Are there any 3-way heads that can take an arca style QR clamp?

[Struan Gray]

I'm not a great fan of quick releases for the LF I do, but if I were, a Novoflex Q-base on a Sinar pan-tilt head would be a sweet combination. A levelling base on the tripod would take care of my third axis needs.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have an arrangement like Don Hutton's on my 4x5" Tech V--short plate on the body, 4 inch plate on the bed, and a long clamp, so I can slide the camera from one rail to the next or clamp between them. It's very strong, and it functions as a compact ersatz macro rail in a pinch.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

I use routinely a Gitzo series 3 classic alumin(i)um tripod with the #1370 3-way head on top.
This head is now discontinued, however the 1570, same shape but slightly bigger, is still offered.
On the large plate of the Gitzo head, which is covered by a kind of cork layer, I have screwed, with the large Gitzo brass screw, a classic Arca Swiss quick-release clamp. I insisted that the A/S clamp should be fitted with a solid 3/8" thread, not a small 1/4" . No problem, this was available from A/S upon request.
The screw presses the clamp so hard against the cork, that the cork is slightly compressed as if it was milled to the exact shape of the clamp ; therefore, although you could objet that there is no anti-twist safety system, the probability that the clamp could rotate looks really minimal to me.

[David A. Goldfarb]

About the 1570--Not all Arca-style QR clamp knobs will clear the platform. The clamp on my B2, if it could be removed, has a long enough knob shaft to work, so I would start by trying an Arca-Swiss clamp. My Wimberley C-30 clamp didn't work with it.

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a Kirk Arca-style clamp that I use on a number of heads. It has the bigger 3/8 thread. Right now I'm mainly using it on a Manfrotto 410 geared head, but I've used it on a Sinar pan tilt head and on a Gitzo three way head.

[Bob Salomon]

Yes, Berlebach makes an excellent 3-way pan head with variable tension control and an ARCA quick release built-in.

[Brian Ellis]

Several companies make adapters that allow you to go from say a Bogen hexagonal plate to an Arca plate. I've used one made by Kirk on my Bogen 410 geared head for many years without encountering any stability or other problems. I have a very hard time believing that a quick release plate produces any stability problems with a 4x5 or 8x10 camera. If they do I've never found them and in 20 years of photography I've never used a tripod without also using a quick release plate.

[Aaron Rocky]

I have Gitzo GS5160CDT Arca Swiss adapter plate. It works with Gitzo newer QR system with safety lock (model number ending with a C instead of B). For around $45 it's quite expensive for such a small piece of metal but much cheaper than RRS stuff.

[mrladewig]

Several companies make adapters that allow you to go from say a Bogen hexagonal plate to an Arca plate. I've used one made by Kirk on my Bogen 410 geared head for many years without encountering any stability or other problems. I have a very hard time believing that a quick release plate produces any stability problems with a 4x5 or 8x10 camera. If they do I've never found them and in 20 years of photography I've never used a tripod without also using a quick release plate.

There is this option (which I think would work well).

The other option is to buy a 3-way head with no QR plate and the buy an Arca style clamp as a stand alone.

[Jean-Louis Llech]

I use a Gitzo G-1570 M low profile head in magnesium. It can take TWO quick release clamps. Mine are Linhof's Quickfix. But any other model can be fixed on it using the two 3/8 screws.