Mamiya 7II, what quick release plate works?

[Terence]

I use Bogen's rectangular quick release plate (I want to say 3157?) for my smaller tripods (typically a Bogen/Manfrotto 3001), but this seems to interfere with the little button that pops down to release the film from the sprocket. I tried turning the plate sideways, but it allows the camera to move more, and stabs me in the chest when I carry it on the strap around my neck.

What do y'all use to avoid these issues? I was looking to potentially upgrade ballheads soon anyway. What would allow me to keep the camera mounted and stable on a tripod, while still allowing me to change film?

 

[Muihlinn]

Mamiya sells a quick release plate (universal) for this problem, indeed it does not fit the manfrotto heads with manfrotto quick release plates.
I bought an adaptor also sold by mamiya which is basically a well-built cylinder with two screws to separate the plate from the baseplate of the camera.

 

[Baxter Bradford]

The Manfrotto ones for the 410 and 405 (and other) heads have a hole underneath the rubber mat. Cut the rubber with a scalpel and position the hole over the film release button. Simple and cheaper than the Mamiya option!

 

[Terence]

Who knew such things even existed . . .

But yikes! $50 for a tiny cylinder with two screws:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/34874-REG/Mamiya_211514_Tripod_Adapter_N.html

 

[bwakel]

I'd definitely recommend either buying a Arca Swiss ballhead or one of the equivalents from Kirk or Foba or just replace the clamp on your Manfrotto heads with a Kirk or Foba Arca Swiss style clamp. You can then use the excellent Kirk quick release plates on all your cameras. The one for the Mamiya 7II is particularly good. All the controls on the bottom of the camera are accessible but you benefit from a really long plate offering a range of mounting positions. I've also found the Arca style clamps to give the best clamping action with the absolute minimum of relative movement between plate and clamp. I have Kirk plates on my Mamiya 7II, Nikon FM2n and Leica M6 and a Foba plate on my Toyo 45A.

Barry

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I'd definitely recommend either buying a Arca Swiss ballhead or one of the equivalents from Kirk or Foba or just replace the clamp on your Manfrotto heads with a Kirk or Foba Arca Swiss style clamp. You can then use the excellent Kirk quick release plates on all your cameras. The one for the Mamiya 7II is particularly good. All the controls on the bottom of the camera are accessible but you benefit from a really long plate offering a range of mounting positions. I've also found the Arca style clamps to give the best clamping action with the absolute minimum of relative movement between plate and clamp. I have Kirk plates on my Mamiya 7II, Nikon FM2n and Leica M6 and a Foba plate on my Toyo 45A.

Barry

With my Mamiya 7II I use a Really Right Stuff (RRS) plate and an Arca Swiss style RRS QR clamp. Works great!

 

[Woolliscroft]

I bought an adaptor also sold by mamiya which is basically a well-built cylinder with two screws to separate the plate from the baseplate of the camera.

I have one of those too. They work quite well.

David.

 

[pandino]

The Manfrotto ones for the 410 and 405 (and other) heads have a hole underneath the rubber mat. Cut the rubber with a scalpel and position the hole over the film release button. Simple and cheaper than the Mamiya option!

I've used these plates on a 7II also. The hole is perfectly located so the button pops right through.

The plate # is 3271 and they also have adapter plates for any tripod with 1/4"or 3/8" screws.

 

[Terence]

I actually have the 410 geared head, but it seems overkill for the Mamiya 7II. I was hoping for something lighter, to take advantage of the weight savings between my Hasselblad and the 7II.

 

[colrehogan]

Mamiya sells a separator that goes between the camera and the tripod head (it screws into the tripod socket on the camera and fits onto the QR plate) which lifts the camera about an inch above the quick release plate. I don't recall what it is off the top of my head and would have to dig a bit to find mine since it's been a long time since I used that camera.

 

[coriana6jp]

I use the Mamiya Quick Shoe 3 and the factory release plate. Its works perfectly, but I have the quick shoe mounted to a Arca-swiss plate to use on my Z1 ballhead.

HOpe it helps.

Gary

 

[konakoa]

You could always modify your quick-release plate. Just drill a hole in your existing plate for the film release.

This is a snap to do with a Dremel tool - the aluminum of the Manfrotto plates is very easy to mill out. I did this to a little hexagonal plate so I could use two mounting screws in my camera.