Toyo 45 Field QR rail (or , building the perfect camera)

[Darin Boville]

I'm looking for a great Acra-Swiss rail for the bottom of my Toyo 45AX (trying to build the perfect camera, you see...)

So far I have only been able to find ho-hum rails--but with all the choices now out there maybe there is a better solution.

I checked out the Really Right Stuff MPR-73 rail and I'm not sure its the best solution (though it is the one RRS recommended). It's quite short--covers only about half the available space on the Toyo for a flat rail. Of course the real problem is that the tripod collar, which is surrounded by a ring that sticks up a millimeter or three, is going to cause any rail to sit above most of the camera bottom.

Why is that an issue? Aside from the obvious regarding lack of surface contact there is the pain-in-the-butt issue only obvious to Toyo 45 users--the position of the tripod will then always have to be 1) directly between the rear extension locks which may make them hard to get to and, 2) if you use heavy lenses you have the tripod attached way at the back of the camera and the lens racked all the way out at the front of the camera, fifteen inches away--not the best!

What I need is a customized version for the Toyo

What to do? My thinking is I need a rail about 4 1/2 to 4 /3/4 inch long with a single 3/8 screw that can attached toward one side. It would run the entire length of the flat bottom of the Toyo. Since the ideal shape (machined to account for the circular tripod mount ring) is not available I'd need to customize it by bonding some sort of cork (?) to it. See photo with my professionally rendered engineering markers:

On the other hand, I know little of the RRS rivals and even less of the many Chinese knock-offs that are appearing. I haven't even considered the possibility of having an RRS rail machined to fit by someone else until as I'm writing this...

Thoughts? Anyone go down this road before? All I'm looking for is perfection

--Darin

[dsphotog]

Take a look at the Manfrotto 357, the QR plate is 5 1/2" x about 2 1/4",
Adjustable travel is about 3 in.
$50 at BH

[Frank Petronio]

I bought an 8" Arca-compatible flat plate on eBay years ago, it was cheap. For that money you could trim part of it off to fit, install with Loctite, and I bet it would be rock solid because of all the contact area. If it still twists, perhaps a strategic hole drilled and a dowel?

Better yet, get rid of the ball head and go back to a good old screw mount like Daguerre and Ansel used and is the most right and correct ;-)

Really think about it, are there any famous, great photographs that have ever been made using a Ball Head?

[jeroldharter]

Darin,

Have you checked these out?

http://www.feisol.net/feisol-quick-r...p200-p-72.html

I have one that I never used. I bought it for my 8x10 camera and then decided to go without a quick release mechanism. I think mine is exactly like the one shown except for what looks like a measuring scale on the side. As I recall, the screws are removeable and somewhat adjustable so that you could slide the screw along the length of the quick release plate to balance the camera/lens on the tripod.

If you want it, I will sell it for $30 including shipping.

[jeroldharter]

I just went and double checked - I was a little off. The plate I have is very similar but is made by Photo Clam and purchased through Kerry Thalman at Really Big Cameras. This is the only link I could find:

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/ind...ase-plate.html

[Darin Boville]

>>Really think about it, are there any famous, great photographs that have ever been made using a Ball Head?<<

Actually, I use a Bogen 401 for most things, and a Majestic for the others. I *am* trying to get a Benro to work that I bought a year or two ago--the rubber grip stuff fell right off. My wife or kids may like it.

I'm with you, though--can't figure out why people like ball heads so much, especially for LF...

--Darin

[Darin Boville]

Darin,

Have you checked these out?

http://www.feisol.net/feisol-quick-r...p200-p-72.html

I have one that I never used. I bought it for my 8x10 camera and then decided to go without a quick release mechanism. I think mine is exactly like the one shown except for what looks like a measuring scale on the side. As I recall, the screws are removeable and somewhat adjustable so that you could slide the screw along the length of the quick release plate to balance the camera/lens on the tripod.

If you want it, I will sell it for $30 including shipping.

Does the bottom have screws from mounting to non-Acra heads? I'm looking for perfection, you see

--Darin

[Darin Boville]

I just went and double checked - I was a little off. The plate I have is very similar but is made by Photo Clam and purchased through Kerry Thalman at Really Big Cameras. This is the only link I could find:

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/ind...ase-plate.html

Hmmmm. I bought a plate from Kerry but it doesn't seem to fit all my Arca Clamps...don't know if it is the clamp or the rail but...hmmmmm....

--Darin

[jeroldharter]

Darin,

No, the bottom does not have screw holes. I assume you mean a screw hole so that you could screw the quick release plate onto a regular head. For one thing, I don't think most plates are thick enough to accommodate a tripod screw. Also, it would defeat the purpose of "quick" release and greatly reduce the surface area or the attachment. It would be better to just remove the plate and attach the camera directly to the other head in that case.