Manfrotto Gimbal 393: I recently purchased the Manfrotto 393 Gimbal Head for my D500 and discovered that I cannot attach my battery grip unless I reverse the mounting plate. Other than...

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

I recently purchased the Manfrotto 393 Gimbal Head for my D500 and discovered that I cannot attach my battery grip unless I reverse the mounting plate. Other than the location of the little split-shaft plastic pin being at the opposite end of the plate, there doesn't appear to be much difference in swapping it end for end.
If anyone has this head and has run into the same issue, is there any reason to be concerned with switching the plate around?

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Keldon wrote:

I recently purchased the Manfrotto 393 Gimbal Head for my D500 and discovered that I cannot attach my battery grip unless I reverse the mounting plate. Other than the location of the little split-shaft plastic pin being at the opposite end of the plate, there doesn't appear to be much difference in swapping it end for end.
If anyone has this head and has run into the same issue, is there any reason to be concerned with switching the plate around?

what lens are you going to use?

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

Sigma 150-600 Sport

Bill_de Loc: US

I think you should mount the lens, not the body.

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Bill_de wrote:

I think you should mount the lens, not the body.

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Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

It is the lens that attaches to the plate.

Bill_de wrote:

I think you should mount the lens, not the body.

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DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Bill_de wrote:

I think you should mount the lens, not the body.

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Good bang for the buck, but definitely for lens mounting. I still have mine sitting on the shelf with extra plates...

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

Ihave it mounted to the lens, that's not the issue. I need to know whether it is okay to reverse the plate and still maintain it's integrity.

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Keldon wrote:

Ihave it mounted to the lens, that's not the issue. I need to know whether it is okay to reverse the plate and still maintain it's integrity.

Is this what you are referring to ?

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

No, I have it mounted the normal way. It's the plate itself that I need to reverse so that the little pin (on some models it's brass, on others just plastic) is now at the front of the mounting plate instead of the back.

dannac wrote:

Is this what you are referring to ?

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Keldon wrote:

No, I have it mounted the normal way. It's the plate itself that I need to reverse so that the little pin (on some models it's brass, on others just plastic) is now at the front of the mounting plate instead of the back.

(Download)

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

Bill_de wrote:

I think you should mount the lens, not the body.

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I had to look up at mine and thought, why would you be mounting the camera on a gimbal?

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

wmurnahan wrote:

I had to look up at mine and thought, why would you be mounting the camera on a gimbal?

I've been on hikes with my gimbal and had occasion to temporarily use a lens with no collar. I have a post with arca-swiss on each end that I put on the gimbal and mount the camera onto. I am unsteady enough that I rarely shoot unsupported, so it's a light tool that comes in handy, albeit rarely.

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

No, the pin is on the mounting plate, the piece that you first attach to the lens and then slide onto the gimbal itself. In your photo it would/should be right where the hole is near the end of the slot.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

DaveO wrote:

I've been on hikes with my gimbal and had occasion to temporarily use a lens with no collar. I have a post with arca-swiss on each end that I put on the gimbal and mount the camera onto. I am unsteady enough that I rarely shoot unsupported, so it's a light tool that comes in handy, albeit rarely.

That would be more of a chore with the 393 due to the wacky RC3 Quick Release system and 357 plates. I mothballed several pieces and the 393.