DavidEB
24th of June 2005 (Fri), 18:49
I recently bought a Gitzo 2220 and an acratech ultimate ballhead, and it's great. Immensely versatile, rigid, a pleasure to use.
here's the problem - I am in an ever-expanding trap of buying more clamps and plates !!! where will it end?
first, I bought the ballhead and a custom plate fitted for the 20D. I didn't buy the L-shaped plate from Really Right Stuff, just a standard rectangular 2" (approx) plate that mounts to the base of the camera from acratech. Love it -- for the first time ever I have a tripod attachment that never twists.
Second, I realized that for my Sigma 70-200, I needed an extra plate for the lens tripod mount. Plate #2 was a 4 inch lens plate with anti-twist lip. Love it, same reason, plus I can slide it forward and back to balance depending on teleconverter and extension tubes. FANTASTIC.
Now, I went to shoot a sports event and wanted to use my monopod. The lens foot plate is not something I want to take on and off each time. It's designed to stay on the lens mount. So, clamp #2, for the monopod. I can once again put my 70-200 on the monopod.
Almost done.
Flash bracket. I use a homemade affair consisting of a bunch of aluminum bars held together with 1/4-20 screws. Does the job, can be reconfigured for portraits and also can twist around to hold flashes in front of lens for macro. But, it mounted to camera with a 1/4-20 screw, which no longer works because of the plate. So I've ordered a set of ARCA stuff -- one clamp and one plate. I'll put the plate on the bottom (to mount the bracket to the tripod) and the clamp on the top (to hold the camera).
BUT, I just realized that this solution will only allow me to mount the bracket to the camera, not to the lens tripod ring. The plate on the tripod ring is parallel to the axis of the lens, and the plate on the camera body is perpendicular.
HELP -- how do I solve this ?? do I need a second bracket, or another pair of plates and clamps (to effect a 90 degree bend). I don't want to spend all the money Really Right Stuff charges for their fancy bracket, and besides I don't think I'd like that big L-bracket on my camera full time.
am I going to be buying a non-ending feed of ARCA plates and clamps? where does this end?
thanks
here's the problem - I am in an ever-expanding trap of buying more clamps and plates !!! where will it end?
first, I bought the ballhead and a custom plate fitted for the 20D. I didn't buy the L-shaped plate from Really Right Stuff, just a standard rectangular 2" (approx) plate that mounts to the base of the camera from acratech. Love it -- for the first time ever I have a tripod attachment that never twists.
Second, I realized that for my Sigma 70-200, I needed an extra plate for the lens tripod mount. Plate #2 was a 4 inch lens plate with anti-twist lip. Love it, same reason, plus I can slide it forward and back to balance depending on teleconverter and extension tubes. FANTASTIC.
Now, I went to shoot a sports event and wanted to use my monopod. The lens foot plate is not something I want to take on and off each time. It's designed to stay on the lens mount. So, clamp #2, for the monopod. I can once again put my 70-200 on the monopod.
Almost done.
Flash bracket. I use a homemade affair consisting of a bunch of aluminum bars held together with 1/4-20 screws. Does the job, can be reconfigured for portraits and also can twist around to hold flashes in front of lens for macro. But, it mounted to camera with a 1/4-20 screw, which no longer works because of the plate. So I've ordered a set of ARCA stuff -- one clamp and one plate. I'll put the plate on the bottom (to mount the bracket to the tripod) and the clamp on the top (to hold the camera).
BUT, I just realized that this solution will only allow me to mount the bracket to the camera, not to the lens tripod ring. The plate on the tripod ring is parallel to the axis of the lens, and the plate on the camera body is perpendicular.
HELP -- how do I solve this ?? do I need a second bracket, or another pair of plates and clamps (to effect a 90 degree bend). I don't want to spend all the money Really Right Stuff charges for their fancy bracket, and besides I don't think I'd like that big L-bracket on my camera full time.
am I going to be buying a non-ending feed of ARCA plates and clamps? where does this end?
thanks