A screw clamp that gives levers a run for their money

Charles Brown wrote in post #17319507
It would take more than a steep helix screw with a prevailing torque feel to give the RRS lever release clamps a run for their money, imho.

1. The RRS lever release clamp is more reliably repeatable. Where sometimes my hands can't seem to get a firm enough grip to twist a knob tight enough, the leverage of the lever release clamp always snaps the plates down consistently, regardless of my finger strength, the cold weather, or whatever is ailing me that day.

2. The RRS lever release clamp will not over tighten the clamp to the point where it might take pliers to loosen. Just as the power of leverage snaps it tight, the power of leverage releases the plate. With a knob, if I am strong in the morning when I could tighten a knob tightly, but weak in the afternoon when I somehow can't seem to break what I tightened loose, I'm kind of "screwed". With a lever, I can just pry the clamp open.

3. With the RRS lever release clamp, one can always SEE the tightness of the clamp. One cannot see if a screw clamp is tight or not.

All that being said, it is certainly possible to get a screw clamp to hold tighter than a lever release clamp, but the way RRS sets up their belville spring pack in their lever release clamps, I have never felt any thing but a tight, secure, solid connection, even under the lens foots of big glass.

I'm not sponsored by RRS, and have nothing to gain by talking about their product... I'm just addressing the "levers a run for their money" post title, and listing 3 reasons why I think this attractive looking Markins clamp has further to run.

For example, how useful is the bubble level nested in the valley of the Markins if you can't even see it with a lens or camera mounted? The bubble level on the RRS lever release clamp is OUTSIDE the clamp zone, on the shoulder of the clamp, so it can be seen with the gear mounted.

There's a bit more distance to run there before catching up.

I happen to have the RRS lever clamp (LR II) on my Z1, and I love it. It holds my plates tightly; I cannot make them budge, much less push them out (I tested each plate to make sure). It's solid and well-made.

However, regarding #2, I never experienced that in 11 years with my old Kirk screw knob. I made sure it was tight. I just don't see it being an issue, at least not with a well-made piece. If anyone has, I'd be curious to know which brands/models.

#3 is a good point.

Charles Brown wrote in post #17319507
It would take more than a steep helix screw with a prevailing torque feel to give the RRS lever release clamps a run for their money, imho.

1. The RRS lever release clamp is more reliably repeatable. Where sometimes my hands can't seem to get a firm enough grip to twist a knob tight enough, the leverage of the lever release clamp always snaps the plates down consistently, regardless of my finger strength, the cold weather, or whatever is ailing me that day.
2. The RRS lever release clamp will not over tighten the clamp to the point where it might take pliers to loosen. Just as the power of leverage snaps it tight, the power of leverage releases the plate. With a knob, if I am strong in the morning when I could tighten a knob tightly, but weak in the afternoon when I somehow can't seem to break what I tightened loose, I'm kind of "screwed". With a lever, I can just pry the clamp open.
3. With the RRS lever release clamp, one can always SEE the tightness of the clamp. One cannot see if a screw clamp is tight or not.

For example, how useful is the bubble level nested in the valley of the Markins if you can't even see it with a lens or camera mounted? The bubble level on the RRS lever release clamp is OUTSIDE the clamp zone, on the shoulder of the clamp, so it can be seen with the gear mounted.

There's a bit more distance to run there before catching up.

It's nice to see your devotion to a product. However,

1. In cold weather, a thick glove may make it difficult to flip the edge of a lever, especially the Markins lever clamp. The screw knob is big and rubber-coated and is easy to feel and turn with gloves on.

2. I don't understand the waxing and waning of your strength, especially with a tiny screw clamp. I only know that in my use of the screw clamp, when it's tight, it's tight, very easy to tell. How could you ever tighten it to the point of needing pliers to open it?!

