Quick release plate compatibility (1 Viewer)

I have just purchased Jobu lens plates for my Canon 500mm and 400mm lenses and they are first rate with the Jobu Black Widow. However, for the sake of consistency I'd like to add similar but smaller plates (that is, in the Arca Swiss pattern) to my camera body and spotting scope. To do this I'd need to buy a pan/tilt or fluid head with a compatible QR for my other tripod which although much lighter than the one with the BW mounted on it, could be used for the camera and 400mm combo. My problem is that I can't work out which of the Manfrotto, Giottos or Gitzo heads are compatible with the Arca Swiss system of lens plates (and their Jobu equivalents). I have my eye on the Gitozo 2180. Does anyone know whether the Jobu lens plates or other in the Arca-Swiss pattern fit? And if not, what's the alternative?

Any ideas?

mollymawk said:

I have just purchased Jobu lens plates for my Canon 500mm and 400mm lenses and they are first rate with the Jobu Black Widow. However, for the sake of consistency I'd like to add similar but smaller plates (that is, in the Arca Swiss pattern) to my camera body and spotting scope. To do this I'd need to buy a pan/tilt or fluid head with a compatible QR for my other tripod which although much lighter than the one with the BW mounted on it, could be used for the camera and 400mm combo. My problem is that I can't work out which of the Manfrotto, Giottos or Gitzo heads are compatible with the Arca Swiss system of lens plates (and their Jobu equivalents). I have my eye on the Gitozo 2180. Does anyone know whether the Jobu lens plates or other in the Arca-Swiss pattern fit? And if not, what's the alternative?

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure that Manfrotto or Gitzo manufacture much that fits your requirements, though this might work from Giottos. I've just ordered one to mount on a Manfrotto 128LP head for exactly the same reasons you have given. The Giottos adaptor & plates are quite reasonably priced, though you could spend a lot more to be sure of quality (on Really Right Stuff, Kirk, Markins etc).



http://www.red-door.co.uk/pages/productpages/giottos-tripods/MH658.html

This small lightweight head might also be of interest. It was recently introduced by Giottos at the Rutland Bird Fair. It uses the same QR system and looked pretty good when I tested it there. Not as sturdy as a 128LP, but for when you want to travel light...

Steve

http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ProductDetails~man~Giottos~productID~8583~categoryid~180.html

ps Both items are available at Morris Photo, and are priced cheaper than in the first link. I just received an email from them to say new stock is about to come in.

That's helpful but if I do this i'll still need to get a head with tripod screw attachment. I might as well go the whole hog and get something like this: http://www.giottos-tripods.co.uk/index.php?page=productpage&cat=49130e8d88135&product=4a7fdf9ca145e. I'm just dubious about the quality given the price.

mollymawk said:

That's helpful but if I do this i'll still need to get a head with tripod screw attachment. I might as well go the whole hog and get something like this: http://www.giottos-tripods.co.uk/index.php?page=productpage&cat=49130e8d88135&product=4a7fdf9ca145e. I'm just dubious about the quality given the price.

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That's the same head as in my second link in post 2!

I tried this at the Bird Fair and am about to order one for travelling light. It won't be as solid as a 128 head, but as I said, sometimes in birding you can carry too much weight! It seemed quite good for it's size to me for occasional use, but you never really know until you've lived with these things for a while.

From your first post I thought you needed to get a head to which you could attach a suitable QR system. That's why I recommended the 128LP from Manfrotto. I already have two of these, and have a Manfrotto sliding plate adapter attached to one of them, however it isn't compatible with the arca system that you use for your camera gear.

Steve

I've had (and still have) various Manfrotto tripods and heads. None of them are compatible with the Wimberly/Arca Swiss style QR clamps and plates. It's a dilemma I've had to deal with recently. I too have the Canon 500mm, and use it with the Manfrotto 393 gimbel head, which comes with their own heavy duty QR clamp/plate system (357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with 357PL plate) which is not as small as the Arca Swiss type clamps and plates. However, in the past week I finally bought an Acratech Ultimate Ballhead which comes with their Arca Swiss style clamp, so I had to finally break down and spend the money for two plates for my camera bodies. I settled on the Wimberly P-5 plate which is non-specific to any particular camera body - it's a fits all style - because it had the safety pins at either end so the plate wouldn't slide out accidently. You have to open the clamp all the way to take it out. There is a point to all this and I'm getting there. (Here is a link to the Wimberly site - at the bottom of the page is a link to their VIDEO explaining how the safety pin feature works http://www.tripodhead.com/products/camera-body-main.cfm )

After using the Manfrotto system (which was originally designed for heavy 3-tube video cameras back when digital hadn't made it yet) I would not put anything less on my 500mm lens. The wedge along the side of the Wimberly P-5 plate is rounded smooth instead of coming to a sharpish edge, and the Acratech clamp has a sharp V notch to it. Thus, the plate and clamp don't overlap much when clamped. The lack of clamping surface between the two doesn't give me much confidence in using that style system with heavy lenses. The Manfrotto 357 however has a deeper wedge with more surface, and it is foolproof. You can ONLY slide the plate in. The clamp does not open. It has a spring loaded pin that pops into place as you slide in the plate and the plate will not come out unless you press the release pin. It is a foolproof safety feature unlike what I've seen with the Arca Swiss/Wimberly style stuff. You might forget to tighten the clamp lock, but even if you forget, the plate (and lens) will slide a little but it WILL NOT come out accidently.

Don't get me wrong, as I'm not knocking the Arca Swiss system. The point I'm making is - be sure whatever plate you get to use with your clamp provides a good fit and overlap between the plate edge and the clamp jaws. And if you can get something with safety pin stops on it so the plate cannot slide out accidently, it'll be worth whatever you pay extra for it for safety's sake.

If anyone else has experience with this issue, I'd be very interested myself in further info on better combinations of Arca Swiss style clamps and plate combinations than the one I ended up with.

Gitzo do a conversion plate to allow arca-swiss plates to be used in their clamps.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy...rca-Style-Quick-Release-Plate-Adapter_1026667