Arca-Swiss F-line with RRS Lever Release Clamp

[Greg Miller]

I'm the proud new owner of an Arca-Swiss F-line field with the new bellows & 140 rear standard. It arrived today and I managed to assemble it with no instructions and a bit of brain power.

The problem is mounting it to my Really Right Stuff lever release QR clamp. When I place the camera mounting plate in the RRS clamp and fully close the lever the mounting plate still moves freely so the camera is far from secure. I placed a call to RRS - they indicate that the Arca-Swiss LF mounting plates are narrower than the A-S standard for mounting plates so the only option is to go back to the screw clamp. I really like the lever release clamp (its fast and hard to screw up) so aside from my wasted investment I really don't want to go back to a screw clamp from a functionality standpoint.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Rory Roopnarine]

Aha! A few weeks ago, I was in exactly the same position as you are in now. At first, I didn't realize that my new F-metric Arca was slowly sliding out of my RRS QR lever clamp and I just narrowly averted disaster. Don't worry, though, you won't have to replace the lever clamp. However, you will have to order the B29 RRS camera plate and attach it (via the dedicated 3/8-16 screw) to your existing Arca LF mounting plate. This solution has worked perfectly for me and I can now continue using the lever clamp confident now that the camera won't be crashing into the earth anytime soon! Regards.

[Nicholas Fiduccia]

Hi Greg and Rory,

Would any of you be so kind to post the weight of your new setup? And how much additional bellows extension can you achive with the new bellows. Thanks!

[Greg Miller]

Rory - thanks , that sounds like a good solution.

Nicholas - My F Field weighs 5.5 pounds. That is unfortuanley done with a bathroom scale but does match the rough number provided by the A-S folks. This updated model has only been out a couple of months and I have not found any official literature. The weight is the full system except for no (110) lens board or lens. I have the 30 cm folding rail.

I measure the full extension of the bellows at about 17". This is a rough measurement because I had to remove the rear standard from the 30cm rail to extend it fully. I tried to measure from lens board to film plane but again this was a rough measurement. If I remember correctly A-S quoted 420 mm. which would be 16.5".

[Greg Miller]

I should add that the same bellows would allow for a a lens as wide as 58mm with a flat board - bellows would be fully compressed at that point which would make movements difficult but still probably easier than with a conventional bellows. My widest lens is a 90mm which the camera handled with easy / full movements.

[Nicholas Fiduccia]

Thanks Greg. It does appear that in order to get full use of the bellows (and allow use of say a 300mm lens), you would either have to get the "telescopic" rail or get a rail extension.

[Frank Petronio]

I am assuming - but never completely confident - that the Arca-Swiss version of the lever clamp, which they call the "Flip-Lock" - will work with all Arca cameras...

[Glenn Kroeger]

Greg:

Apparently Arca-Swiss have announced a new 6" rail extension that would be perfect for utilizing the full length of the new bellows.

[Frank Petronio]

No offense to RRS, who are good folks, but should they have made an "Arca-Swiss" compatible clamp that worked with ALL Arca-Swiss products, especially their cameras? Because otherwise, they aren't making Arca-Swiss compatible products, only RRS compatible products...

[Greg Miller]

Glenn - Thanks, yes the new rail is the perfect length. I'll have to order it. I was hoping there would be enough wiggle room to get my Nikkor 300M to focus with the folding rail but it is not working. The new rail will be another almost $300 investment (yes I know - one of the downsides to the A-S line). I'm thinking that once I have that then I'll be all set. That and a protective case for carrying inside my backpack, and the compendium hood,...