Quick releases clamps and plates

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 25, 2020

Mine broke. I need another. I have an old Gitzo 3-way head and a Chamonix 45H-1 4x5 large format camera. I also will be shooting with a Mamiya RB67 medium format camera with the same tripod.

So which quick-release system works well for both? Thanks.

BradS · Nov 25, 2020

I bought into the Bogen/Manfrotto hex plates but if I were to do it all over again, I'd go with the Arca Swiss type quick release stuff. I say type because there are many compatible products form many different vendors.

eli griggs · Nov 25, 2020

What was the system that broke on you and what was it carrying?

David A. Goldfarb · Nov 25, 2020

Lots of choices with Arca-Swiss type plates from various manufacturers. I think some of the best plates and clamps are from Really Right Stuff, but I also have Kirk, Arca-Swiss, Wimberley, as well as generics and one custom plate for Sinar.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 26, 2020

eli griggs said:
What was the system that broke on you and what was it carrying?

See pictures. The quick-release broke. The picture shows original clamp and Gitzo Tripod. The release plate is about 2"x3". I mount a Mamiya RB67, medium format, or a Chamonix 45H-1 large format 4x5 camera.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 26, 2020

I see holder that have levers and others where there are turn knobs. Which are better?

eli griggs · Nov 26, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
I see holder that have levers and others where there are turn knobs. Which are better?

I like 'sliding levers' like I find on my Gitzo three section tripod's ball head.

Threads screws do no allow the york larger camera's need and fixed levers often require more adjusting than that conducive to good work flow.

Whatever quick release system you buy, try to find one with affordable spare plates, so you can keep plates on your favorite camera's.

AgX · Nov 26, 2020

The broken quick release clamp thus is from Gitzo, but do I not see anything faulty.

For me a QR system must yield
-) easy acceptance of the the plate, without much looking and without fiddling
-) at least provisional self-arresting of the plate
-) easy strong fastening of the plate without play

bdial · Nov 26, 2020

I was recently shopping for a quick release system. The knob-type clamps were recommended to me. What I discovered was that the lever type clamps may not adapt well to various manufacturers plates, even though they are all Arca-Swiss compatible.
Some lever clamps can be adjusted to fine-tune for different plates, others can’t. I settled on an Arca Swiss clamp for one head, and a FLM clamp for my other tripod, both with knobs. Currently, I have a couple of FLM plates, plus a Really Right Stuff dedicated plate for my digital. The largest camera I’m using with the quick release system for now is a Deardorf 5x7.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 26, 2020

AgX said:
The broken quick release clamp thus is from Gitzo, but do I not see anything faulty.

For me a QR system must yield
-) easy acceptance of the the plate, without much looking and without fiddling
-) at least provisional self-arresting of the plate
-) easy strong fastening of the plate without play

1. What does "at least provisional self-arresting of the plate" mean?
2. WHich manufacturer and/or model meets these requirements?

AgX · Nov 26, 2020

With that I mean that at having the plate entered the receptacle/clamp, it automatically is locked to that extend that it cannot get out of the clamp again.

The Manfrotto systems "Hexagonal" and "Rectangular 323" have such automatic locks.

The locking levers are springloaded and locked in the open state. At inserting the plate by this a stud is depressed that releases the locking lever.
If needed one can press them further by hand.

This enables one to set an LF camera or large set onto the tripod with both hands at the camera/set.
Well, at taking the camera off, one needs one hand to unlock the holder, thus for a moment there will be only one hand at the camera. But taking a camera off a quick-release holder is less tricky than to place it onto.

BradS · Nov 26, 2020

AgX said:
With that I mean that at having the plate entered the receptacle/clamp, it automatically is locked to that extend that it cannot get out of the clamp again.

The Manfrotto systems "Hexagonal" and "Rectangular 323" have such automatic locks.

The locking levers are springloaded and locked in the open state. At inserting the plate by this a stud is depressed that releases the locking lever.
If needed one can press them further by hand.

This enables one to set an LF camera or large set onto the tripod with both hands at the camera/set.
Well, at taking the camera off, one needs one hand to unlock the holder, thus for a moment there will be only one hand at the camera. But taking a camera off a quick-release holder is less tricky than to place it onto.

This is one of the things that I really appreciate about the Bogen/Manfrotto hex plate QR system.
I had assumed, perhaps naively, that all QR systems had this feature. Is that not the case?

