Converting Manfrotto Quick Release into Arca Swiss

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Tony
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I have a Manfrotto Ball Head (486RC2) with a quick release place, and want to convert it to an Area Swiss plate.

I’ve just purchased a Haoge Area Swiss place hit with the appropriate bolt and washer.

I’ve found a Youtube video which shows how to change the plates, but my Manfrotto plate does not have a bolt I can release, it just appears to have a sealed bolt. See attached photos.

Any suggestions as to how I remove the existing plate to replace with the Area Swiss plate?

MF1.jpgMF2.jpgMF3.jpg
 
That manfrotto clamp threads directly onto the ball stem. It almost certainly has some high strength thread locker holding it in place which will require heat to break. And if you do get it off it's unlikely that the threads will match what's in the new clamp (?).

The *easiest way to do this is to get a 3/8-16 to 1/4-20 reducer for the clamp and then attach the manfrotto plate to the clamp (i.e. stacking the clamps).

(*or get a clamp that is threaded for 1/4-20)
 
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The *easiest way to do this is to get a 3/8-16 to 1/4-20 reducer for the clamp and then attach the manfrotto plate to the clamp (i.e. stacking the clamps).

(*or get a clamp that is threaded for 1/4-20)

This. And then use something like Loctite 243 to make it stay put.
 
As said earlier, stack them.

Manfrotto RC2 plate on the underside of the Arca Swiss clamp , then attach to the Manfrotto head.

Not elegant, but easy and it works!
 
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I did mine a few months ago ,mine fitted straight on to the ball . IMG_0919.JPG
 
I did mine a few months ago ,mine fitted straight on to the ball .

Neither of those options will work for the OP... the 486 is an oddball head in that there is no screw holding the clamp to the ball stem. Instead, the stem itself is threaded and screws into the clamp directly. There's a chance it is 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 threads that can mate to a standard type clamp, but I rather doubt it.
r308-19-500x500.jpg
 
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I did this to my 488RC2 which I think is the same. If I recall mine took effort to unscrew the manfrotto plate from the stem and then the other one just screwed on more or less. I think I used molegrips to remove the old plate. Definitely didn't have to use heat but likewise would have been easier if I had a vice..
Mines currently on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143535251598 so check it out as there's some photos of mine there which show it fitted which may help you in removing yours, or at least shows you it can be done!
 
Neither of those options will work for the OP... the 486 is an oddball head in that there is no screw holding the clamp to the ball stem. Instead, the stem itself is threaded and screws into the clamp directly. There's a chance it is 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 threads that can mate to a standard type clamp, but I rather doubt it.

In this thread (see what I did there?) a couple of people claim that it is indeed 3/8-16:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=274351
 
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