Tripod foot twisting off...

Choderboy wrote in post #19483317
It's that easy

Hosted photo: posted by Choderboy in
./showthread.php?p=194​83317&i=i56167124
forum: Tripods, Monopods & Other Camera Support

That looks like an excellent solution! Thanks Choderboy. Cheap and easy! I have the longer Arca plate, so it would fit admirably. The B&H Leophoto clamps look like they would be perfect as stops.

eta: I just checked on Amazon Canada and it's also available here! Just ordered, I'll post the results.

AntonLargiader wrote in post #19483437
I looked at some online images and wow, that really looks like a terrible foot design. I'm surprised no one has made a lens collar plate with side ridges for it. The front and rear edges of the foot don't look all that well suited for the traditional lip.

If you could find a plate that was slightly wider, you could mill the middle out slightly to make a recess for the foot. That would keep it from rotating.

OK. Time for upgrade from good solution to perfect solution.

I'd say the Kirk anititwist plate is perfect.
Read their blurb, look at the pictures, take a moment to think about it, read their blurb again if needed.
Can you see the 2 angles on the anti twist plate?
Can you understand why they did that? (It's in the blurb)
Can you see how it does match the Sigma foot?
Can you see how it would match a typical Canon EF foot with the 90 degree side?

Why would someone make a plate with side ridges when this simple design:
1/ Does the job
2/ Is adjustable. The plate can be moved up and down the plate so it does not matter if you have a small mirrorless, or a big DSLR with integrated grip, balance can be achieved.
3/ Use the 30 degree angle for the Sigma 150-600 C. Use the 90 degree angle for another lens or device.
4/ It won't foul anything. Side ridges on a plate could foul on clamps.


The blurb, again:
KLP lens plates are designed for use on multiple lens combinations.This anti-twist lip can be positoned with a 90° or 30° angle depending on your application.

The reason for the two different angles, is to enable you to have more of a contact point on the tripod collar. Some tripod collars that offer a close to a 90° angle or slight radius, the 90° angle on the lip works best. Other tripod collars that offer a large radius or a non 90° angle, the 30° angle on the lip works best.

greyswan wrote in post #19483577
That looks like an excellent solution! Thanks Choderboy. Cheap and easy! I have the longer Arca plate, so it would fit admirably. The B&H Leophoto clamps look like they would be perfect as stops.

eta: I just checked on Amazon Canada and it's also available here! Just ordered, I'll post the results.

Depending on your plate, the screw in the centre could be used for backup. ie screw into a threaded hole in the plate so if the clamp loosened, it would still provide anti twist.
Easy to tap a 1/4 hole onto most plates if you needed to and you don't have to worry about loss of resale on a lens plate.
You could also jam a small bit of rubber between the clamp and the rear of the lens foot if you don't want to mark the rear surface of the lens foot.
About 3 layers of electrical tape would work too.

@choderboy, I saw all of that. The foot on that lens seems to have rounded ends which don't form great rotation stops. Could work OK... but milling something is pretty trivial for some people and that would be a rock-solid solution.

AntonLargiader wrote in post #19483714
@choderboy, I saw all of that. The foot on that lens seems to have rounded ends which don't form great rotation stops. Could work OK... but milling something is pretty trivial for some people and that would be a rock-solid solution.

It's Kirk. They know what they are doing.
According to the DPR users who tried it, it works well, which is predictable, being made by Kirk to be a solution.
Rounded ends is just a well finished product.
95% of the anti twist plate is straight and angled to mate with the Sigma plate.

What do you reckon would be a rough estimate for the percentage of people that milling would be trivial?
Do you think the OP would be one of those people if he had not already gone ahead and done it?
(That is, after he found a wider plate)

I think spending $22 on the Leofoto thin clamp would be considered trivial to anybody and the extra money for the Kirk KLP-625 provides a lot of extra versatility.

AntonLargiader wrote in post #19483437
I looked at some online images and wow, that really looks like a terrible foot design. I'm surprised no one has made a lens collar plate with side ridges for it. The front and rear edges of the foot don't look all that well suited for the traditional lip.

If you could find a plate that was slightly wider, you could mill the middle out slightly to make a recess for the foot. That would keep it from rotating.

I've owned both the Tamron G2 and Sigma Contemporary versions of this lens. In that order. Neither for very long. The Tamron came with a big, beautiful foot, with arca dovetails machined in from the factory. That's the right tool for the job. I figured all super-zooms came that way.