MattKing · Nov 26, 2020

I use the smaller Manfrotto (PL14?) plates and like the so called "architectural" versions that add additional resistance to the camera twisting on the plates. They only fit on some cameras though, and are probably too small for a view camera.

eli griggs · Nov 26, 2020

I suggest you use a Hasselblad Quick Release and make, yourself, camera plate out of Brass, in the form of the sliding locking plate, on camera, with a top plate of about four to five inches, round or square.

You are lucky to be in Germany, where you can find an engineer/machinist trade school and pay or trade with a good student, to make you such a plate or two, perhaps others for 35mm cameras, Tales, size adjusted in the top plate section

With a hack saw, a file, a small drill, hand or power, some strong Picture Red and the odd or end pieces, and brass plate, from a hobby shop, you can do this yourself in a few hours, just be sure to make a card stock mockup, first.

The Hasselblad locking plate you can buy, used, and you can also make the camera plate with pins, that can keep a LF camera from twisting to the sides.

IMO.

AgX · Nov 26, 2020

What is so good on the Hasselblad system that you advocate it?

eli griggs · Nov 26, 2020

I have a Gitzo tripod, a nice aluminum job, with a small ball head, and, properly fitted, the Hasselblad locking plate will handle 500CM and 250mm lens, with and without a telaconverter.

That's a pretty heavy package and thought the ball head will do fine on it's own, mounting a Speed Graphic and press lens, I've been thinking of making some sliding top plates for other camera's

I happen to like the round bottom plate on old Deredorf LF camera's and making a removable plate for the Hasselblad should be pretty simple.

I have used other quick releases, but have seen the type with lever releases, snag on people, vegetation, ghosts and dump camera's without warning.

The Hasselblad quick release has a 'snuggle' lever also, but there is a substantial blocking in' that must be pushed up manually, to allow a camera to slid off.

I do no carry camera's on extended tripods for more than a few yards, but that system is reassuring, when the Hasselblad locking plate is tightly mounted onto the tripod

IMO.

wiltw · Nov 26, 2020

AgX said:
With that I mean that at having the plate entered the receptacle/clamp, it automatically is locked to that extend that it cannot get out of the clamp again.

The Manfrotto systems "Hexagonal" and "Rectangular 323" have such automatic locks.
The locking levers are springloaded and locked in the open state. At inserting the plate by this a stud is depressed that releases the locking lever.
If needed one can press them further by hand.
This enables one to set an LF camera or large set onto the tripod with both hands at the camera/set.
Well, at taking the camera off, one needs one hand to unlock the holder, thus for a moment there will be only one hand at the camera. But taking a camera off a quick-release holder is less tricky than to place it onto.

I used to use the Manfrotto hex plate and QR, back when it was marketed in US under the 'Bogen' name. There are two generations of Manfrotto hex QR...one with a safety lock on the QR lever, and one without safety lock. Mine was the non-safety QR, used on a Bogen 3221 tripod. During one outing, I threw the tripod+body+lens over my shoulder, to move to a new position not far away. I slightly bumped the QR lever, just enough for it to release the hex plate but not fully unlock...fortunately I had taken the precaution of looping the camera strap on one arm, so the camera and lens did not hit the ground! That was THE END of the Manfrotto QR system for me!!! I needed something that a partial bump of the QR lever would NOT release the QR plate on the camera. I switched to Linhof Profi II, as it needed to handle Medium Format kit; no complaints about inadvertant release.

Later, when I upgraded my tripod from aluminum Manfrotto/Bogen to Gitzo carbon fiber, I acquired an RRS BH-40; no complaints about inadvertant release.

The problem about 'Arca-Swiss compatible' is that there is NO STANDARD width of the plate, so lever QR from Brand A might no grip plate from Brand B sufficient. Newer QR releases sometimes incorporate an adjustment so the QR closed position fits differing widths from multiple brands of plates.

AgX · Nov 27, 2020

Yes, I know of the safety lock on the arresting lever missing on hexagonal receptacles more than 20years old. Maybe on very old rectangular ones too. I realized that when searching for the designation of a certain head and found one photo of a receptacle lacking that safety device. But I considered the chance of the lever accidentally being opened as utmost low, as first a strap or such would have to go under the lever and then with some force the lever must be swung by about 90°. At my model of head only the very tip of the lever protrudes.
Manfrotto designed the added safety lock in a way that it must be activated before.

Interesting to learn that there nevertheless can be situations where the arresting lever can accidentally be moved.

