Specific QR plates for specific lenses

[keenasmustard]

Sorry to add another silly question to my compendium of silly questions... but my husband actually came up with this one and I realised I had no idea what the answer was myself:

Why when purchasing a QR plate for a lens do you need to get one that's for that specific lens? Isn't the attachment to the lens collar the same regardless of the lens?

[Jack W.]

Depends. If you're using an Arca-Swiss type plate, they come in different lengths.
The manufacturers of the plates (Really Right Stuff, Arca Swiss, Kirk, Wimberley are a few), usually have a chart on their web sites showing which plate to use for specific lenses.
The "foot" on the lens collar varies in length depending on the lens, therefore the need for different length plates.

Jack

[keenasmustard]

Thanks!

[DavidEB]

one more point on the length of ARCA-type footplates: As your lens gets larger, balance becomes more important. You might be mounting cameras of different weight (with or without a grip, etc...) and you may be adding various combinations of teleconverters, extension tubes, and flashguns. So a long footplate allows you to move the lens back and forth to find the balance point.

smaller lenses don't need so much movement to balance and can use a smaller footplate.