bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Greetings
I need to buy another arca swiss clamp and quick release plate to mount on Neewer 4 way focus rail. Are arca swiss compatible clamps and plates available from many sellers on Amazon strong enough to support my camera, lens, flash, focus rail? Or should I pay the higher price and stick with Oben, my ball head and tripod manufacturer? I'm not sure about these cheaper clamps and plates.
Thank you

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

Unless you're swinging your camera and support system as a weapon, I'd guess that any of the clamps and plates are strong enough to handle a properly balanced camera/lens load. I have plates and clamps from Arca Swiss, Really Right Stuff, Kirk, and various unknown ebay sources (presumably all lowest-cost Chinese products) on my equipment now and have never had a reason to worry about any one of 'em coming apart under load.

TreborLow

Ditto me with ebay clamps. Only watch out for the tightening screw....some are hex, some are flat head screws and some might have handy folding finger grips.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Generally speaking, the cheaper eBay/Amazon "universal" Arca-style QR plates and clamps (platforms) are fine. I recently converted a tripod head with a $16 platform from China (incl. shipping) that's surprisingly nicely made. I've also got some lens plates that are "generics" or "clones" and work just fine on smaller, lighter lenses (70-200mm f/4, 100mm macro, 65mm macro).

That said... for camera plates and for heavy lenses I only buy top quality brands.

Camera plates: I only buy the custom made, fitted, "anti-twist" type. The generics too often work poorly on cameras. I've gotten the custom plates from Kirk Photo and Hejnar Photo. I think Really Right Stuff and a few other make them, too. This type of plate is designed and made to fit a specific camera (or battery grip, if using one). There's no way for this type of plate to slip or loosen easily, which happens all too often with the "universal" type.

Heavy lens plates: I think it's worth the extra cost for a Wimberley, RRS, Hejnar or Kirk lens plate, when the lens weighs 6 or 8 lbs and/or costs as much as a used car!

However, with some lenses a custom fitted part is preferable... For example, the OEM tripod mounting foot on my Canon EF 100-400mm II lens is shaped in a way that doesn't work well with generic lens plate anti-twist features. So instead I bought a replacement foot that has the Arca-compatible dovetail built in. At the time, there were three manufacturers offering slightly different designs: Kirk, RRS and Hejnar Photos. I bought the latter for it's combination of features (more secure fastening bolt and not too low profile, so can be used as a handle when carrying the lens) and price (around $75... but saved me buying a $45-$50 universal lens plate, so actually just costs $25-$30 more).

There are some other lenses were replacement tripod mounting feet or even complete replacement tripod mounting rings are available.

I applaud Tamron and Fuji, for including Arca-compatible dovetails built into some of their products! Newer Tamron lenses with tripod mounting rings all have that now. So have some OEM battery grips for certain Fuji cameras. I wish all manufacturers would make that standard practice. It wouldn't be hard to do and it doesn't effect the overall functionality of the product... They can still be mounted using a 1/4" non-QR platform or another type of QR plate can be installed.

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Thank you

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Thank you

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Thank you I appreciate your explanation. I have a Tamron 90mm macro lens mounted on a Nikon D500 on top of a Neewer 4 way focus rail.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

There are several non-big-high-cost brands that also make plates that usually have a ledge on them so the camera won't come off. All the plates are made from aluminium and it won't break no matter what you do. The only issue is how to stop the screw from coming undone or loose.
The plates with finger screws are a pain because often the finger bit flops down although you can tighten them with a pair of pliars. The type with a standard screw slot are okay but can twist loose. The ones with an allen or hex head allows extra tightening to be done because the allen key is L shape which allows extra leverage. Some plates have an additional pin which, if appropriately placed, can also prevent the plate from swiveling off.
And, although I might hesitate do this on the camera itself, on plates not actually fastened to the camera you can use a bit of loctite on the threads. The rationale being that since the plates aren't swapped around at will (otherwise why even bother using them) they can be considered to be permanent.
Loctite can usually be tweaked off with a bit of force and if it comes to the worst you can drill them out. I would even drill them out if attached to a camera although very carefully.
Now if your camera has an L bracket attached so that it won't twist off the camera base then you should have no problem.
The worst, and main problem, is any twisting action between the plate and what it is mounted to. Limit or prevent any sort of twisting action and you are set. Steer clear of anything that is 'universal' unless you well understand what is making it 'universal'.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I like the hardware made by Hejnar Photo:

https://www.hejnarphotostore.com/

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

That looks like some impressive stuff...thanks for posting.

wireloose

I’ll second the Hejnar photo recommendation. US made, very solid, have bought a number of his clamps and brackets, both direct and through eBay.

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

Mrivest Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Speaking of tightening screws. I have a Jobu that is constantly loosening. Is there a way to keep that from happening?
Thanks for any suggestions that you have!

fetzler Loc: North West PA

https://www.adorama.com/sunmac14.html

You might like this clamp. Theses are excellent I have 3.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Yes Loctite blue.