And the best part is that you can mix and match different products without having to worry about compatibility issues because the standard for the plate is mostly the same. As a result, there are many different products and solutions on the market for all kinds of camera gear. Since the plates can move up and down the clamps, opportunities for different setups are practically limitless. Thanks to the versatility of the Arca-Swiss quick release system, it can be effectively used for pretty much any photography needs – from panoramic and 3D photography to complex macro setups.
#REALLY RIGHT STUFF PANORAMA VIDEO HOW TO#
See my article on how to create panoramas for more details about panoramic photography.
With a panning clamp like the one above, you can buy a nodal slide for creating single row panoramas, or you can get a complex and expensive multi-row panorama setup with multiple panning clamps for both vertical and horizontal motion.
Panning clamps are great for general photography, as well as specialized needs like panoramic photography. Here is an example of a replacement foot from Kirk: It is best to buy such replacement feet for each lens though so that you don’t need to worry about changing feet in the field with the potential of losing screws and other parts. Some of them are interchangeable (for example, a number of Nikon super telephotos like 300mm, 400mm, and 500mm mount exactly the same way), but mostly, you have to purchase a different model for each super-telephoto lens. For heavy super-telephoto lenses, there are special replacement arca-style feet and collars that are also specifically designed for each lens. While such plates work quite well for cameras, they are not suited for lenses with a tripod foot. If you have the choice between a single-piece L-bracket and a modular L-bracket for your camera, my recommendation would be to go with a single-piece design, because it is going to be smaller, lighter and simpler to use. Manufacturers like Really Right Stuff provide flexible modular plates that are easy to attach and detach as needed, and they often even provide a Hex Allen Wrench as part of the design of the base plate, as shown below: For example, a modular L-bracket usually comes in two pieces – a camera base plate, and a side plate that can be attached to the base plate using screws. Modular brackets offer flexible design, allowing other bracket components to be added for specific needs. However, some cameras make it hard to design L-brackets due to large side panel doors and other issues, which calls for a modular bracket approach.
Most L-brackets allow for maximum flexibility for mounting cameras, while still allowing access to side panels. They are lightweight, and they save a lot of time in the field when I need to quickly switch from horizontal to vertical orientation and vice-versa. I personally love single-piece L-brackets and buy them for every camera I own. Here is an example of a single-piece L-bracket for the same Nikon D850 DLSR:Īnd here is how it looks when mounted on the Nikon D850: For this reason, the “L”-shaped bracket, also known as “L-Bracket” is more practical, because it allows photographers to simply release the plate and reattach it from the side, rather than fiddling with the angle of the tripod head. While generic or camera-specific base plates work well, many photographers find them inconvenient to use when switching between horizontal and vertical orientation. Here is an example of an Arca-Swiss plate from Really Right Stuff for the Nikon D850 DSLR:Īnd here is how it looks once mounted on the Nikon D850: L-Bracket However, camera-specific plates often cost more, and cannot be reused with another camera body. Such plates have better fit since they are shaped to match the camera, and they often attach more securely than generic plates. Although there are a number of generic Arca-Swiss base plates available that will fit most cameras, the best plates are those that are specifically manufactured for a given camera body. The simplest of all Arca-Swiss plates is the “base” plate, typically a single-piece CNC-machined component that gets mounted on the bottom of the camera. Let’s go through some of the most common ones out there.
There are a number of different types of Arca-Swiss plates.