Calumet CC400 on 3047 rotates on the quick release

[Warren Weckesser]

Charley,

Here's a picture of the plate, with the black rubber pad removed. None of the holes that you see are threaded. I bought the 3047 (with the QR plate) used from KEH, and it did not come with any additional screws.

[charleymeyer]

Hi Warren, I have several of these with screws, they may be a later version. I don't use the set screws as it's mounted on a Super D Graflex (wood)

[Oren Grad]

Warren -

I have four Bogen hex plates for the 3047 floating around. Just dug them out and took a look - one of them has a set screw - in your picture, it would be in the hole just to the lower left of the central screw. My other three, on the other hand, don't have it.

Maybe if you contact the parts department at Bogen - (201) 818-9500 Ext-244, or email parts@bogenimaging.com - they can tell you if it's possible to retrofit a set screw to your plate, or how to get a plate with the set screw.

[Gene Crumpler]

My 3047 plates have cork on the top. I've not had any problems once I get the plate tight enough! The leverage you get on a long monorail may be too much for the plate to hold securely.

FWIW

[Dave Hally]

I had this happen sometimes even with my Toyo Field Camera. It even twisted the cork on the top of the plate the last time. I do tend to extreme camera overhangs and odd angles though. I would tap one of the holes for a set screw, and maybe a mating hole or dimple in the base of the camera. I just switched to a more compact geared head (Manfrotto 3275 I think). I used it last Saturday at the coast near Pescadero, it worked great, with precise positioning and no slipping!. The plates are different (rectangular), but I don't switch cameras that often, so no problem at all so far.

[ronald moravec]

Sounds like yu are missing the tightening nut on the screw. you are supposed to tighten the screw to proper debth, back out a little, then rotate the tightening screw.

If this fails to be tight enough. give yourself some rotation of the camera to firm it up.

I had no problem with my same exact set up.

[Ed Richards]

The plates are cheap - <$20. The newer ones have three set screws in those holes, which let you clamp against the base of the camera mount. Add some screw lock juice from the auto supply and it will lock up tight. If it still turns, use the suggestion about just tapping a screw through the plate into the camera base. You can also just peel off the cork - metal to metal is much tighter, esp. with a drop of epoxy.:-)

[Dan Fromm]

I've had similar problems with Manfrotto hex QR plates. I asked Bogen for advice, was told that real Manfrotto plates have a slot in the outer tightening knob (or whatever you call it) and that I should just stick a screwdriver or something similar in the slot and apply force.

Warren, please show us the underside of your QR plate.

[Jim Ewins]

The set screw is the answer. I drilled and tapped the hex plate for 1/4-20 and drilled for a 1/4 brass sleeve in the base of my Wisner Pocket. A 1/2" set screw set 1/4" in the base leaves 1/4" to fit in the sleeve. It doesn't move.

[Warren Weckesser]

I figured I would try the simplest thing first, and that was "apply more force". I tightened it as much as a could by hand, and then used a screw driver in the "slot" that Dan mentioned to crank it down another quarter turn, which was about as much as I could do using just a screw driver as my lever. I spent the last hour or so taking shots of bad still-life compositions in landscape format using the Polaroid back, and it seems to be holding pretty well. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I'm sure I'll be back again with more basic questions, so don't go away!