Long Arca-Swiss Quick Release Plate with 3/8in screws?

[dh003i]

I gave up trying to use cheaper solutions and bought the AS Z2 head (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/367752-REG/Arca_Swiss_8010017_Monoball_Z2_3_Way_Ballhead.html) (wouldn't be necessary if Gitzo could have made the G1570M smoothly panning on all axis; it baffles me why they are so stiff).

Thus, I'm looking for a long QR plate for an 8x10 Wehman camera that has two 3/8in sockets. Does anyone here know of a long Arca-Swiss QR plate that uses 3/8in screws and allows you to vary the position? The A-S QR Long-150mm (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133978-REG/Arca_Swiss_802250_Long_Camera_Plate_150mm.html) plate uses 1/4 in screws. I've also found a Fotopro 5.5" 140mm A-S compatible QR plate (http://www.amazon.com/Fotopro-Release-Compatible-PC-140-Screws/dp/B004J0KVPG), but it only uses a 3/8 in center socket, with two 1/4in adjustable-position screws on either side.

I also found the 10.6 in Novoflex QPL 270 Double-Sided Arca-Style Rail (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/758111-REG/Novoflex_QPL_270_Arca_Style_10_6x1_7_Plate_w.html) and the 6.5 in Wimberley P50 Arca-Type Quick Release Plate (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/205337-REG/Wimberley_P_50_P50_Quick_Release_Plate.html). The Wimberley one mentions using 3/8in to 1/4in reducing bushings (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=3%2F8%22+to+1%2F4%22-20+Tripod+Reducer+Bushing&N=0&InitialSearch=yes). So I guess this is what I'd need to make any of the above plates work with 3/8in sockets (although I'd prefer ones that can use 3/8in screws straight away, as these must be somewhat stronger and more durable).

[Bob Salomon]

3/8" screws are available for the Novoflex QPL 270, 350 and 450 plates. You just have to ask for them. These new Novoflex plates are double Arca. They have the Arca mount on both the top and the bottom. so you don't have to attach the camera (s) with camera screws directly to the plate. You could also attach the camera to the long reail with two short plates and two quick release mounts or bases to the top of the plate and use one Arca compatible mount on the camera head to allow the entire rail and camera to slide to a desired position. Of course, doing it this way, also allows the camera to be positioned by sliding on the plate as well.

[dh003i]

Thank you for the information Bob. So if I understand correctly, you could buy two of these double-sided Arca Novoflex plates, one of which is permanently affixed to the field camera, the other which you attach to the Z2 head. They then interlock and you can slide them alone one-another to position the camera at its center of gravity (I presume there is a stop to prevent the plate from sliding off).

Is this as secure and rigid as directly attaching the camera & plate to the head?

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you for the information Bob. So if I understand correctly, you could buy two of these double-sided Arca Novoflex plates, one of which is permanently affixed to the field camera, the other which you attach to the Z2 head. They then interlock and you can slide them alone one-another to position the camera at its center of gravity (I presume there is a stop to prevent the plate from sliding off).

Is this as secure and rigid as directly attaching the camera & plate to the head?

No, you buy one of the long plates. It has the Arca profile on both the top and the bottom.

Now you have choices:

1: you use screws to attach the camera firmly to the rail. The camera can not move on the rail unless you loosen the screws.

or

You use two Novoflex Arca compatible double sided clamps. One side clamps onto the rail and the other side clamps to to an Arca compatible plate screwed into the camera. Now the entire camera can slide on the rail for positioning by loosening the clamps slightly.

or

You use two Novoflex compatible single sided Arca compatible clamps and you screw them to the long plate and then attach the camera to these clamps with Arca compatible plates. Now the camera can not slide on the long plate for positioning if the clamps are loosened.

To attach the long rail to your head you can either use an Arca compatible quick release or mount. This would allow the entire rail and camera to slide front to back for positioning.

or

You screw the long rail to the tripod head. Now the camera/rail can only adjust for positioning front to back by moving the tripod.

