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Lens Foot Kirk Vs. RRS

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empirestate

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Yo,

I want to replace the foot on my 70-200vr2 with either the Kirk ( http://www.kirkphoto.com/Lens_Plate_for_70-200mm_f2.8_VR_&_VRII_AFS_replacing_Nikon_foot.html ) or one from RRS ( http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=LCF-10&type=0&eq=&desc=LCF-10%3a-Foot-for-Nikon-70-200mm%2ff2.8&key=it )

There is a $30us difference between the two. I am wondering if anybody knows what, if anyth makes the RRS more expensive. Is the RRS simply better, does it have better machining, better reputation?

Hey, thanks for reading!
 
I have the Kirk foot. Works great. Not sure what the RRS could do better. Save the $$ and get the Kirk.

Paul
 
I have the RRS and it's excellent. I have other clamps/plates from RRS and Kirk - their quality seems about equal.
 
For me - RRS all the way.

IMHO found them to be a little better designed. Maybe a couple of bucks more but well worth it.
 
I have a lot of RRS gear and I find it to be some of the best machined parts I have ever seen. Everything is crafted with such precision and beauty of design. The Kirk stuff is good, but I stand behind everything RRS makes. Their prices are higher, but for the level of quality I think it is worth it.
 
I've got a bunch of RRS stuff and it is 2nd to none, but I do have the Kirk foot on my 70-200 and 300 and they are very well machined too. I wouldn't hesitate to go with Kirk.
--

'There is only one success - to be able to spend your life your own way.' -- Christopher Morley
 
As posted above, I use the RRS lens foot for the 70-200 VRII, but in looking at the Kirk foot, I saw Kirk makes a replacement KNOB for the 70-200 lens collar. Anyone purchase and use the replacement knob? I am curious how it attaches and how well it works.
 
One thing to consider when buying plates, replacement feet and any Arca Swiss style mounting plate is that some of the machining tolerances are different between manufactures. If you have the RRS lever Quick release clamp mounting on your tripod head some of the other non RRS plates will not fit properly. Either too tight or too loose. I have seen evidence of this with a friends Kirk "L" bracket for their D300. The RRS BH-55 ball head's lever clamp would not close fully on it.

There is further information on this on the RRS site. I believe the Wimberly plates are guaranteed to fit with RRS lever QR clamps. With the screw mount clamp it is not an issue.

So if you think a RRS QR lever release head is in your future or you already have one the RRS is your best option. I have a mix of plates as well as 2 RRS lever lock heads and have not experienced any issues yet.

As to the lens collar knob I have one as well on my 70-200. It affixes over the original knob with Allen head setscrews. Makes it easier to work with gloves on. I like mine.

Edgar Payne
Western North Carolina
 
Daniel Morris said:
As posted above, I use the RRS lens foot for the 70-200 VRII, but in looking at the Kirk foot, I saw Kirk makes a replacement KNOB for the 70-200 lens collar. Anyone purchase and use the replacement knob? I am curious how it attaches and how well it works.
Click to expand...
Yes - the replacement knob works great! It's well worth getting one.

John
 
Here's an update. I actually contacted RRS and asked them what the differences are between their foot and the Kirk foot, considering the price difference. They politely answered that they realize that RRS products aren't for everyone, and happy shooting.

I confirmed with KIRK that their lens foot will work flawlessly with my acratech ball head. Unfortunately, acratech doesn't make a lens foot, otherwise it would be a no brainer.

I will order the Kirk foot today. I just don't see that the RRS is worth, what 40% more.

In the past I never regretted buying the best. But from the responses, and info from the company websites, it appears that KIRK is pretty much an equal.

Thanks All!
 
Correct!
empirestate said:
Here's an update. I actually contacted RRS and asked them what the differences are between their foot and the Kirk foot, considering the price difference. They politely answered that they realize that RRS products aren't for everyone, and happy shooting.

I confirmed with KIRK that their lens foot will work flawlessly with my acratech ball head. Unfortunately, acratech doesn't make a lens foot, otherwise it would be a no brainer.

I will order the Kirk foot today. I just don't see that the RRS is worth, what 40% more.

In the past I never regretted buying the best. But from the responses, and info from the company websites, it appears that KIRK is pretty much an equal.

Thanks All!
Click to expand...
--



http://www.flickr.com/photos/22388579@N08/
 
i have the kirk foot and the gv2 ballhead - no problems. bought the kirk foot because the knob on the original nikon foot broke.

paul
 
I'm not sure US$30 is worth much of a discussion, but still!

I have RRS replacement feet on my 70-200 VRII Nikkor and my Nikkor 300 f2.8 VR.

Cost an arm and a leg to have them sent here to NZ, plus exchange rates, 15% tax and so on.

Worth every penny - as was my Acratec ballhead which was even more costly!

Next in my gear list is the Arca Swiss Cube. May have to win Lotto first though.
 
MPA1 said:
I'm not sure US$30 is worth much of a discussion, but still!

I have RRS replacement feet on my 70-200 VRII Nikkor and my Nikkor 300 f2.8 VR.

Cost an arm and a leg to have them sent here to NZ, plus exchange rates, 15% tax and so on.

Worth every penny - as was my Acratec ballhead which was even more costly!

Next in my gear list is the Arca Swiss Cube. May have to win Lotto first though.
Click to expand...
If we're talking about a $2000 purchase, then I would agree, $30 probably isn't worth the discussion. Take the dollar value away, and think of it this way: Product A is 40% more expensive than the similar Product B. Both are from highly reputable manufactures. Both make precision tools. So why such a large margin? I think that does make it a worthy discussion. Yes, it's only a lens foot, but after doing a search, others have had the same question asked.
 
Pygmi said:
Paul T. Klein said:
what is better about the design?

paul
Click to expand...
Well, for example the fact that RRS 70-200/2.8 and 300/4 AF-S share the same
foot. Maybe not an issue to all, but do I have this foot and RRS collar for the
300/4...Works for me. Both excellent products.

Markku
Click to expand...
Just realized that this is the feature of the 300/4 collar....
Kirk foot and Nikon original probably fit to this too....;)
 
Well, it may not be all margin.

We do not know which company has the better economies of scale, whether the metallurgical properties of both are identical, whether both designs are of equal strength, the type/thickness of the anodising and so on.

Frankly they are within spitting distance pricewise so I think it comes down to whichever you like best. Very few of us I suspect will ever use them hard enough to get even close to the limit of their designs/materials.

For those of us outside the US there is no opportunity to see them in the flesh before purchase. I just went with the one that seemed like 'the little guy" - I prefer to support those businesses rather than faceless corporations etc whenever I can.

Really I could have tossed a coin though.
 
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