Nikon Z8 SmallRig L-Bracket and Cage Review
If you're still using the plate that came with your tripod to mount your Nikon Z8 then you are missing out on the benefits of an L-bracket or a video cage. In this video, I look at two products from SmallRig that are custom designed for the Z8, their L-bracket (3942) and their video cage kit (3941). Which one should you buy for your Nikon Z8?
Does Your Nikon Z8 Need a L-Bracket or a Cage?
Since getting my first l-bracket back when I got a Z7 I now can’t imagine using a camera for landscape photography without one. The ability to switch from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation without adjusting your tripod is essential to me. So much so that when I took the delivery of my Nikon Z8 that I had to buy a generic fit l-bracket just to keep me going till something custom designed was released.
Fortunately, that time has come and the company that has produced the goods is SmallRig. However, not only have they released an l-bracket, but they have also designed a cage for the Nikon Z8. You might now be asking what a cage is, do I need one, and should I get that instead of a l-bracket.
In the video below, I aim to answer that question by talking you through the benefits of both products. I’ll talk you through the features of each product, where there is some overlap, and why you might pick one over the other. Enjoy!
🛒 SmallRig L-Bracket for Nikon Z 8 3942
🛒 SmallRig Cage Kit for Nikon Z 8 3941
🛒 SmallRig Cage for Nikon Z 8 3940
🛒 SmallRig Cage for Nikon Z 8 with MB-N12 Battery Grip 3982
🛒 SmallRig L-Shape Grip for Nikon Z fc Camera 3480
What No Photos?
In most of my gear review videos I like to film them on-location and include a little bit of landscape photography. Well, that was the plan for this video, but it was a busy morning for wild camping. I visited West Mill Tor, Yes Tor and Black Tor and they all had tents in the middle of any potential composition. Nothing wrong with wild camping, I do it myself, but that’s the reason there are no photographs from this video!
Lightweight Landscape Photography
In this video, I decided to trim a little weight from my landscape photography kit bag. On a recent trip to the Scottish Highlands, I decided to put my kit bag on a diet so that I can make a faster, easier ascent of Beinn Dubh. Watch to discover what I've changed and to see the landscape photographs I captured.
Back to the Homeland
After a two year absence, I’ve finally made it back to my homeland. Back to Scotland! It’s been one thing not to do any international travel because of COVID, but another entirely for it not be safe to travel to Scotland. Though I live in the south-west of England, my heart is still Scottish, and I still have family who lives up there. It’s been hard not being able to visit.
So, I was over the moon when I was able to make plans to return to Scotland. The primary purpose of my trip was to visit family but there was no way I wasn’t going to make an ascent of a hill or mountain when I was there. A quick review of OS maps revealed Beinn Dubh on the shoreline of Loch Lomond. It’s a hill I’ve driven by many times but never walked up. As it was enroute it was the ideal candidate for a quick walk.
To make a quick ascent it was necessary to cut down on some of the weight of my normal photography gear. I needed a lightweight setup. In this video, I not only share with you the photographs from my ascent of Beinn Dubh, but I also share with you my lightweight kit bag. Let me know in the comments below what your lightweight kit bag is.
Landscape Photography of Loch Lomond and Beinn Dubh
