Moderator needs to ask 'daft laddie' question!

[Donald]

This is one for those of you who use Lens Tripod Mount Rings (or whatever version of the name you use); i.e. this.

On the basis that the price of the 24-70L f2.8 has just been hiked up (plus an increase in Value Added Tax [Sales Tax] in the UK on Wednesday), I have now put it out of my mind.

So attention has turned, amongst other things, to this ring.

The question is - How do you connect to the Ball Head?

I've got a Manfrotto 486RC2 head. I have a plate bolted in to the base of the battery pack on the camera which then slips onto the quick-release plate on the ball head. So, do I need another base plate, the same as I've got fixed to the camera, to screw onto the bottom of the ring?

[rpcrowe]

Yes... When I used the Manfrotto RC2 quick release system (I now use Arca compatible) I purchased the Manfrotto Rc2 Rapid Connect Architectural Mounting Plate
( http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/sit...om_search=true ) which has a lip on the front of the plate to prevent a camera from rotating on the tripod screw when the camera is in the vertical or portrait position. I then used the mounting plate which came with the Manfrotto release clamp on my tripod ring. It was a great combination.

However, you could just keep switching the plate from the camera to the tripod ring.
But, IMO, that would sort of defeat the purpose of having a quick release...

[Colin Southern]

Hi Donald,

"Arca Swiss" are the key words you'll need to use when searching; it's basically a dovetail arrangement, but with quite a few variations (in terms of quick release etc).

Personally I use the arca swiss mount that cames with my really right stuff panning clamp (part of their ball head), and on the lens side, I use a Wimberly plate (www.tripodhead.com)

[Donald]

Richard, Colin

Many thanks for your helpful responses. One of these questions you do feel a bit stupid asking, because it should seem obvious! However, CiC members are always guaranteed to provide clear, comprehensive answers.

Off to find what I need!

[rpcrowe]

Donald... BTW, there are Arca Compatible clamps available which can retrofit the manfrotto heads from the RC2 quick release system to Arca Compatibility. I am quite a fan of the Arca Compatible systems because:

1. There are L brackets available from Really Right Stuff and other manufacturers (including some recent Chinese offerings for the Canon 7D and perhaps other cameras) which do a great job of supporting the camera and enabling you to switch from horizontal to vertical camera positions... BTW: Manfrotto also has their version of an L bracket for the RC2 system and Giottos has their version of this type of bracket. However both of these versions are generic and are not designed to conform to the individual cameras as are the Kirk and RRS L brackets. On the other hand, you don't need to purchase an L bracket for each type camera when using a generic bracket. L brackets are pretty expensive (I have purchased my brackets for the 30D and 40D used). BTW, the L bracket makes a decent pano bracket for single string panos in the vertical position. See this RRS video on L plates:
http://reallyrightstuff.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=42

2. Usually Arca Compatible equipment transcends brand. In other words, you can use a Kirk plate on a RRS clamp or any other combination across brands. There is one glitch in that Giottos clamps have a safety stud that prevents you from sliding plates from other manufacturers onto their clamps. No big problem, however. I simply open my Giottos clamp all the way and drop the plate in from overhead. A bit slower but, still quite doable.

The retrofit Arca Compatible clamp that I know of is the Kirk: http://www.kirkphoto.com/Universal-Q...se-Clamps.html

There may be other manufacturers of retrofit clamps but, I don't know of them.

[Jim B.]

Donald,

Lens plate I use.
http://acratech.net/home.php?cat=20
Priced a little lower than the Kirk plates.