Some time ago there was a thread relating to tripod heads and quick release
systems. I described how I had (crudely) modified my Bogen/Manfrotto hex
plates by taping on a 3mm thick, cut-to-size piece of PVC sheet to allow
clearance for Zuiko DOF buttons when the plate was mounted directly to the
camera (ie no Winder or MD). I have been getting more and more frustrated
with the this whole clearance situation, and am now running up against the
problem of when you leave a plate attached to the tripod ring mounts on
longer lenses (eg 300 F4.5) and even the Tele Auto Tube, there is not
enough clearance between it and the plate attached to the bottom of the
camera, or even bottom of the WII or MD if fitted. (I think this is what
started the prev thread)
The Bogen hex plates are quite cumbersome and not nearly as petite as our
darling svelte OM bodies...I prefer the bogen plates with a non-protruding
screw rather than the big knurled screws on the normal plates which take up
too much room in the camera bag. Problem is, with a recessed srew head, you
need to use a coin to remove the plate when it clashes with another plate
etc etc....
I know Foxy uses the smaller rectangular Bogen/Manfrotto plates and is
quite happy but these only work on certain heads. I have a couple of the
Bogen Heavy Duty ball and 1 Super Heavy Duty Ball heads and they are pretty
rugged and quite inexpensive for what you get, but these hex plates are
driving me bananas!
I recently received a copy of a great catalogue from a company called
Really Right Stuff and was very impressed (visit their www site
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/ and ask for a copy - mine arrived in Aust
within a week!). The US list members probably know all about this company,
but I hadn't really ever heard of them. They do customised quick release
plates that work with the (mega expensive but brilliant) Arca Swiss heads.
They also make a thing called a B-2 Clamp, which allows you to mount an AS
style (ie channel/groove) quick release onto a 3/8 inch thread (ie the neck
that sticks up out of the ball part of the ball/socket head).They describe
a way of removing (using an Allen hex key) the hex-plate superstructure of
the Bogen heads to fit this B-2 clamp. You can then buy specific quick
release plates for each make/model of body, lens, bellows etc. This means
if you have a small body, you buy a small plate, large lens, large plate.
Brilliant. The catalogue mentions Oly bodies and lenses and the 65-116 Tele
Auto tube and the appropriate plates to fit, even though the catalogue is
mostly N*k*n and C*n*n.
What attracts me to this option is the $$$ - if I can convert my existing
heads to use these plates, my sanity may be saved, and I can spend the
money saved on more Zuiko glass ( oh yeah!) instead of 3 Arca Swiss heads
(at US$400 each).
Only problem is that RRS are a rather old fashioned kind of business
apparently - they have a www site but no e-mail - they say to just ring
them up and have a chat or call in and see them ! That's a bit difficult
from Australia, and they only sell direct (I've tried local Aust and even
NZ dealers)
My question is, has anyone on the list had any experience with the RRS
plates or this B-2 clamp on OM bodies? How is it in practice? Clearance
issues? Quality? How well do their plates really mate with the OM's?
Also, has anyone on the list done the "amputation" operation to remove the
Bogen hex-plate mounting superstructure on the Bogen BS heads to install a
B-2 clamp? I have tried to see if the superstructure would come off mine
and I can't get the hex nuts to budge at all - any tricks?
Has anyone found any other quick release systems worthy of mention in the 6
months since this topic was last raised? Anyone else having similar
problems and developed a workaround?
peter
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