quick-release plate won't fit with my Opticron scope - please advise (1 Viewer)

[earlytorise]

I bought a new tripod in a hurry because my previous one doesn't work,

and attached is a picture of the quick-release plate.

It however doesn't fit onto the tripod foot of my Opticron scope, for which also see attached.

The screw on the plate is supposed to go into the hole in the middle of the tripod foot. However, the tripod foot itself has a screw, which gets in the way of the plate when I try to fix it onto the tripod foot,

so that if I were to use the scope on a tripod anyway, the scope would often wobble by itself.

Please advise. Short of my just buying another tripod, what solutions are there?

 

[moose1991]

Drill a hole so the other screw fits in it.

 

[wllmspd]

Or add a spacer with a hole in, though you’d need to make sure the clamping screw was safely long enough and you’d need some “non slip” material to keep the scope from rotating around.
Peter

 

[Tringa45]

Can you give us some details of the tripod and, in particular, the head.
Don't start drilling anything!
I've never seen a QR plate like that. Most are either Arca-Swiss or Manfrotto/Gitzo/Sirui compatible.
Anti-rotation pins are usually on the QR plate and not on the scope foot. Perhaps this could be unscrewed to allow you to mount the plate.

John

 

[fazalmajid]

On my Opticron MM4/50 I had an Arca QR plate from some nameless Chinese make handy. It had one captive screw in a slot, I just added a second one from another plate (you can screw it in on the threaded end of the slot). This won't prevent the plate from sliding (although if tightened properly that's a non-issue) but it certainly won't rotate, which is what matters.

 

[earlytorise]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I may try them if it comes to that. Toady I used the set-up as is, and the screw on the tripod foot is beginning to make a dent in the quick-release plate: the bigger the dent, the easier the plate will fit onto the foot.

 

[BKoh]

The foot of a spotting scope should not have any screws sticking out, it looks strange. Normally the foot will only have holes for either screws or anti-rotation pins from a quick release plate. Maybe you should inspect your scope foot again? It seems unlikely that Opticron would sell a scope with a foot like that.

 

[pete_gamby]

Correct - that pin should not be there on the scope foot - it looks like it has broken off another QR plate. Use some pliers to pull it out.

Cheers, Pete

 

[earlytorise]

Correct - that pin should not be there on the scope foot - it looks like it has broken off another QR plate. Use some pliers to pull it out.

Cheers, Pete

Thanks! I happen to have just sent an email to Opticron to confirm this, and I now realise that you are from Opticron

 

[forent]

I bought a new tripod in a hurry because my previous one doesn't work, (...)
Please advise. Short of my just buying another tripod, what solutions are there?

Sorry, I really don't want to offend you, but the QR plate on your photo looks like cheap, flimsy plastic and seems to be not up to the job. Maybe the head and even the tripod itself are of similar basic quality.
If that's the case: Your fine scope deserves better. Do yourself a favor and invest at least in an appropriate head and QR system.