Thus anyone with a Manfrotto QR system with arresting lever, should contemplate for his very situation (type of head, tripod and camera) whether the lever could accidentally be swung by 90°. If so he then should activate the safety lock. In case the safety lock is missing it would not be hard for a tinkerer to add a locking device that keeps the lever from being accidentally swung.

Deleted member 88956 · Nov 27, 2020

BradS said:
I bought into the Bogen/Manfrotto hex plates but if I were to do it all over again, I'd go with the Arca Swiss type quick release stuff. I say type because there are many compatible products form many different vendors.

+ 1, Arca Swiss system is basically where majority of by-products have landed, so if you look around you will see almost nothing else offered. And that means any price point you want or can accept.

wiltw · Nov 27, 2020

AgX said:
Thus anyone with a Manfrotto QR system with arresting lever, should contemplate for his very situation (type of head, tripod and camera) whether the lever could accidentally be swung by 90°. If so he then should activate the safety lock. In case the safety lock is missing it would not be hard for a tinkerer to add a locking device that keeps the lever from being accidentally swung.

It did NOT take a 90 degree accidental bump to have my hex head release my camera accidentally to send it sailing off...I would say only about a 20 degree bump was needed...a nudge is what released the grip of the QR and it relocked itself, but the QR plate had been sufficiently released by the small nudge!

My change to Linhof Profi was immune to accidental nudges, it took a full throw of the QR lever to actually open the QR lock. The QR lever RRS is nice to use (assuming you use only QR plates that fit its non-adjustable clamp (mine predates adjustable clamp); but having Arca-style plates with different dimesions on one outing scarcely sounds like fun having to perpetually readjust!

AgX · Nov 27, 2020

wiltw said:
It did NOT take a 90 degree accidental bump to have my hex head release....I would say only about a 20 degree bump was needed.

Interesting again. Thus seemingly Manfrotto changed the shape of the cone at that lever. At my, more modern receptacle it takes about 90° of swing to have the conical part vanish and the straight edge align with the plate.

BrianShaw · Nov 27, 2020

I still use a “version 1 or 2” 3047 head and can totally relate to wiltw’s experience. The later versions acknowledged that deficiency in the re-design.

David A. Goldfarb · Nov 27, 2020

With Arca-Swiss type systems, I like knob locks rather than cam/lever locks. The levers are quick to use, but some plates seem not to work with all of them. Ironically it is often original Arca-Swiss plates that can be ever so slightly smaller than plates that work with the cam locking clamps, and aren’t quite as secure. The screw locking clamps have a wider range of adjustment, so if a plate is worn or slightly smaller or slightly larger than spec, it still works fine.

Deleted member 88956 · Nov 27, 2020

wiltw said:
It did NOT take a 90 degree accidental bump to have my hex head release my camera accidentally to send it sailing off...I would say only about a 20 degree bump was needed...a nudge is what released the grip of the QR and it relocked itself, but the QR plate had been sufficiently released by the small nudge!

My change to Linhof Profi was immune to accidental nudges, it took a full throw of the QR lever to actually open the QR lock. The QR lever RRS is nice to use (assuming you use only QR plates that fit its non-adjustable clamp (mine predates adjustable clamp); but having Arca-style plates with different dimesions on one outing scarcely sounds like fun having to perpetually readjust!

20 degree is way off what Manforotto makes. It takes a whole lot more of a lever twist to release the plate. Not sure if it's full quarter turn, but pretty close. And I have new heads from Manfrotto on top of ones from 30 years back, pretty much all the same in this respect.

But a few years ago I became convinced Arca style has rigidity and flexibility, all of it at many price points, it's no brainer for me were to go anymore.

Kodachromeguy · Nov 27, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
See pictures. The quick-release broke. The picture shows original clamp and Gitzo Tripod. The release plate is about 2"x3". I mount a Mamiya RB67, medium format, or a Chamonix 45H-1 large format 4x5 camera.
View attachment 260268 View attachment 260269

I do not understand from this photograph. What is broken?
Thought #1: if you already have several Gitzo plates for your camera, it would be easiest to buy another Gitzo receiver.
Thought #2: I tried the Manfrotto hex plates and thought they were clumsy, crude, heavy, and bulky on the bottom of my cameras.
Thought #3: If you are starting afresh, go with the Arca-Swiss design because so many companies make plates of different size and cages that will fit.
Your tripod looks like one of the fine French units from the old days.

Quick releases clamps and plates

Alan Edward Klein

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bdial

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AgX

Deleted member 88956

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Quick releases clamps and plates

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