I’ve been fans of Really Right Stuff (RRS) products since I purchased an L-bracket and clamp for my Mamiya 7 camera back in (approximately) 2002.  Paying my ‘RRS Tax’ has been an important part of each camera purchase since then.  The rare exception was with the brackets for my Fujifilm X-T1 and X-E2.  I bought very well-made brackets from a company in England which is (sadly) no longer in business.  I still have the bracket I purchased for the Mamiya, as it is a “universal” model and has fit every camera I have owned since.  Handy for those few weeks while I’ve waited for the “real” bracket to be available!

The biggest issue with Really Right Stuff products is that they are Really Really Expensive.  But like owning Craftsman tools or All-Clad cookware, you can’t go wrong buying the good stuff.  I currently own a RRS tripod with ballhead, and until recently had two ballheads.  I’ll never need to buy another tripod.  Unless I change my mind and decide I need a smaller one. 😉

When I placed the order for my X-T4, I also ordered an L-bracket from another manufacturer.  That bracket was supposed to cost about $65 less than the RRS version, and because it was also a quality brand, I figured I would save some money.  Because it is a brand-new camera, neither company had released their L-brackets at the time I got my camera.

I kept checking the Kirk and RRS websites for information on their delivery times.  Kirk’s website said that they didn’t expect to ship until late July.  As of the time of this post, the bracket is showing up on their website for ordering but is out of stock.  The photos on the Kirk website show a product that isn’t (in my opinion) as well designed and integrated with the camera as the RRS version. Plus it is $25 more than I originally expected, making it nearly as much as the RRS while not being nearly as nice.

One day I checked the websites and the RRS version was in stock and shipping.  I ordered one immediately and cancelled the order for the other one.  Of course it came 3 days after we left for our trip to Ohio, but it was waiting for me when I returned.

The photos will show better than my words will, but the RRS product is exceptionally well designed.  The relatively recent addition of the magnets for mounting the Allen wrench is genius, and the sliding plate to accommodate accessories in a vertical configuration is a nice touch, much better than some kind of add-on adapter.

I haven’t had a chance to actually use the bracket in real life, but hope to be able to put it through its paces soon.  Of course as long as it works there won’t be a lot more to say!