If you haven't used the Arca-Swiss type of QR, you don't know what you're
missing. The plates are pretty light and mount on the tripod VERY quickly and
securly. It's faster by a factor of 10 vs. the traditional method of a tripod
screw. Many times I have to do a shoot where some shots are on the tripod and
some are off; I'd look silly telling my subjects to wait while I mounted the
camera. I also do some shooting where I need both film and digital, so there's
no way that I'd use a standard screw mount. Also, good plates like Really
Right Stuff or Kirk are very, very well made and will last your lifetime.
I have four Really Right Stuff plates, two that are good for camera bodies, and
two that are smaller, and good for lenses or other cameras. They don't live on
any piece of equipment, but are mounted when needed. And the go on faster than
mounting the camera to the tripod. Also, since the plates have no padding,
they don't have any chance of stressing the tripod mount on a camera when
compressing that damn foam or cork. Do your equipment a favor and get one.
Regarding the shift when tightening a ball head. I'm sorry to sound elitist,
but good ball heads don't shift when tightened. My Arca-Swiss B1 is as solid
as a rock and doesn't move an iota when tightened. Again, you get what you pay
for with some things. There are some cheaper ballheads that are just about as
well made, but when you get into heads that are $100 or less, something suffers
in the quality of construction.
The B1 head and my Gitzo tripods have been some of the best investments that
I've ever made. I'll never have to replace them unless I want CF. They'll
last until I'm six feed under.
Skip
>
>Subject: Re: [OM] tripods
> From: Mike <watershed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 22:14:59 -0800
> To: olympus-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>>
>>
>>........ I'm sold on the Arca Swiss style quick release.
>>
>I never have figured out the attraction of the so-called quick release
>plates. Why would you want to buy expensive chunks of metal with which
>to burden your cameras or lenses? And if you don't have/can't afford one
>on every piece of equipment they are harder to swap than just mounting
>directly.
>
>my 2 pesos
>Mike
>
>
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