D800 with 80-400mm on Manfrotto challenge

Killerbob

I have the new Nikon 80-400mm lens which comes with a tripod ring. However, when my D800 has got the battery grip on it, I can't use my Manfrotto tripods... The release on the head does not have space enough to open, as it goes against the battery grip.

I have looked for a "raiser" to the Manfrotto plate, but they do not produce such a thing.

Is there a simple solution to this, other than taking off the battery grip when using the 80-400mm?

mikep

i cant imagine what you are saying, show a picture i want to see

Killerbob

As you can see I can't get the Manfrotto plate into the head due to the release stopping the battery grip from going further down...

proudgeek

Try reversing it so that the battery grip falls on the other side of the tripod plate.

hawkdl2

Maybe I'm not seeing why this can't be done, but can't you invert the direction of the attachment plate on the 80-400 foot and put the camera in from the other direction so the latching lever is facing away from the camera?

mikep

mm yeah cant that grey plate be turned 180? or even 90 degrees ?

JJ_SO

With RC 2 plates, there are 2 directions to align the lens. But with your grip, you've not much if a choice as aligning it to the long side of the plate brings the handle of that "joy-stick" under your battery grip.

I would not turn it around 180° but that would be the fastest "solution".

I disposed all those tiny RC 2 plates, I think they are not meant for "heavy cargo". I was going for 394 plates, others will advise go Arca Swiss (with some very good reasons...). I even adapted a 394 adapter to a "Heavy duty grip" 322RC2, but with your 324 or 327RC2 grip you should dismount the battery grip.

If you know a good mechanic, he could make a distance plate. I could imagine other solutions, but all are tinkery - in my opinion, this clamps are not made for lenses over 200mm.

Maybe you like a support like that one?


No? Me neither.

How about this fella?



I don't use the collar of my 70-200/4 because it's so weak the camera gets less sharp images for shutter vibrations. I mount it on the camera and that one on a solid tripod head, but your lens is nearly double weight than mine, so I don't recommend it.

Killerbob

I tried "reversing" it, so the release tab faces away from the camera, but that of course leaves the joystick grip on the left side, which is very unnatural for me (it may work for others).

Other solution also fall short, but I am really thinking of having a raiser plate made. I would then need a longer bolt to go through the original Manfrotto plate and the one I had made. It would only need to be about 1cm thick, to lift the camera/lens with the battery grip up over the release. If I have it done, I'll post pics:)

Am I the only one with this challenge?

spraynpray

If that lever has an eccentric profile which grips the tripod mount,you can easily get away with changing the profile. You could remove most of the eccentric so that you don't have to open the lever so far for the QD plate to clear the front of the tripod mount.

Have you tried putting the front edge of the QD plate in the tripod head first? A mixture of those two suggestions may do it.

Edit: Looking at it again, you could possibly modify the front edge of the head so the plate would slide in from the side and so you would not need to open the lever so far as it would not need the QD plate to clear it, just slide past. If you removed the correct end of the head, it would not slide out as movement in that direction would tighten the lever not loosen it.

JJ_SO

@spraynpray sorry, I don't think those suggestions work on that QR combination. The lever is never in a position out of the way of the battery grip. And how to open it? Also the clamp of those RC 2 stuff has on both side guide rails but the fixing part is in the center. By dismounting the plate sideways, you'd need two hands - the lever has a spring which lets him snap back.



@killerbob just make the raiser longer than the plate is, 2" width and 2.5" length. Put a 1/4" thread in and a countersink hole for a normal 1/4" countersunk allen screw.



Ah and what I'd like to know: How do you trigger the shutter, when the handle is on the right side?

spraynpray

Having looked at you pics JJ, I still think my idea would work., but I would have to have the pieces in my hand to be certain.

What is wrong with fitting the QD plate to the lens foot rotated 90 degrees as mikep said??

Msmoto

I have a sack full of Manfrotto plates, RC-2 and Manfrotto 357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with 357PL Plate. I mean about three or four of each. Because of the issues of functionality, I converted everything to ARCA Swiss clamps and plates. This may not be what you want, but if you have spent a lot of money for equipment, utilizing IMO what is a much more functional tripod attachment system seems to be the next move up. And, it always baffled me why Manfrotto uses so many different plates.

You may wish to look into the ARCA Swiss clamps, made by various manufacturers.

spraynpray

"And, it always baffled me why Manfrotto uses so many different plates."

Me too.

Killerbob

All this talk about Arca-Swiss made me think; I have the 694CX monopod with the 234RC head on it, and the 055CXPRO3 tripod with the 327RC2 head on it. If I wanted to switch to Arca Swiss style mounts, would that be easily possible, and any suggestions for good, but not too crazy expensive, manufactures?

proudgeek

Another possibility is to switch tripod manufacturers. For instance, I have a Vanguard tripod where the plate slides in from the side.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/707170-REG/Vanguard_SBH_100_SBH_100_Ball_Head.html

JJ_SO

Having looked at you pics JJ, I still think my idea would work., but I would have to have the pieces in my hand to be certain.

What is wrong with fitting the QD plate to the lens foot rotated 90 degrees as mikep said??

'course you can turn the lens 90° - but then the handle of that head will be either under the lens or under the camera. Nothing of that is convenient as you can't unlock the handle easily - have a look at the Manfrotto page for 327RC2 or 324RC2.

Also, MsMoto had an excellent overview over her Arca adaptations.

Killerbob

For now I have flipped the mounting plate so the release faces away from the camera, i.e. is in front of the lens ring. That'll work for now, but eventually I want to replace the heads on my mono/tripods to Arca mounts. That'll have to wait though, as I'll have to replace my Joystick grip which I love! The mount on the Joystick is proprietary and only works with Manfortto QR plates:( The monopod is easy enough to replace, and I can just replace the entire head.

JJ_SO

@Killerbob Hold your horses and check this out first.

Msmoto

@JJ_SO

Thanks...I was going to post the link. Some of the conversions were easy, some were a real battle. But, now, everything works together.....I can stick the body on the gimbal head, monopod, or ball head. Also, any lens goes on readily. I have used Sunwayfoto, Sirui, Induro clamps and can find little difference. Each may have a bit of a different character. And, as noted in the link by JJ_SO, I converted 3 Manfrotto heads, modified one Sirui monopod head, and have an Induro gimbal head that is wonderful.

But, this was not an inexpensive conversion....just check prices at Adorama or B & H on the dozens of clamps and such and one finds this can get out of hand......

Oh, RRS makes all this stuff as well....and without a doubt each piece is a work of art....but the cost is very high....

JJ_SO

Same "fun" I had with changing everything to RC394, but now I'm quite happy with it. Last one was the big gorillapod which looks really weird now

It doesn't matter (so much) which system you prefer, important is just, you should be able to use each camera on each tripod, monopod or whatever you have to keep it steady. Since some of the solutions are "customized", I don't think, either Manfrotto or Arca would be so much different in price.

Arca has the advantage of really nice (but pricey) L-plates, Manfrotto RC394 just clicks in and needs no screw, but is fixed in position while Arca rails can always be a bit adjusted.

BrucePhotography

I'm confused - sorry. Why don't you have another plate on the tripod collar of the lens -- does that not get it away from the camera so whatever is mounted on the vertical grip of the camera would have no effect on the plate on the tripod collar of the lens. The 80-400 should be mounted on the collar anyway due to its weight.

spraynpray

@BrucePhotography: Read the thread from the beginning to avoid confusion :-j