Arca Swiss D4 Geared Head

Okay, so I ordered it, waited a few weeks and got it today.

None of my plates fit. I can't seem to get the jaw adjustment wide enough. All of my plates are either RRS plates or Wimberely plates. Are they not Arca Swiss compatible? Does this head take special plates? The jaw opening on top seems a bit narrower than the opening on my Wimberely full gimbal head and my Markins head, both of which fit all my plates.

The instructions that come with the D4 are terrible, to say the least. One printed page which shows A, being the little button you pull out to enable the lever release. A is connected to B, which is like a worm drive screw which you can roll. C is a little gear, inside the head, almost flush with the top. That it says is the adjustment head. It says to press manually in order to turn C. C is impossible to turn.

Or are all of my plates just plain the wrong size.

Okay, so I'm sure very few if any have this head here. I just called RRS. They informed me Arca Swiss is now making their first flip lock system and only Arca Swiss plates, which are much narrower, will fit it. That is very disappointing as I have quite a bit invested in camera and lens plates. Wow. Nothing like changing the rules of the game after all these years.

That's pretty lame. I'd send it back and get another head that works with your existing plates.

I'm guessing they mean press the outside parts of the clamp together and then turn the screw to adjust the available throw.

As you can see in position 4, the jaws are wide open and I can fit a plate in. But the flip lock will then only go to the "3" position. The plate is then secure, but I don't think it should be that way.

Jon wrote in post #16482778
I'm guessing they mean press the outside parts of the clamp together and then turn the screw to adjust the available throw.

That's what it sounds like. Open the lever/clamp, keep the lever open but manually squeeze the clamp closed with your hand, then adjust the cog-wheel while holding the clamp closed? Have you tried that?

The sunwayfoto has an almost identical design and the gif on the site shows to press the clamp together to turn the cog wheel, with the lever release open of course.

when you hold the clamp closed, there is no way to access the cog wheel. the one moving side of the clamp covers it.

Oh ok, hope someone knows the solution.

Okay, believe it or not I think I got it. When I press the jaw together, the only way to move that silver cog wheel is to push against its teeth with a key. It is next to impossible to move but it does move. I now made it too big and my plate is too loose.

Unbelievable poorly engineered adjustment. I literally have dents in my fingers from squeezing and pressing a key across it.

You are using the top jaws in the clamp I assume? The Arca-Swiss support organization in the US is Precision Camera Works 847-470-3350.

Yes, top jaws. Got it working now. They neglect to mention it takes a screwdriver or other tool to turn that cog wheel. They don't neglect to warn over and over about voiding warranty by forcing it.

Sorry you ran into this temporary roadblock. Hopefully, once you get it set correctly once, that will be the end of it. Update your experience when you've had more time with it.

MDJAK wrote in post #16483683
Yes, top jaws. Got it working now. They neglect to mention it takes a screwdriver or other tool to turn that cog wheel. They don't neglect to warn over and over about voiding warranty by forcing it.

Yes, fiddly. Personally I'm not a fan of the Arca-Swiss clamps. I love my Z1 ballhead but I'm using a Markins clamp on it. Do you know if you can easily replace the clamp on that head? A-S are now permanently sealing their clamps on their Z1 heads unfortunately, maybe the D4 too.