Remember I said the these long double profile rails are available in 3 lengths. The longest one is 450cm long (17.7"). You can also use two or more of these long rails and the Novoflex double sided Arca compatible clamps to make telescoping rails that can easily support your camera. These double sided Arca compatible clamps are made to either let you mount two rails, one above the other so they can telecope, or perpendicular to each other for X/Y axis movements. You can also use them to mount multiple cameras, either on the same side or one above the other. The individual cameras can slide to control the distance between them if double sided, Arca compatible, quick mounts are used.

Any safety stops made by one manufacturer is not compatible with the one from another. So the Novoflex safety stop on their Arca compatible plates and bases is different then the one for Giottos Arca system or Berlebach or Arca. So any safety stop probably won't work on your heads QR system with these plates.

[Justin Cormack]

Thus, I'm looking for a long QR plate for an 8x10 Wehman camera that has two 3/8in sockets. Does anyone here know of a long Arca-Swiss QR plate that uses 3/8in screws and allows you to vary the position?

I just used the long Arca plate with two 1/4 screws and two 3/8 to 1/8 adaptors...

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

and two 3/8 to 1/8 adaptors...

Just my 0,02 euro to the discussion : there exist good quality 1/4"-to-3/8" inserts made of brass, that will never stick inside your camera socket. I've got some of those in Germany and the problem of threaded inserts stuck inside an aluminum socket has been solved for me.

For historians, the Arca Swiss clamp and dovetail plates are listed in the Oschwald catalogue as of about 1965. The shape of the classical A/S dovetail did not change since.
See this scanned copy of an Oschwald catalogue, date = the sixties, see page 25 (sorry, this is the German + French edition, pictures are self-explanatory)
http://www.cijoint.fr/cjlink.php?file=cj201104/cijhAE2UgE.pdf

[Frank Petronio]

But use the 3/8-16 screws. It would be far better to rip the base of the camera off than to have the screws fail ;-)

[dh003i]

The directions that come with the Arca-Swiss Z2 head for tightening the quick-release mechanism to hold the quick-lock plate securely are garbage. It took me quite a bit of trial and error to figure that out (initially, the female clamp parts were too loose and needed to be tightened to hold the plate securely).

Other than that, it is clearly a great head -- rock-solid. However, it seems like once you tilt the head so that it would put a DSLR in portrait mode (I realize this is unnecessary for large-format), you can't aim the camera up or down. The panning mechanism is at the base of the head, instead of below the base-plate/quick release mechanism of the head. Thus, when you put the head in portrait mode, I can't figure out a way to aim it up or down. Unless I'm missing something, it seems like you would need a to attach a panning base to the quick-release plate to be able to aim the camera up or down while in portrait mode.

Thoughts?

[jeroldharter]

Here's one:

http://www.feisol.net/feisol-quick-release-plate-qp200-p-72.html?osCsid=6aprm7cj8dmqn39g17rhnvhc53

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Here's one:

http://www.feisol.net/feisol-quick-release-plate-qp200-p-72.html?osCsid=6aprm7cj8dmqn39g17rhnvhc53

The Feisol QP-200 is 200mm (7.87") long. It has a central slot that is 120mm (4.72") in length. It comes with one 3/8" mounting screw and two 1/4" mounting screws. The mounting screws can be placed anywhere within the 120mm central mounting slot. You could add a second 3/8" mounting screw, or use one of the 1/4" screws with a 1/4" - 3/8" bushing adapter.

SunwayFoto also makes three plates specifically for large format cameras that have long central slots and come with both 1/4" and 3/8" mounting screws. The DP-508 (http://www.sunwayfoto.com/html/products/201004/188.html) is 50mm x 80mm and is probably best suited to 4x5 field cameras. The DP-610 (http://www.sunwayfoto.com/html/products/201004/189.html) is 60mm x x100mm and might work for your Wehman. The DP-813 (http://www.sunwayfoto.com/html/products/201004/190.html) is 80mm x 130mm and should handle any 8x10 (or larger) camera.

Kerry

[dh003i]

The Feisol QP-200 (7.87in) long seems nice, but doesn't look like it has safety stops?

Regarding the SunwayFoto DP-813, is the wide base-plat (80mm / 3.15in wide) advantageous even when using 2 screws to secure the camera vs. a narrower baseplate (like the QP-200)?