3. I am puzzled by what you mean. I can see and feel if the screw clamp is tight.

And the most important issue for me is safety against unintended release. When I was in the rain forest of Costa Rica, I was carrying my monopod with an RRS lever clamp and camera on my shoulder, and a low-hanging vine caught the edge of the lever and opened it to the mid position as I was taking the monopod off my shoulder to shoot. I caught the camera before it completely released. That's not going to happen again with this screw clamp.

And it works with any Arca-Swiss plate without adjustment of the lever. My feeling is that this new Markins clamp out-distances any lever clamp, but that's just MHO. You pay your money and take your choice.

P.S. I'm still not sure that the above member's post was not tongue-in-cheek, but if so, it got my goat!

Charles Brown wrote in post #17319507
With a knob, if I am strong in the morning when I could tighten a knob tightly, but weak in the afternoon when I somehow can't seem to break what I tightened loose ...

I do not know if this is tongue-in-cheek or not, but, either way you get points for both novelty and hilarity. Because, I, at least, have not heard this one yet in the otherwise done-to-death lever-vs-knob debate, and it really is funny.

I'm glad you found mirth... even at my expense!

I didn't understand the daily waxing and waning of strength either, until I found myself sliding down the wrong side of 50. Then I was like, ahhh, that's what those old goats were talking about when I was younger.

Speaking of goat, I wasn't trying to get yours. I've got my own to attend to!

Charles Brown wrote in post #17320955
I'm glad you found mirth... even at my expense!

I didn't understand the daily waxing and waning of strength either, until I found myself sliding down the wrong side of 50. Then I was like, ahhh, that's what those old goats were talking about when I was younger.

Speaking of goat, I wasn't trying to get yours. I've got my own to attend to!

No, listen. It's the right side to slide down. It took the first fifty years to struggle to the top.

Charles Brown wrote in post #17320955
I'm glad you found mirth... even at my expense!

I didn't understand the daily waxing and waning of strength either, until I found myself sliding down the wrong side of 50. Then I was like, ahhh, that's what those old goats were talking about when I was younger.

Speaking of goat, I wasn't trying to get yours. I've got my own to attend to!

I am not so far behind you on that hill.

I'm just rolling down the same side of the hill AND need a clamp for a monopod. How convenient! Now to put in an order before 7PM bedtime.

Nethawked wrote in post #17323324
I'm just rolling down the same side of the hill AND need a clamp for a monopod. How convenient! Now to put in an order before 7PM bedtime.

Are you attaching it directly to the monopod or do you have a monopod head?

Samgoit wrote in post #17317094
I don't use the RSS lever clamp due to its incompatibility with so many non-RSS plates, so I'm all Markins all the time.

About two years ago RRS updated their 60mm lever clamps so that they self-adjust to just about any plate out there. They work well.

sawsedge wrote in post #17317911
With the other two fast screw clamps I tried, I didn't feel they closed as securely as my older slow screw knob clamp.

I bought an Acratech GP in January with a fast screw clamp and had exactly the same experience, returned the clamp and got their lever clamp which is very good. The Acratech clamp has a coarse thread which I suppose is what makes it "fast" but I did not like the feel of it at all.

sawsedge wrote in post #17317911
Also, is the bottom designed to fit on a stem with a A-S or RRS boss? I.e. will it work on my Z1?

No. I had to get my Markins QR-60 custom machined to fit on my Z1. I eventually replaced it with the self-adjusting RRS lever clamp.

I believe that the Markins plates and clamps are dimensionally slightly different from those made by American companies like Kirk, Wimberley, Acratech and RRS. I'm not quite sure where the difference is, they may be a wee bit thinner and the dovetail angle might be slightly different. But you can see it with some plates in their clamps, and I don't have heavy equipment but that did make me a tad nervous. I've used a lot of Markins clamps and really love the way they work, as I said I had one machined to go on my Z1 at some expense but I don't use them any more.

On the difference in dovetail plate designs, here is what one manufacturer had to say: