Got the Novoflex Q=Base
delivered yesterday as well as a Q=PLATE QPL 1 (smallest, square, plate).
The Q=Base comes in a box, with okay, but basic, instructions in German. (Then again; how hard can it be)
First impressions: The Q=Base is bigger and heavier than I'd thought.
Feels like good build quality.
Nice finish, smooth operation.
The Q=Plate looks well made as well, and has the benefit of being about half the price of a RRS plate over here. IMHO $50,- for a bit of machined aluminium is over the top...
One drawback could be that it's not supposed to work with an RRS lever release QR clamp. Strange, since we are talking about the Arca Standard, right? What's so hard about standardisation? It's just a set of numbers to be applied... Oh well.
The plate screws to a tripod or monopod easily enough, and offers two mounting holes: On 1/4" and one 3/8" with a 1/4" bushing inserted. There is also an anti-twist screw.
The 1/4" hole is in the center of the plate (so off center of the mounted plate), the 3/8" hole is right under the center of a mounted plate, so off center of the Q=Base.
When mounted to a Manfrotto 449 Monopod, it looks like this:
The locking ring has a (screw in) handhold: 4 positions posible
Very nice IMO.
It works a bit like a Manfrotto CR2 QR: If you put a plate on it, a lever is depressed (big metal knob under the words "Q=base"; The little pin is a Safety pin.), and the plate snaps shut. The plate is then tightened down turning the big ring.
To open, you press the blue knobs; The one one the back, opposite to the movable jaw (with the word "Q=Base") presses this jaw forward, the one on the front is the release to allow you to fully open the clamp.
Other side: The hole in the top is were the anti-twist screw is.
Next, I attached the Q-plate to my 80-200L, and gave it a try:
I got a square plate, since I wanted to be able to mount my 80-200L any way I choose: QR along the lens *or* 'film' axis. Normal lens plates force you to rotate the orientation of the QR, depending on whether you mount a lens or a camera...
This proved to be not completely trouble free...
Mounted, not locked down:
Mounted, locked down:
Works like a charm!
The square plate allows to fit the lens in either direction on the QR. I wanted this, since I don't want to turn the monopod a quarter turn if I switch from Lplate to tripod mount.
Not a problem with the QR straight on the monopod, but a hassle when a Manfrotto #3232 swivel head is used.
The plate is mounted this far forward on the tripod ring to get (half) decent clearing to operate the lock. Not so nice.
It is also needed to allow my 1D2 with RRS B57-L to rotate...
(In the pic, I fitted the B-57L to my Eos 1-n. Not a good fit, since the 1D is thicker, but it get's the idea across, and I needed the 1D to take the images
) 
Continued in part 2....
