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Aug 14, 2023

3 Legged Thing Alfie L

June 27, 2023 Pros: + Very nicely made+ Perfectly matched to Sony Alpha A1, A9 II and A7-series cameras+ Maintains access to battery and ports Cons: - Extending arm for vertical bracket is fiddly-

June 27, 2023

Pros: + Very nicely made+ Perfectly matched to Sony Alpha A1, A9 II and A7-series cameras+ Maintains access to battery and ports

Cons: - Extending arm for vertical bracket is fiddly- Pricey

3 Legged Thing

If you frequently shoot using a tripod, an L-bracket can be very useful, as it allows you to switch your camera to portrait orientation while holding it directly above the centre column for maximum stability. The 3 Legged Thing Alfie is designed for use with a range of Sony Alpha full-frame mirrorless cameras, and employs standard Arca-Swiss type plates that will fit many tripods. Specifically, the firm says it’s compatible with the A1, A7 III, A7 IV, A7R III, A7R IV, A7R V, A7S III, and A9 II.

Alfie is supplied in two parts, which you need to assemble. Credit: Andy Westlake

Alfie is supplied in two parts, so first you need to assemble it. This simply requires undoing a couple of screws on the horizontal section, sliding the vertical bracket in place, and then fixing the screws back up again tightly. It’s very easy and only takes a minute.

Tools included: 3 Legged Thing supplies a Toolz multi-tool in the box, along with two different sizes of hex key

The Alfie kit includes various tools for assembling and adjusting the bracket. Credit: Andy Westlake

Cable management: A slide-on bracket can be used to secure cables, which is especially useful with cameras that have micro-HDMI ports

The supplied cable clip can be used to stop HDMI cables getting pulled from their sockets. Credit: Andy Westlake

Peak Design Capture compatible: An add-on adapter plate is supplied for use with the Peak Design Capture V3 system

3 Legged Thing Alfie with the supplied Peak Design Capture adapter installed. Credit: Andy Westlake

Not just black: There’s a choice of three colours available: Copper, Slate Grey, and Midnight (matte black)

The horizontal section has been custom designed to fit the camera as closely as possible, with a curved lip that matches the body’s baseplate to prevent twisting. Meanwhile the vertical section is attached to a sliding arm that can fixed at three different distances from the camera body. You’ll need to extend it if you wish to use a wired shutter release in portrait format, or to secure an HDMI cable in place using the supplied clip.

You’ll need to extend the vertical section if you want to shoot in portrait format using a wired remote release. Credit: Andy Westlake

I tested Alfie on Sony’s Alpha A7R IV and A7 IV bodies and found that it fitted both perfectly. You still get full access to the battery compartment and connector ports, while a cut-out in the vertical bracket allows extensive movement of the latter’s side-hinged articulated screen. I also tried it on the older Alpha A7 II and discovered that it fits that camera pretty well, too.

A cut-out in the bracket allows use of the Sony Alpha A7 IV’s articulated screen. Credit: Andy Westlake

It’s not perfect, though. My biggest gripe comes with extending the vertical bracket: you have to undo a screw using a small hex key, slide the bracket and find the next position, and then screw it up again. It’s fiddly, and I wouldn’t want to do it in a hurry in the field. One solution would be to leave it extended, but that takes up space unnecessarily.

Alfie on the Sony A7 IV, set to its minimum extension. Credit: Andy Westlake

Alfie on the Sony A7 IV, set to its middle extension. Credit: Andy Westlake

Alfie on the Sony A7 IV, set to its maximum extension. Credit: Andy Westlake

It’s worth noting that the camera won’t sit flat on a table with Alfie fitted, as that adjustment screw always protrudes below the bracket.

A pair of protruding screws mean that cameras won’t sit flat on a table with Alfie fitted. Credit: Andy Westlake

It’s also apparent that, to provide access to all the ports, 3 Legged Thing has had to pare back the vertical section substantially, compared to its other L-brackets. As a result, it’s particularly important to ensure your tripod’s clamp bridges the cut-out for the screen. Otherwise, the bracket can flex noticeably.

For Sony Alpha users, the 3 Legged Thing Alfie is a nicely made L-bracket that works well, fitting the camera perfectly without obstructing any of its functions. It also has a few neat tricks that you won’t get elsewhere. It’s just rather pricey and fiddly to use.

3 Legged Thing also makes the Freya for the Fujifilm X-T5; Gracy for the Fujifilm GFX100S and GFX50S II; Ollie for the OM System OM-1; Roxie for the Canon EOS R5, EOS R6 and EOS R6 Mark II; Zelda for Nikon Z5, Z6, Z6 II, Z7 and Z 7II; and Zaara for the Nikon Z9.

Three different 3 Legged Thing L-brackets, in three different colours. Left to right: Ollie in Copper, Alfie in Midnight, and Freya in Slate Grey. Credit: Andy Westlake

Meanwhile, its Ellie and QR-11 2.0 brackets are universal designs, which aim to fit a wide range of cameras. They’re cheaper than matched brackets, but won’t fit quite as well or offer the same specialist functionality.

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Andy has been Amateur Photographer's Technical Editor since 2014, responsible for reviewing everything from cameras and lenses to accessories and software. Prior to that, he was DPReview's Technical Editor, and introduced lens reviews to that website in 2008. Along the way, he's shot extensively with cameras and lenses of almost every imaginable type, brand and format.