Tripod quick release plates

Forums › Digital Imaging › Tripod quick release plates - standard sizes?

mdf

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#277075 24-Sep-2020 17:13

I have a small cheap tripod that I quite like. Unfortunately I lent it out and it came back sans the quick release plate. The tripod is labelled "Vertex S224" and I couldn't find anywhere that stocks obvious replacement parts so was set to bin it. However I released that my other bigger tripod _seems_ to have an identical style base plate with a tapered trapezoid thing with a thumb cam clamp, just bigger. From a bit of googling, it appears that there may some kind of standard or common base plate designs.

Anyone know if I can find a generic quick release plate to match this:

Amazon has one listing that seems to match: https://www.amazon.com/DaVoice-Release-Replacement-Mounting-Lightweight/dp/B083613WCT but hoping someone can confirm (and if at all possible, point me at a local source).

clicknz

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#2573681 24-Sep-2020 17:26

Hi - unfortunately there are a lot of different plate sizes out there...

There tend to be a couple of plates used by Manfrotto on their tripods that are copied by some other manufacturers and there's a plate that was originally made by the firm Arca Swiss that has become the closest thing to a defacto standard and is used by a lot of different companies - but it's quite different to your one.

Good luck - that one you've found may work.

Cheers,
Mike

Photographer/Videographer clickmedia.nz

Stu

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#2573685 24-Sep-2020 17:30

Do you have a photography shop near you that may be able to help with trying a few plates out, or at least narrow it down?

All I have here are Arca-Swiss compatible, which don't look like they'll work for you, unfortunately.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

floydbloke

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#2573916 25-Sep-2020 08:05

Left-field thought. Could one of these be made with a 3d printer? Or is the plastic these things use too soft?

= > ÷

Handsomedan

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#2573939 25-Sep-2020 08:29

Today I learnt that these are not all a standard size, unlike the original Tripod screws which were (at least in my experience).

I have to say, to the uninitiated, this seems ludicrous.

But of course my comment is not furthering this topic at all, so I'll just sit quietly back and continue watching with enthusiasm.

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.
Handsome Dan is also still somewhat perplexed...

robjg63

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#2573984 25-Sep-2020 09:22

I had to look after some camera/tripods at work for many years.
The bit that screws into the camera is standard.
The side that clips into the tripod has no standard.

How someone loses that bit of a tripod (its called a shoe I believe) is beyond me.
I had to junk many otherwise good tripods.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

russelo

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#2574049 25-Sep-2020 09:45

I just 3D printed mine two weeks ago.

Very similar to this: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1347792

I also used white filament to make it obvious when it's still attached to camera.

Stu

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#2574099 25-Sep-2020 10:56

There are two standard thread sizes used for camera tripod mounts; 1/4"-20, or 3/8"-16. 1/4"-20 being the most common in consumer gear, at least.

The Arca-type spec is the most common quick release plate standard used in tripod heads. Not all quick release plates claiming to be Arca-type compatible fit all Arca-type compatible heads though!

Even some manufacturers make things difficult within their own product lines. eg. Manfrotto have a few different quick release plate specs!

I've seen 3rd-party plate manufacturers make Arca-type plates with adapters to fit one of the Manfrotto RC2 variants, but there are (as far as I can tell) two actual variants of the RC2 spec.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

andrewNZ

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#2574115 25-Sep-2020 11:28

Aliexpress?

Electrician.

Location: Dunedin

shk292

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#2574124 25-Sep-2020 11:39

They’re not a very complex shape, you could make one out of a suitable piece of aluminium using hand tools

DonH

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#2574245 25-Sep-2020 13:57

The only problem with printing / machining one is finding a suitable low-profile screw, preferably with a knurled knob or fold-down thumbscrew head. You could buy a cheap plate from Aliexpress etc just for the screw. In my case I found a broken tripod, salvaged the plate from it and filed it down to fit the good tripod.

Stu

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#2574248 25-Sep-2020 14:03

The proper screws can be purchased on their own cheaper than chips from eBay or AliExpress, et al.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

russelo

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#2574260 25-Sep-2020 14:34

All the profile you want:

http://a.aliexpress.com/_mtkDnj9