Manfrotto Rapid Connect Systems

I am in the process of looking for and buying a tripod and ball head. More or less decided on a Manfrotto 055ProB and a 488 ball head, but there looks to be several types of Rapid Connect Systems (quick release plate).

Could anyone recommend which type to get and the main differences between them. Camera is a 30D.

488RC0 £54.99

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i have 30D...
i use 488RC2..perfectly fit with the 190Prob. Works well
488RC4's plate is a lil too large for me.

The RC2 is the best system, in my opinion, for 35mm SLR sized cameras and associated lenses. I have never had any problems with this system. There is a variation of the QR plate that has a lip on it if you are afraid of the camera rotating on the plate in "portrait" position, but I have not yet found a need for it. The RC2 seems to be one of the most universal systems, used on a greater variety of heads than the others.

The RC4 is MUCH larger than the RC2 and sticks out from the camera quite a bit. That makes it more difficult to get the camera into a case, change batteries, etc. The RC4 system is really designed for much larger cameras such as medium-format and larger.

The RC0 is not used on some of the heads that I like to use, and it is also larger in at least one dimension than the RC2.

RC2 it is then

I use the RC4, but that is mainly because the head I use (410 geared head) only came in that configuration. It is a little large, the RC2 wouold be nice. Of course, with the RC4 I would not hesitate to put a large telephoto on it!

-Ryan

OT (Slightly)

Is it still bad netiquette to hot link images from someone's web site? (I suppose in this case its free advertising...of sorts.)

I would reccomend the RC2 for reason of size. They are all sturdy systems. The RCO system is an older design that used to be popular. The RC2 quick release while attached to the bottom of your camera is less obstructive to hand hold. The RCO quick release will stab you in your palm when hand holding your camera.

rdricks wrote in post #2194799
I use the RC4, but that is mainly because the head I use (410 geared head) only came in that configuration. It is a little large, the RC2 wouold be nice. Of course, with the RC4 I would not hesitate to put a large telephoto on it!

-Ryan

Yea I chose the RC4 system for the same reason. That and when I was swearing by grips, the RC4 plate actually fits nicely on the bottom of the gripped body. Now that I dont really like them anymore, the RC2 system is really starting to look a lot better since the base of the camera is a lot smaller without the grip on. It really too bad Bogen doesnt make a geared head that supports the RC2 system. Or that I can figure out a way to convert my 410 to an RC2 plate. Thats really the only thing holding me back from switching. Well that and having to sell ALL my RC4 stuff and losing money on it.

ben_r_ wrote in post #5649596
Yea I chose the RC4 system for the same reason. That and when I was swearing by grips, the RC4 plate actually fits nicely on the bottom of the gripped body. Now that I dont really like them anymore, the RC2 system is really starting to look a lot better since the base of the camera is a lot smaller without the grip on. It really too bad Bogen doesnt make a geared head that supports the RC2 system. Or that I can figure out a way to convert my 410 to an RC2 plate. Thats really the only thing holding me back from switching. Well that and having to sell ALL my RC4 stuff and losing money on it.

You can put an RC2 adapter on the RC4 plate, permanently mount the combination to the 410 head, and then use the RC2 plate on the camera.

SkipD wrote in post #5653777
You can put an RC2 adapter on the RC4 plate, permanently mount the combination to the 410 head, and then use the RC2 plate on the camera.

How is this accomplished? I tried once buying the RC2 system like this:

ben_r_ wrote in post #5659317
the bottom of this plate is not flush. There is a part of the release lever that sticks out of the bottom and would not allow me to screw the monopod all the way into the quick release mount.

I used to have an RC2 on my Manfrotto 'Carbon One' monopod. Worked fine after a bit of work with a hand-file

René Damkot wrote in post #5659890
I used to have an RC2 on my Manfrotto 'Carbon One' monopod. Worked fine after a bit of work with a hand-file

Ha! Well I guess I figured it wouldnt work if I messed with that bar sticking out at the bottom... I may have to try that...

Oops....
Had a look at that RC2 again, and I saw I did not remove the entire bit sticking out. (That would be the safety pin and the screw that holds the release lever). I just removed enough off the sides of that screw so it would fit the monopod. That wasn't much... So YMMV depending on monopod.

So I don't think that'll work for fitting it to an RC4 plate. You'd have to countersink the entire screw. Dunno if that's possible, and you'd loose the safety. I'd try a spacer. Sorry

René Damkot wrote in post #5660216
Oops....
Had a look at that RC2 again, and I saw I did not remove the entire bit sticking out. (That would be the safety pin and the screw that holds the release lever). I just removed enough off the sides of that screw so it would fit the monopod. That wasn't much... So YMMV depending on monopod.

So I don't think that'll work for fitting it to an RC4 plate. You'd have to countersink the entire screw. Dunno if that's possible, and you'd loose the safety. I'd try a spacer. Sorry

Its okay, yea i thought it would work too when I first started playing around with it. I really like my geared head too and dont want to give it up, but now without the grips the RC4 plates seem a bit too big.