L bracket for OM3

I know I know this has probably be done to death, somewhere, but if it has I havn't seen it. Is there a reasonable L plate for the OM3? I dont mean one with a grip, just an L plate with a cut out for the flip out screen with a good snug fit at the base?

I'm in the process of buying one from WEX at Leeds, it's an L bracket from Leofoto. If you go on You Tube do a search and you'll see a video about it.

Let me give you some background as it's been a saga so far.

I saw this video about three or four weeks ago and responded to comment which asked when this would be available in the UK. The response from a Leofoto rep was that it was available now. I asked where and he responded with the UK based distributor.

I emailed the distributor and received a response that they were no longer the distributor for Leofoto products in the UK, they gave me the details of the new distributor:

Elite Optical Distribution Ltd in Exeter.

I emailed them and had a very useful email conversation with a guy called Elliott Howells who is the Account Manager. Their website also showed the L bracket on their list of Leofoto products (LPO-OM3). Elliott told me that they can't supply this to me direct as they don't do retail. He advised me to contact a camera shop and ask them to order this on my behalf. He suggested several and WEX at Leeds was my nearest.

I did this and I had an email conversation with the store manager there who was extremely helpful.

Nearly there: WEX went through their procurement process and finally the L bracket is now listed on their stock list (he told me) and I have one on order. The are now waiting for stock from Elite Optical.

Long story short WEX should have them soon (I hope)

alan scott said:

I'm in the process of buying one from WEX at Leeds, it's an L bracket from Leofoto. If you go on You Tube do a search and you'll see a video about it.

Let me give you some background as it's been a saga so far.

I saw this video about three or four weeks ago and responded to comment which asked when this would be available in the UK. The response from a Leofoto rep was that it was available now. I asked where and he responded with the UK based distributor.

I emailed the distributor and received a response that they were no longer the distributor for Leofoto products in the UK, they gave me the details of the new distributor:

Elite Optical Distribution Ltd in Exeter.

I emailed them and had a very useful email conversation with a guy called Elliott Howells who is the Account Manager. Their website also showed the L bracket on their list of Leofoto products (LPO-OM3). Elliott told me that they can't supply this to me direct as they don't do retail. He advised me to contact a camera shop and ask them to order this on my behalf. He suggested several and WEX at Leeds was my nearest.

I did this and I had an email conversation with the store manager there who was extremely helpful.

Nearly there: WEX went through their procurement process and finally the L bracket is now listed on their stock list (he told me) and I have one on order. The are now waiting for stock from Elite Optical.

Long story short WEX should have them soon (I hope)

Click to expand...

Well I hope you get your grip/ l bracket- it looks like a great bit of kit for those that want an add on grip for their Om-3. Alas I am looking just for the L bracket without a bit of plastic/rubber/bood/metal that sticks out as a grip.

Look at the Desmond DAL-1 bracket. I formerly used it on my Nikon D810 but it's a universal fit and works great on my OM-1.

how do you flip the screen out? doesnt the L of the bracket get in the way?

looking at the pictures on the website it looks as if the 'grip' bit unscrews if that helps.

yes indeed, but what doesnt unscrew is the piece of metal that holds the grip part in place.

nevertheless up to this point in time this is looking the closest thing to what I'm after potentially- should I go for an OM3

in that case I'd be tempted to hold on. Hopefully either the Chinese or someone like 'three legged thing' might make one.

Another thought - how good are you with angle grinder to smooth the bump (half joking)

nikonzednaikonzee said:

alan scott said:

I'm in the process of buying one from WEX at Leeds, it's an L bracket from Leofoto. If you go on You Tube do a search and you'll see a video about it.

Let me give you some background as it's been a saga so far.

I saw this video about three or four weeks ago and responded to comment which asked when this would be available in the UK. The response from a Leofoto rep was that it was available now. I asked where and he responded with the UK based distributor.

I emailed the distributor and received a response that they were no longer the distributor for Leofoto products in the UK, they gave me the details of the new distributor:

Elite Optical Distribution Ltd in Exeter.

I emailed them and had a very useful email conversation with a guy called Elliott Howells who is the Account Manager. Their website also showed the L bracket on their list of Leofoto products (LPO-OM3). Elliott told me that they can't supply this to me direct as they don't do retail. He advised me to contact a camera shop and ask them to order this on my behalf. He suggested several and WEX at Leeds was my nearest.

I did this and I had an email conversation with the store manager there who was extremely helpful.

Nearly there: WEX went through their procurement process and finally the L bracket is now listed on their stock list (he told me) and I have one on order. The are now waiting for stock from Elite Optical.

Long story short WEX should have them soon (I hope)

Click to expand...

Well I hope you get your grip/ l bracket- it looks like a great bit of kit for those that want an add on grip for their Om-3. Alas I am looking just for the L bracket without a bit of plastic/rubber/bood/metal that sticks out as a grip.

Click to expand...

These grips are pretty easy to modify since they're typically aluminum.

I started with this:



Unscrewing the grip left this tab:





I cut it off somewhat roughly with a Dremel and a cutoff wheel, then sanded it down with a bench sander to get this:







--
Sam Bennett
Instagram: @swiftbennett

Sam Bennett said:

nikonzednaikonzee said:

alan scott said:

I'm in the process of buying one from WEX at Leeds, it's an L bracket from Leofoto. If you go on You Tube do a search and you'll see a video about it.

Let me give you some background as it's been a saga so far.

I saw this video about three or four weeks ago and responded to comment which asked when this would be available in the UK. The response from a Leofoto rep was that it was available now. I asked where and he responded with the UK based distributor.

