New Markins Ballheads with lever clamps

It appears that Markins are now producing ballheads with a lever clamp. The lever clamp has some interesting new features.

Q3:
http://www.markinsamer​ica.com ….php?req=Q3ELK#​Highlights

M10:
http://www.markinsamer​ica.com/MA5/M10.php?re​q=M10LK

M20:
http://www.markinsamer​ica.com/MA5/M20.php?re​q=M20LK

Ya, just after I bought and installed a RRS clamp

It was inevitable that Markins would come out with a lever clamp. They must have noticed how much business they were losing to RRS (clamps and plates)

I think the throw lever on the RRS clamp looks "safer"; the way Markins are showing the clamped/unclamped positions of the lever, it'll be easier to open accidentally than the RRS. If you're going to flip the lever to work the other way, you'll gain back a measure of security, but I think they tossed in the "either handed" feature without thinking it through.

I like the adjustable screw and the reversable lever.

Does not have that indefinable RRS "quality" but being Markins will be a workmanlike product built to last, with the added bonus that we know it will work with Markins plates.

jhom wrote in post #9693882
It appears that Markins are now producing ballheads with a lever clamp. The lever clamp has some interesting new features

Very cool. I'm hoping that they will sell the clamps separately.

Did they always have the L plates? Hmmm none for my 7D
Just noticed that the spirit level is within the clamping channel....odd place to have it

Well good for them. Ill still stick with my RRS one though. I like tried and true. Give Markins time to prove themselves in the lever clamp arena.

I like that they have the index marks on the top of the clamp, I really find that useful for (counter) shift panos with a TSE lens. The R/L lever flip is neat and my be useful when with some lens plats the camera body can get too close to the clamp. Will the screw adjusting the tension loosen through many cycles of open/closeing? One of us will eventually find out! I guess the spirit level is designed to level the clamp before putting the camera in it. Then you adjust the composition and can no longer see the level?
One feature I don't like is that the lever cam seems pretty circular, there does't seem to be any intermediate, half open position as with RRS. In the half open position on RRS, the camera or lens plate can slide in the clamp and adjust its position, while it is still securely held from sliding out (presumably the lens plates have stops). This adjustment feature is useful for the shift panos as mentioned above.
Mike K

I might consider this Markins lever because I have a Markins plate. If I were to get a RRS lever I would also have to get a Wimberley plate!

wow nice! did anyone else notice the L plates also?

about time. i guess markins got the memo that everyone was swapping out their QRs for the competition's flip levers .

ed rader

starkido wrote in post #9700794
wow nice! did anyone else notice the L plates also?

Thx! Just looked it up:

http://www.markinsamer​ica.com/MA5/LC520.php

Might get one.

Cheers,

Sabesh.

Good for them. About time. However, let's wait for the time will tells.

I like the feature of the plate being Left right convertible. I grip the camera in my right hand and close the lever with my left thumb. This is probably just me but it feels uncomfortable closing the lever to the right, I think I would prefer closing the lever to the left.

IMO, manfrotto has the best lever system, too bad my 486RC2 droops.

I see the laser markings on the clamp and I presume the markins L plate has laser markings like the RRS one does.

It looks like they only sell the Q3 with a lever clamp. While I'm sure others love them, I have a mix of plates on my bodies/lenses. While it doesn't make the Markin's ball unusable for me, it does drive the cost up in having to standardize on one plate mfgr. or another.

The price increase may take them off of some folks short list. I wonder why they don't list the screw clamp any longer. Or am I just not finding it?