A couple of years later, I got my hands on a Sigma Contemporary. I saw its foot and thought, this will not do. I went through the same exercise as the subject of this thread. I got excited when I saw that bolt-on foot, then let down when I found out it only fit the Sport model. Not sure if I saw that Kirk plate or not. Even if it doesn't twist, the foot is so short that almost the whole, considerable weight of the lens is sitting out in front of it.

Neither the Tamron nor the Sigma have a classic Canon clamp-on collar. They're slotted and keyed and spin on rails. They're actually kind of a pain in the ass. But my point is there is real engineering in there. Maybe too complicated for 3rd-party manufacturers to knock off cheaply, even if they're better. I don't really know if that's the reason, but you don't see anybody making the whole assembly.

Still, this is a popular lens. I'm surprised that no one makes a fully-custom plate that just fits that foot. Maybe something with a milled anti-twist section at the back of a longish, sturdy dovetail plate. Everyone who owns a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary would buy one.

I sold that Sigma before I got around to dealing with the foot.

drsilver wrote in post #19483784
Maybe something with a milled anti-twist section at the back of a longish, sturdy dovetail plate. Everyone who owns a Sigma 150-500mm Contemporary would buy one.

Yeah, a matching feature at the end(s) would work, too, especially if plates aren't (or can't be) wide enough to overlap the sides. I have a friend who makes stuff like this; I'll see if he has ever looked at this particular lens.

@choderboy I have no idea how many people can mill stuff. I and most of my local photo friends either can or know who can.

@greyswan, can you post a pic or two of just the foot? I couldn't find a good view of it online.

Quick pics. Re: milling stuff, I'm a DIYer so have no problem altering stuff - although 'milling' would be a loftier skill set than I am capable of doing, lol. As you see, there's just not much room to move on this foot. I shot mostly handheld, so it's not usually a problem, but I got myself a nice gimbal head...

I am hoping the micro clamps will do the job, although it might need a wedge on the back end.

Here's another interesting solution from an Amazon customer for anyone interested: he's using the clamp for a second ring. I don't want to post the image as it's not mine, but you can see it here - scroll down to the first review: https://www.amazon.ca …o2ov_dt_b_produ​ct_details It may be useful for ,many long lenses.

Wow that looks like a bulky kludge.

I asked my friend if he'd ever looked into this foot. He hasn't but will. I think if I wanted an interim solution with an existing plate I would either drill for a pressed-in pin (I think two 3mm pins would be fine) or if I wanted to get snazzy I'd mill a shallow slot in the plate for a machine key that fit into one of the grooves in the foot (looks like they have rubber in them; I'd pull the center one out so the key locked into it). A key like this: https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/22​1004983234

But that's all hypothetical because I don't have the need.

No rubber on the foot: those are grooves in the metal.

I've actually though about putting a notch in the front of the foot to hold a plate screw.

greyswan wrote in post #19484132
No rubber on the foot: those are grooves in the metal.

I've actually though about putting a notch in the front of the foot to hold a plate screw.

I wonder if just putting some kind of pad that would smoosh up into those grooves between the foot and a plate might help the twist aspect.

greyswan wrote in post #19483861
Quick pics. Re: milling stuff, I'm a DIYer so have no problem altering stuff - although 'milling' would be a loftier skill set than I am capable of doing, lol. As you see, there's just not much room to move on this foot. I shot mostly handheld, so it's not usually a problem, but I got myself a nice gimbal head...

I am hoping the micro clamps will do the job, although it might need a wedge on the back end.

Hosted photo: posted by greyswan in
./showthread.php?p=194​83861&i=i40810430
forum: Tripods, Monopods & Other Camera Support

Regards the wedge on back end, something like this?

greyswan wrote in post #19484132
No rubber on the foot: those are grooves in the metal.

I've actually though about putting a notch in the front of the foot to hold a plate screw.

That would be a simple solution. Tools needed, small round file. Use a cap head screw...

For anyone with the same problem, I got these: https://www.amazon.ca …o2ov_dt_b_produ​ct_details and used it as a stop on the long Arca plate. They can be tightened down nicely and seem to work well. I may remove the tripod screw in the middle, but it really doesn't get in the way right now. Fits very well onto the Arca plate.

The photo shows a single clamp to the front of the foot, but I will also experiment with moving the tripod foot to the middle screw slot later, and use another clamp on the back end of the plate to enhance stability since I bought two of them.

It seems to solve the problem nicely - I'll see if they work loose over time, but the clamps are very sturdy. I won't be slinging it over my shoulder on a tripod or gimbal, but I think it will stop the twisting during use without making any drastic mods that affect resale. Pardon the crap cell pic.