Any recommendations for Arca-Swiss plate for 4x5?

[chris kleihege]

Hi Gang,

Anyone have an Arca-Swiss quick release plate recommendation for 4x5 (Walker Titan SF)? On a related question, what are the screw sizes used in the base of cameras (my guess is 1/4" and 3/8"inch but do european models use a metric size)? And on a barely related question, why is it necessary for Arca-Swiss to make different quick-release plates for so many models of DSLR's?

Thanks for your help and instruction,

Chris

[adelorenzo]

I use plates made by Sunwayfoto, you can get them on eBay, B&H etc. They are well made, inexpensive, and they make them in all shapes and sizes. I found that I was able to get one designed for telephoto lenses that has a small lip that catches the edge of my Super Graphic and thus locks it against twisting. Measure carefully and then poke around to see what would fit yours best.

The bottom of cameras is generally 1/4-20 although there may be some that are 3/8. AFAIK none of them are metric threads.

[Jeff Keller]

Most of the Arca-Swiss style plates are designed for 1/4" screws. If your camera has two threaded holes in the bottom: one for 1/4" and one for 3/8" you can put a threaded insert into the 3/8" hole and use both holes to attach a flat Arca-Swiss style plate.

If you have a single threaded hole you will probably want to use a plate with a lip at one end. You can get them in a wide range of lengths with a slot which normally makes it easy to get one to fit your camera. Almost any brand works. Hejnar has a website which makes it easy to find what you want: http://www.hejnarphotostore.com/category-s/131.htm

If you use a head with a lever clamp you probably want to stick to a brand which best matches the dovetail dimensions that work well with RRS lever clamps. If you use an adjustable lever clamp, you might want to standardize on one brand of plate to minimize adjusting the clamp, but I find that a lever clamp that I have to adjust is still faster than a screw clamp.

jeff

[Dave Gesell]

As above, the only thread sizes I've ever seen are 1/4" - 20tpi and 3/8" - 16tpi. Metric never made any inroads in that area. The reason there are so many Arca compatible plates for different cameras is that they have lips on one side that follows the shape of the body to help keep the plate from twisting. As far as a plate for your Walker, if the clamp on your head is a screw style, you can pretty much use any brand of plate (Arca, Wimberley, RRS, Acratech, Benro, Sunway etc). If your head has a lever clamp best stick with a plate from the maker of the clamp as Jeff advised. Plates designed for 35mm telephoto lenses equipped with tripod collars will have a lip at one end which might butt up against a straight edge on the bottom of your camera to keep the plate from twisting. If you have any heavy lenses you might want to use a longer plate than strictly necessary so you can slide the camera back some so it balances a little better. The one I have on my Chamonix 045F1 is 4" long and it comes in handy when I have the Nikkor T ED 360 or 500 mounted.

[Peter De Smidt]

I'm not familiar with your camera. Does it have a large flat plate on the bottom? If so, I'd get a plated that'll cover as much of that bottom as you can. If you have a flat edge, then plates with a lip guarantee that your camera won't spin on the screw, but I haven't found that to be a big problem if the mating surface between the camera and the plate is large. There are a whole bunch of manufacturers: Arca, Really Right Stuff, Kirk, Hejnar, Sunway..... I have a bunch of them, and they're all well made. (There must be some that aren't, but I haven't run into them.) I generally prefer to minimize adapters, and so I'd prefer a 3/8" screw if that's what will go directly into the camera, but using a decent adapter and a 1/4" screw should work just fine.

[chris kleihege]

Hi Gang,
Thank you for your thoughtful responses. They certainly solved a few mysteries.
Sincerely,
Chris

[Kirk Gittings]

I use a 4" Arca style plate and a Kessler clamp-a sweet combination for a 4x5 field camera with a big flat bottom. I think it was made by Sunway, but don't remember exactly. The Kessler clamp I added to my 410 head-removing the original RC4 clamp.

[Greg]

Have switched over to a Kessler Kwik Quick Release (receiver). Even after you release the plate with the back lever, you have the safeguard of having push in another lever to finally release the plate from the receiver. Kessler's Kwik (large) Utility Plate works great on my 11x14 and is much, much easier to use than a 3/8" tripod screw.

[Kirk Gittings]

Here is my 410 Kessler conversion. I have since switched out the nut to a low profile one.
https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12998752_10209323438752938_8565040760561500909_n.jpg?oh=6fa3b29e6f12f7fb58966fe40ee35cc5&oe=586E76C9

[Kirk Gittings]

another:
https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13055700_10209323438792939_3130513066965769640_o.jpg

[Peter De Smidt]

Looks good, Kirk.