Manfrotto RC2 to Arca Swiss

Raptor Mike

Raptor Mike

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I want to convert to Arca Swiss because the Manfrotto L bracket is extortionate. Manfrotto do their own conversion kit, linked below, and I know there's at lease one cheaper but don't know about the quality. So before I drop £40 on the Manfrotto does anyone have any recommendations? I shooting with a Canon RP

www.manfrotto.com

Top Lock Travel Quick Release Adaptor

The Top Lock Travel Quick Release Adaptor allows you to fix your Arca-type plate to the Manfrotto Befree 494 or 496 heads. It is the first Arca-Swiss adaptor by Manfrotto compact enough to be fully compatible with the Manfrotto Befree travel tripod range, whose legs fold perfectly around the...
www.manfrotto.com www.manfrotto.com
 
There are cheaper Chinese-made ones on Amazon and Evil Bay, but I think that's a reasonable price for the reassurance of Manfrotto quality. (y)
 
So I've been doing some more research. The Manfrotto coverer is £35 on Amazon, so only a fiver more than the cheaper one. If I've worked it out properly I'd need 3 Legged Thing's Ellie PD shot for my RP, which will also fit the Peak design Capture clip. Total cost around £140
 
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A generic Chinese Arca compatible clamp should cost about £10-30 and a matching plate £5-10 or £20-40 for an L bracket.
 
simonbarker said:
A generic Chinese Arca compatible clamp should cost about £10-30 and a matching plate £5-10 or £20-40 for an L bracket.
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With an £800.00 tripod and nearly £4,000.00 worth of camera and lens, I'm not so sure I'd trust cheap Chinese 'Monkey Metal' to join them together. :facepalm:
 
Sky said:
With an £800.00 tripod and nearly £4,000.00 worth of camera and lens, I'm not so sure I'd trust cheap Chinese 'Monkey Metal' to join them together. :facepalm:
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That wouldn't be my concern, a simple piece of machining is not something I generally worry about from China as they tend to be fairly good in those areas these days but I personally believe it's best to buy the better stuff simply because it's *nicer* to use especially as it should last a 'lifetime' but that's just me personally.

When giving advice I try to consider the needs of the person making the request, if someone considers a Manfrotto clamp extortionate would I really be doing them any favours by recommending my personal preference of an RRS clamp/bracket that's 2-3 times the cost of that? So (with the caveat, I think it unlikely they'll mechanically fail) I settled with letting the op know what I thought fair retail prices should be for those things as I don't think they would have appreciated being pushed towards the top end of the market no matter how top banana I think it might be.
 
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Fair enough, but I wouldn't recommend any of the cheaper made stuff.

Don't get me wrong, I've had it in the past and it's been fine, but that's only for very lightweight gear and I always used a back up strap - I've seen 'aircraft quality' advertised stuff fail miserably and would feel terrible if someone smashed their gear due to something I'd recommended.
 
tijuana taxi said:
I had the Manfrotto version, sold it recently on a ball head attached to a Befree tripod.
It works well and is a good quality item, didn't think it was too badly priced either.
Currently 35 quid on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-...t=&hvlocphy=1006619&hvtargid=pla-799544383103

If you want an adjustable L Bracket, this one works well, use it on my G9
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/ishoot-l-bracket-mini-review.670900/
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Thanks for the heads up - I've been thinking of purchasing an L bracket for a while now, and saw this one on Amazon which comes highly recommended in various videos for the D850. Can anyone advise if this adapter is what I need to replace the existing standard issue head on my Manfrotto 496RC2, in order to get the linked L bracket to fit? Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
davys said:
Thanks for the heads up - I've been thinking of purchasing an L bracket for a while now, and saw this one on Amazon which comes highly recommended in various videos for the D850. Can anyone advise if this adapter is what I need to replace the existing standard issue head on my Manfrotto 496RC2, in order to get the linked L bracket to fit? Thanks in advance for any advice.
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The Manfrotto clamp being mentioned would do the job nicely
Bit cheaper option which I used previously like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haoge-Conv...&keywords=boss+adapter&qid=1619517500&sr=8-10
 
Thanks everyone. I went for the Manfrotto one in the end. I also got the 3 Legged thing Ellie PD short and the Peak Design v3 clip is on it's way. While I was at it I got Peak Design's clutch hand strap because I have arthritis in my right wrist. I fitted it yesterday and at first glance it seems very good. (y)
 
Sky said:
With an £800.00 tripod and nearly £4,000.00 worth of camera and lens, I'm not so sure I'd trust cheap Chinese 'Monkey Metal' to join them together. :facepalm:
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Quoted for truth.

Dad had a large binocular telescope and it was supplied with a Manfrotto clone head and QR plate. Luckily, because it was a fairly cumbersome beast (not heavy, just quite big, I was holding it while Dad manoeuvred it onto the head and tightened the clamp. The QR plate crumbled. Not so much monkey metal as monkey sh**e!
 
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In this situation I'd probably buy the Manfrotto clamp, which isn't much more expensive than the generic clamps from China (though I have no complaints about my Andoer DM-55). The L-plate David links to is probably of similar quality to the one I have for my D800, which is a nice, robust single piece of metal. I'm sure the RRS equivalent is very nice, but they want over £200 for the D850 version, around 10% of the price of the camera, which is a little hard to swallow! I've not heard of an L-plate failing, though I suppose anything is possible (even Gitzo had problems with their tripod spider castings a few years ago).
 
davys said:
Thanks Rich, much appreciated. Looks like I also need to purchase one of these along with the clamp and L bracket.
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No need. The D850 L-plate you link to will fit directly in the new clamp. It might be handy to have a small plate too, like the one Rich links to, in case you want to mount some random camera.
 
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Retune said:
No need. The D850 L-plate you link to will fit directly in the new clamp. It might be handy to have a small plate too, like the one Rich links to, in case you want to mount some random camera.
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Thanks for clearing it up, I assumed David just wanted a plate to use separately from the L bracket. As you say, its a good idea to have one just in case its needed one day.
 
Retune said:
No need. The D850 L-plate you link to will fit directly in the new clamp. It might be handy to have a small plate too, like the one Rich links to, in case you want to mount some random camera.
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Many thanks, and to Rich as well for the advice - I was thinking an extra plate wouldn't go amiss, however I was probably over thinking my needs. I'll go with the L bracket mentioned and the Manfrotto clamp Rich pointed to, and take it from there!
 
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