[jeroldharter]

The Feisol QP-200 (7.87in) long seems nice, but doesn't look like it has safety stops?

Regarding the SunwayFoto DP-813, is the wide base-plat (80mm / 3.15in wide) advantageous even when using 2 screws to secure the camera vs. a narrower baseplate (like the QP-200)?

Not sure what safety stops are. I used it on my Wehman 8x10 with the two screw holes on the bottom and it worked fine (with the AS Z1 ball head).

However, I gravitated to the Gitzo pan-tilt head.

If you want to try it, PM me your address and I will send it to you. You can re-imburse me for the postage. If you can use it then keep it or else return it to me.

[dh003i]

jeroldharter,

Thank you; I also have a Gitzo G1570 pan-tilt head, which I am going to compare this head to soon. I suspect that the Z2 is smoother and more solid, but will test first.

[jeroldharter]

jeroldharter,

Thank you; I also have a Gitzo G1570 pan-tilt head, which I am going to compare this head to soon. I suspect that the Z2 is smoother and more solid, but will test first.

I bought the Gitzo because I did not think the Z2 was solid enough. The Z2 is great for 4x5 but I think overmatched by an 8x10 even though the weight rating suggests otherwise. The reality is that the weight of the camera, and all the torque induced by the extended bellows, sits on a small rod on a ball. By comparison, the Gitzo has much more surface area to support the base of the camera and is much more solid. The Wehman has a huge base but it is aluminum and I think it flexes a little bit atop such a tiny support.

I find it paradoxically easier to attach the Wehman on the Gitzo than when using a quick release plate with the Arca. Even a long release plate looks like a trifle on the bottom of the Wehman and it is hard to see under the camera to fit things together. Lots of fiddling and ducking my head to line things up. With the Gitzo, I tilt the head vertical, hold the Wehman by the carry strap, and then just screw it in. I can see the hole easily and it is very quick. My Gitzo is also a bit stiff but seems to be loosening with use.

[Joseph Dickerson]

You might contact Really Right Stuff.

I'm sure they'll have something that will do what you want.

JD

[dh003i]

I bought the Gitzo because I did not think the Z2 was solid enough. The Z2 is great for 4x5 but I think overmatched by an 8x10 even though the weight rating suggests otherwise. The reality is that the weight of the camera, and all the torque induced by the extended bellows, sits on a small rod on a ball. By comparison, the Gitzo has much more surface area to support the base of the camera and is much more solid. The Wehman has a huge base but it is aluminum and I think it flexes a little bit atop such a tiny support.

I find it paradoxically easier to attach the Wehman on the Gitzo than when using a quick release plate with the Arca. Even a long release plate looks like a trifle on the bottom of the Wehman and it is hard to see under the camera to fit things together. Lots of fiddling and ducking my head to line things up. With the Gitzo, I tilt the head vertical, hold the Wehman by the carry strap, and then just screw it in. I can see the hole easily and it is very quick. My Gitzo is also a bit stiff but seems to be loosening with use.

jerold, thanks for the info. I'm a little confused on your earlier post, though. You said,

"You can re-imburse me for the postage. If you can use it [G1570M] then keep it or else return it to me."

Did you just offer to give me a $300+ tripod head for the cost of postage? Did I do something really nice for you in a prior life? ;-)

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Regarding the SunwayFoto DP-813, is the wide base-plat (80mm / 3.15in wide) advantageous even when using 2 screws to secure the camera vs. a narrower baseplate (like the QP-200)?

The wider SunwayFoto plates have a much larger contact area between the plate and the base of the camera. This would likely eliminate the flexing Jerold mentioned:


The Wehman has a huge base but it is aluminum and I think it flexes a little bit atop such a tiny support.

Kerry

[jeroldharter]

jerold, thanks for the info. I'm a little confused on your earlier post, though. You said,

"You can re-imburse me for the postage. If you can use it [G1570M] then keep it or else return it to me."

Did you just offer to give me a $300+ tripod head for the cost of postage? Did I do something really nice for you in a prior life? ;-)

Oops. I meant to say that if you want to try that Feisol quick release plate I would send it to you for the cost of postage. If you like it you can keep it. If you don't like it you can send it back to me. (I'll keep the Gitzo!)