Arca Swiss QR plate screw

[Richard Stern]

Hi,

Here's another question pertinent to my choice of a possible new tripod head. I have an Arca Swiss QR plate for use with a Jobu Jr. gimbal head. After carrying the camera/ lens (or spotting scope)/ head/ tripod around for a bit the QR plate often tends to loosen, and when I set it up to look at or photograph a bird, I have to remove and then re-tighten it. The underside of the tightening screw is a hexagonal hollow that requires an Allen key to tighten it, and that's not something I usually have handy.

My other tripod head - a Manfrotto video head - has a Manfrotto QR plate, and the underside of the screw head has a horizontal groove that can be tightened with a coin - which I always have handy.

After doing a Google search for images of Arca Swiss plates, they all show the upper side of the plate only! So are there any Arca Swiss plates where the underside of the retaining screw can be tightened with just a coin?

Thanks,

Richard

[John Chardine]

Richard- I carry an assortment of allen keys in my bag for just this sort of thing. Can you replace the existing screw with a coin-operated slot-head?

[Roger Clark]

Richard,
Buy some lock-tight and put some on the threads.

Roger

[Jeff Dyck]

Richard,
Buy some lock-tight and put some on the threads.

Roger

Richard - as Roger says, but make sure to use -BLUE- loctite unless you want the plate to be permanently mounted!

Edit - I'll also add - the actual OEM plates made by Arca-Swiss itself are excellent quality, but tend to all be "universal fit" plates, DO have coin slots in thier mounting screws. Most of the custom "Arca-Swiss compatible" plate manufacturers like Really Right Stuff, Kirk, etc. will make very specific plates for very specific camera bodies or lenses (usually giving a much better and more secure fit) tend to use quality cap screws for which you require allen keys. Third party "budget" universal plates will tend to use cap screws also, but sometimes of questionable quality...

It has been my observation that the universal-fit plates tend to loosen up because they are relying solely on the fastener and metal-on-metal friction to prevent the plate from rotating. Custom made plates tend to be exactly contoured or will contain shoulders or stops which work with the specific intended body or lens as part of thier design - these features keep the plates from turning and give you far less grief when it comes to fasteners loosening up.

Bottom line - you get what you pay for. IMO you are better off ordering a custom made plate for each of your specific applications - install them and forget it.

[Richard Stern]

Thanks for all the info. re: this and tripod heads. I'll get my thinking cap on!

Richard

[James Prudente]

Acquire dedicated plates from, Kirk, RRS, Wimberley, Markins, etc. for each model camera and lens foot. They will have anti-rotation features and the hex head screw will hold securely and the plate will not loosen. If you use a thread lock product be sure it is removable and only use a small amount on the screw thread, don't fill the screw hole with it.

Jim