[DaveR]

I've made a prototype “L” bracket for the K-1, that can be used with or without the battery grip to suit Manfrotto RC2 tripod heads.

I use Manfrotto heads and the Spider Pro holster system on a Think Tank Pro Speed belt, hence the ball pin.

My intention was to keep it simple for my own use, with this in mind, it is not possible to access the output ports on the left of the body or change the battery while the bracket is attached. When I shoot professionally I have never needed to change batteries mid shoot (I use 2 batteries).


If there is enough interest expressed here and elsewhere I will look at putting it into production.

I have set it up, so the lens axis maintains the same lateral centre when switching from horizontal to vertical, with or without the grip. Same goes for body to subject distance (fore and aft) if you decided to remove or add the grip.

To prevent the grip twisting there is a “u” shaped bracket that is screwed to the “L” bracket upright. Without the grip, 2 button head screws are removed from the bracket upright and screwed into the base to locate in the same holes in the body that the grip uses to locate itself.

Other than the 2 capscrews that hold the bottom RC2 plate more or less permanently, all the other screws use the 1/8” allen key that is stored securely in the front side of the bracket upright.

When the grip is not used, the ¼” screw that holds the "L" bracket to the grip is removed and screwed into the hole in the middle of the bottom RC2 plate. The “u” bracket is removed by removing the countersunk screw in the upright, the 2 button head screws are removed from the upright and screwed up through the base. The RC2 plate on the upright can be put onto the lower position to keep the same lateral axis position and reduce the overall height of the bracket. Pins in the upright prevent this plate from twisting.


More images: DaveR's Album: K-1 L Bracket Prototype - PentaxForums.com

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[pid]

good job! I like the special place for the tool

[dave2k]

That looks like a masterpiece! Well done! I have a Manfrotto tripod that I love, but I could not live with the proprietary quick release system so I replaced the ball head with an Arca-Swiss compatible ball head. So now I use a standard L-bracket on my K-1, which is good because I have two other tripods that also have Arca-Swiss compatible ball heads. If I only had Manfrotto tripods your bracket would be a good solution.

Interesting. I was thinking about an "L" bracket this morning for my K-1.

A "traditionalist", "conservative", or "stick-in-the-mud", I have resisted quick release gadgets for a long time (tried one once, plastic crap that had the general shape of the Manfrotto jobs, but this was like the first one ever made or something and was a pain to use and broke fairly soon after purchase). I've stuck to screw-on attachment since then (I reckon that first experiment was about twenty or twenty-five years ago). Recently, however (and having graduated from pan/tilt to ball-head), I observed that the stuff they're making now is pretty good and well-standardized, so I took the plunge and bought some ARCA style stuff, including a gimbal head (which I pronounce "gum-ball"). The head works great, and that and all the other stuff (a plate to go on the other tripod's ball-head ("bald-head") and lens/camera plates) all get along very nicely.

Here's the problem: the K-1 has the battery/grip attached, which has an off-center mounting hole/nut. I can't put it on the gimball straight-on, though, because the camera sticks out too far on the side the mounting stuff is on and I don't want to have to switch hands to use it all (camera goes on the right, gimball adjustments go on the left). It works really well with a lens attached to it, and the camera dangling off the back of the lens, so I'd never tried the camera alone before. I don't want to have to take off the grippy thing and put it back all the time, and I like having the "extra life" the second battery provides.

I've seen pictures of plates designed to go on battery-grippies, but they all orient the camera sideways - if I were to use one of those, then I couldn't get to the controls on the back of the camera (or else the gimbal itself would be blocking the view).

So I was thinking, maybe an "L" bracket (and to tell you the truth, I've never even seen one in real life). Perhaps mounting the camera vertically would give me the space I need. Can't really visualize how it would work, though.

Perhaps your invention would (or could be adapted to) solve my problem.

Btw, if you have created any new and different approaches to things like mechanical fastenings, etc., don't forget patent protection, even if only for things that are derivative of other people's patents - and check to make sure you're not violating someone else's patents before you go to sell it commercially. (Technically, you're liable for damages for patent infringement just for making or even merely using a patented invention without proper licensure.)

[grog85361]

Very nice. Well done! I will be watching this.