax K-3 Michael

07-19-2015, 12:19 PM	#14
evilcartman Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 69	Originally posted by MJSfoto1956 I applaud them for their new updated design using "square" mounts both bottom and side. Here is the link: L-plate for Pentax K-3 Michael Isn't my K5 RRS L plate also a square mount? I believe it is. I've known about the K-3 plate, there just hasn't been any for the battery grips. I have yet to get confirmation that the K3 and K-3ii bottoms are identical. I K-3 is being serviced and My II is about to have to go back, it has that power problem. I really thought Pentax was aware of the issue of these plates which is why they kept the geometry the exact name from the case seven all the way through the K5iis. Now we're getting all these really arbitrary unnecessary and random design changes that are small enough that you know they don't need to be there. Particularly with the battery grip that performs the exact same function and uses the same inner mounting plate, it just has a slightly thicker lip. Which leads me to... I have made a breakthroughs as far as the grips are concerned but both of these work arounds require that you have the plate is for the BG4 and that you have both the BG4 and BC5 battery grips. You can actually swap out those mounting plates of the camera grips. they are absolutely identical ( held in by the same 13 tiny screws ) The camera mountains are actually attached to this plate so once you switch them you can mount the K-3 on to the BG4 and the K5 to the BG5. The size of the lips are slightly different so the cameras don't fit perfectly. But it shows you that they certainly could. These design changes were absolutely arbitrary, and it hows the company is ignoring their customers who are heavily invested in plates and other outer camera accessories. My second discovery is that the Neewer aftermarket grip for the K-3 actually has the same bottom is the BG4. So if you have those old plates for the K5 grip, they will fit perfectly. But you have to use an aftermarket slightly less quality grip that is not weather sealed. Seems that all of the solutions of some kind of compromise. Good to know the MadForCamera still alive. I have not heard back from numerous inquiries and I've only tried to buy the Mestos stuff so I assumed they were out of commission. I do still believe that Mestos is either their storebrand or they are the sole distributor.

07-19-2015, 12:58 PM	#15
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jake21209 RRS now has the L Plate for the K3. While a RRS K5 L Plate, which I have, will work on the K3, it is not totally accurate. With the correct L Plate for the K3 you have access to all of the connection port openings as opposed to a partial blockage resulting when you use a custom K5 Plate on the K3. If you only use the plate to lock on your ball head, then just a basic plate will suffice. The advantage to the L Plate is that you can change from landscape to portrait mode without having to recompose. The current RRS catalog lists the K3 conventional plate which is modular for $150.00 (US). Jay Thanks Jay. I do plan to buy the next Pentax offering provided continuous autofocus is brought up to current standards. I have every confidence Ricoh will improve AF when they announce both the FF and K# follow on camera. Not sure which I would buy but knowing RRS has L plates for Pentax is encouraging. A year or two ago when I looked they did not have one. I appreciate you posting this information.