Tripod Release Plates: Tripod release plates remind me of watch batteries and printer ink cartridges. Why so many different styles? We've had some cheapo, light tripods over the years...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Tripod release plates remind me of watch batteries and printer ink cartridges. Why so many different styles? We've had some cheapo, light tripods over the years, and each one had a different release plate.

My son got a Vanguard Tracker 4 a few years ago and bought extra plates for it, knowing he would not be able to walk into a store and buy one.

I recently got one of these myself - nice tripod and not too expensive. I got the new GH-100 pistol grip ball head for it, and that takes a different plate - almost twice the price of the regular plate. There is absolutely no reason for a different release plate on the ball head. From a manufacturing standoint, it would be cheaper to make one plate for all products, and it would make life easier for customers.

If I am in the market for a new tripod, I would like to be able to use the mounting plates I already have. If I know that even if I buy another Vanguard, I will need a different plate, that could steer me toward a different brand.

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Well, the Arca-Swiss dovetail pattern is almost a standard, but after that, you have a four-cornered fight between price, quality, size and convenience. Relatively few people are prepared to pay for real quality (no slop, no risk of involuntary separation, and durability) so there are quite a number of competing 'standards': I use Linhof, Arca-type (NPC) and Q-Top. All very good: all completely incompatible; and all frighteningly expensive.

Cheers,

R.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Roger Hicks wrote:

Well, the Arca-Swiss dovetail pattern is almost a standard, but after that, you have a four-cornered fight between price, quality, size and convenience. Relatively few people are prepared to pay for real quality (no slop, no risk of involuntary separation, and durability) so there are quite a number of competing 'standards': I use Linhof, Arca-type (NPC) and Q-Top. All very good: all completely incompatible; and all frighteningly expensive.

Cheers,

R.

And, of course, you must also buy a frighteningly expensive ball head and a frighteningly expensive tripod.

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

jerryc41 wrote:

And, of course, you must also buy a frighteningly expensive ball head and a frighteningly expensive tripod.

Not necessarily. One of my favorite tripods (an old MPP) cost me GBP 4, about $6, complete with P+T head and good QR fitting, and another, ex-War Department but with no QR fitting, I was given.

Both the Q-Top and the Linhof QR adapters are complete in themselves, and fit on top of any tripod head, and the Linhof head most usually goes onto another second-hand tripod (and head) that cost me under $20 (though I've since learned it's worth ten times that).

Cheers,

R.

melphoto60

jerryc41 wrote:

Tripod release plates remind me of watch batteries... (show quote)

if you move to a different tripod you can still use your ball head on it no reason to buy a different head.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

melphoto60 wrote:

quote=jerryc41 Tripod release plates remind me of... (show quote)

Good point.

Bigdaver

I use a Gitzo with a big ball head and Arca L brackets by Kirk and RRS.
If you want a minimum, you can get a Kirk quick release for about $50 for a small one, and a generic plate for about $35. They work much better than any tripod specific I've seen.
Once you use and L bracket, you won't go back, but they are about $150.

JohnKr Loc: Gulf Coast Florida

The Tripod that I have is a Bogen #3063 that I have had for the best part of 30 years. I lost one of the plates about a year after I got it. I now make the plates myself.

Take your time fitting it and use a plywood that has 5 or more plies.

I do a lot of wood working so I have hard wood in my shop, the last one I made I made of maple that works fine.

Good Luck, and let me know if I can be of any help.
John

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JohnKr wrote:

The Tripod that I have is a Bogen #3063 that I have had for the best part of 30 years. I lost one of the plates about a year after I got it. I now make the plates myself.

Take your time fitting it and use a plywood that has 5 or more plies.

I do a lot of wood working so I have hard wood in my shop, the last one I made I made of maple that works fine.

Good Luck, and let me know if I can be of any help.

John

Great idea! Did you figure a way to keep the 1/4" bolt in the plate?

JohnKr Loc: Gulf Coast Florida

The best way is to counter-sink a hole in the top and use a
1/4 = 20 lock nut to hold the bolt in place.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JohnKr wrote:

The best way is to counter-sink a hole in the top and use a
1/4 = 20 lock nut to hold the bolt in place.

I'll have to give that a try. That locknut will keep the bolt from rotating, no?

JohnKr Loc: Gulf Coast Florida

When you use the lock nut just turn it down so it keep the bolt from going in and out but will still turn freely.
Be sure that you cut off the bolt so it will not damage your camera.
John

Dave Clark Photography Loc: Peoria Illinois

jerryc41 wrote:

Tripod release plates remind me of watch batteries... (show quote)

I have converted all my equipment 3 cameras, 3 telephoto lenses with ring mounts, a spotting scope ,and 5 Tripods to Arca Swiss type plates so everything is easily interchangeable. If you shop E-bay dilligently you can find them very cheap to very pricey I opted for some cheap one for the less important things and moderate priced ones for the more critical items. I think it is worth the money just to get rid of the frustration of never having the right plate on the combination I was going to use.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Dave Clark Photography wrote:

quote=jerryc41 Tripod release plates remind me of... (show quote)

I don't understand. You mean I buy tripod plates on ebay to put on any tripod or head I might have? What, exactly, would I do a Search for?

Dave Clark Photography Loc: Peoria Illinois

Just search for Arca Swiss plates in the Camera and photo caterory. I purchased both ball heads that already had arca swiss mounts, just plates, and new base plates to change out on my exsisting ball heads. It all started because I bought a gimbal head with an arca swiss mount. You will also have to search for arca swiss ball heads to get the other side and there are some combination sets as well.
Have fun.