Agh! Help with Arca Swiss Plates.

I need some help with my mounting.

I have a Canon 5D Mark III with BG-11 Grip, and a bunch of glass, my biggest lens is the 70-200 F2.8 IS II USM, which of course has a tripod collar.

For support, I have a Feisol monopod and a Feisol 3442 tripod. On that tripod I have a Photoclam PC-44 ball head. I also have a Nodal Ninja M2 pano head which uses Arca-Swiss.

Now, I already owned a Manfrotto monopod head with the RC2 quick release plate, and I do have another 190X-Pro B or what not tripod with a 3 way Manfrotto head (also RC2).

I decided to give the custom SLR M-plates a try, as they supposedly support both RC2 and Arca-Swiss. I got the M-Plate Pro, which has a little extender arm for your camera strap (I use a Black Rapid), and an M-Plate Mini.

Well, failure. The M-Plate mini worked great in my Manfrotto monopod head, but was very loose in the Photoclam even tightened all the way down. The M-Plate Pro fit in the photoclam, but very very tightly. And in the Manfrotto monopod head, it was clumsy with the strap extension getting in the way.

And to top it all off, you can't keep the M-Plate Pro on the camera, and use the tripod coller of the 70-200 lens. Taking these plates off requires an alan wrench, which isn't quick.

So... I think I'm sending back the M-Plates, and will just abandon the Manfrotto RC2 stuff. If I need to use my 190 tripod, I can swap the plates (I don't use it much).

So what I am now looking for is a solution: I need an arca-swiss clamp for my monopod, which will easily mount to maybe the manfrotto monopod head that swivels (the really cheap one).

But, I also need arca swiss plates I can mount to the battery grip, and the tripod collar... BUT also be able to screw in my Black Rapid connection for my strap, without pulling off the plate.

And suggestions? Now that I've seen some inconsistency in the plate sizes I'm nervous to order something else.

Go for an RRS clamp, either the AS II (lever, which automatically adjusts for different tolerances), or their B2 Pro II screw clamp.

As for the strap connection, you could go for the Luma A-S plate which has built-in strap connection points, or their membrane connector:
http://store.luma-labs.com/

http://www.promediagea​r.com …-3-BG-E11-Plate_p_83.html

http://www.promediagea​r.com …Plate-3inch-Long_p_2.html

Hmm, the black rapid uses a screw in piece though. Or the caribiner around some other sturdy hope.

I'm surprised there is so much variability in these plates.

Ooh David those look awesome. The one for the battery grip is perfect.

Other suggestions for an arca monopod solution?

The change over from RC2 to Arca Swiss designs is painful but after the initial pain, it's well worth it. I ended up with the RRS MH-02 Pro monopod head. It isn't cheap but it sure is nice.

Ryan0751 wrote in post #16089125
Hmm, the black rapid uses a screw in piece though. Or the caribiner around some other sturdy hope.

Yes, but how does the strap attach to the screw in piece/carabiner?

My friend was in the same predicament with a BR RS-7, I just pointed him to the Luma membrane connector, and it works fine for him.

Yeah, RRS is not cheap. I'm not sure if I need their whole head or if the B-Pro plate with cheap Manfrotto head is enough. It says 5.5 pound, which with a 5D3 with grip and 70-200 F2.8 may now be enough.

I also wonder if I should get the L-Plate for my 5D3 from Pro Media Gear or regular one.

You wouldn't need the whole head. You just want to replace the clamp.

There are a number of plates that can clamp to both arca and manfrotto heads, why not use one of those? Off the top of my head both the peaks design plate (https://peakdesignltd.​com/plates/) and the one that comes with the herringbone hand grip can be used with both manfrotto and arca swiss heads.

Ryan0751 wrote in post #16089125
I'm surprised there is so much variability in these plates.

With Arca-Swiss there is no dimensional "standard". The dovetail angle is invariably 45° but there are minute variations in all the other dimensions after that. Most Arca-Swiss type of clamps and plates will work together but a small number won't.

So it's basically nothing then Start calling it dovetail format.

The common usage is "Arca-Swiss" because that company came up with the bright idea. Most plates are fine even in the lever clamps that have no adjustment mechanism, despite the fact that certain manufacturers try to scare you by telling you only to buy their plates. The variances really are very minute. The only repeated instances of a well-known manufacturers' plates not working in a well-known manufacturers' clamp that I've seen are Markins plates not being suited to RRS lever clamps that aren't of the self-adjusting type. All others have been samples of one that could easily be down to tolerances being out.

The simple solution is to use screw knob clamps. No issues with those and different plates.

My photoclam is a screw clamp, and I wasn't able to tighten it enough for the M-Plate mini.

[QUOTE=peter_n;1609079​7]The common usage is "Arca-Swiss" because that company came up with the bright idea. Most plates are fine even in the lever clamps that have no adjustment mechanism, despite the fact that certain manufacturers try to scare you by telling you only to buy their plates. The variances really are very minute. The only repeated instances of a well-known manufacturers' plates not working in a well-known manufacturers' clamp that I've seen are Markins plates not being suited to RRS lever clamps that aren't of the self-adjusting type. All others have been samples of one that could easily be down to tolerances being out.

The simple solution is to use screw knob clamps. No issues with those and different plates.[/quote]

yep. or use plates from one manufacturer.