I emailed the distributor and received a response that they were no longer the distributor for Leofoto products in the UK, they gave me the details of the new distributor:

Elite Optical Distribution Ltd in Exeter.

I emailed them and had a very useful email conversation with a guy called Elliott Howells who is the Account Manager. Their website also showed the L bracket on their list of Leofoto products (LPO-OM3). Elliott told me that they can't supply this to me direct as they don't do retail. He advised me to contact a camera shop and ask them to order this on my behalf. He suggested several and WEX at Leeds was my nearest.

I did this and I had an email conversation with the store manager there who was extremely helpful.

Nearly there: WEX went through their procurement process and finally the L bracket is now listed on their stock list (he told me) and I have one on order. The are now waiting for stock from Elite Optical.

Long story short WEX should have them soon (I hope)

Click to expand...

Well I hope you get your grip/ l bracket- it looks like a great bit of kit for those that want an add on grip for their Om-3. Alas I am looking just for the L bracket without a bit of plastic/rubber/bood/metal that sticks out as a grip.

Click to expand...

These grips are pretty easy to modify since they're typically aluminum.

I started with this:

Unscrewing the grip left this tab:

I cut it off somewhat roughly with a Dremel and a cutoff wheel, then sanded it down with a bench sander to get this:

Click to expand...

a very neat job! gives one ideas

--
In lots of ways good photography is similar to learning to play a piano - you can master both in an evening in Havana if you drink too many Piña Coladas.

It flips out but won't rotate when flipped out all the way. The screen can rotate to any angle for high or low shots, just not flipped out all the way to the side, you just have to view it from an angle to the lens.

It's clearly a compromise but it's a well-made piece of gear for a very affordable price so it was worth a look.

nikonzednaikonzee said:

Sam Bennett said:

nikonzednaikonzee said:

alan scott said:

I'm in the process of buying one from WEX at Leeds, it's an L bracket from Leofoto. If you go on You Tube do a search and you'll see a video about it.

Let me give you some background as it's been a saga so far.

I saw this video about three or four weeks ago and responded to comment which asked when this would be available in the UK. The response from a Leofoto rep was that it was available now. I asked where and he responded with the UK based distributor.

I emailed the distributor and received a response that they were no longer the distributor for Leofoto products in the UK, they gave me the details of the new distributor:

Elite Optical Distribution Ltd in Exeter.

I emailed them and had a very useful email conversation with a guy called Elliott Howells who is the Account Manager. Their website also showed the L bracket on their list of Leofoto products (LPO-OM3). Elliott told me that they can't supply this to me direct as they don't do retail. He advised me to contact a camera shop and ask them to order this on my behalf. He suggested several and WEX at Leeds was my nearest.

I did this and I had an email conversation with the store manager there who was extremely helpful.

Nearly there: WEX went through their procurement process and finally the L bracket is now listed on their stock list (he told me) and I have one on order. The are now waiting for stock from Elite Optical.

Long story short WEX should have them soon (I hope)

Click to expand...

Well I hope you get your grip/ l bracket- it looks like a great bit of kit for those that want an add on grip for their Om-3. Alas I am looking just for the L bracket without a bit of plastic/rubber/bood/metal that sticks out as a grip.

Click to expand...

These grips are pretty easy to modify since they're typically aluminum.

I started with this:

Unscrewing the grip left this tab:

I cut it off somewhat roughly with a Dremel and a cutoff wheel, then sanded it down with a bench sander to get this:

Click to expand...

a very neat job! gives one ideas

Click to expand...

Thanks! That said, if I were to get one where I really cared about the maximum flexibility I'd go for the Leofoto grip for a vertical mount. I also like that it has just enough grip - the wooden ones are a bit too chunky for my tastes.

--
Sam Bennett
Instagram: @swiftbennett

David5833 said:

It flips out but won't rotate when flipped out all the way. The screen can rotate to any angle for high or low shots, just not flipped out all the way to the side, you just have to view it from an angle to the lens.

It's clearly a compromise but it's a well-made piece of gear for a very affordable price so it was worth a look.

Click to expand...

An Atoll Model C (with a spacer plate) won't interfere with the screen at all. Fits the OM-5, so should likely fit an OM-3.

I realize there are different ways of doing things, and I have a couple of L brackets myself, but I almost never use them. First, when I'm using a tripod with my E-M5iii, I use a geared head and it's really easy to flop it over for a vertical. The same would be true if I was using a ballhead with notches. I can't imagine that the OM-3 would be much different. Sure, it changes the sight picture a bit and moves the center off a little to the side, but that has never bothered me, you have to adjust the camera position somewhat when you go from horizontal to vertical anyway. The other knock against it is that, because it moves the center of gravity off to the side, it might be unstable. That may be true for a larger camera and a big lens, but it isn't a problem for me for the E-M5iii and the 60mm macro lens or for any other lens I would be using for macro or landscapes. If the lens I'm using has a tripod collar, then I don't need an L bracket anyway, and when I'm using my OM-1 it almost always has a lens with a tripod collar. I've used the OM-1 a few times on a tabletop tripod with a ballhead with notches for macro and it hasn't been a problem doing verticals or rotating the screen, no L bracket needed.

The ATOLL solution is excellent for what it is and the cost isn't outrageous, but it has its own limitations and is another piece of gear to buy, tote, and store that will very seldom be worth the trouble to use, so it would probably mostly sit in my bags of unused gear gathering dust.

Again, there are lots of ways to do the job and whatever works is fine.

--
https://www.flickr.com/photos/143821723@N06/