Jacob_A_Hauser
Member
Here's the link on tumbler if you'd like: http://humblecinematographer.tumblr.../diy-arca-swiss-15mm-rods-baseplate-after-the
After the better part of a year researching a good baseplate for my small body cameras, I decided to fabricate my own.
I had seen various configurations and products from many companies most of which stick you with buying a proprietary system that you then have to repurchase once you upgrade your camera down the road. The closest entry was Wooden Camera’s quick cage but it was too far out of my price range and didn’t have the flexibility I was looking for. I was looking for something rather simple in fact and I was surprised to find that not a single company had what I had in mind.
I had known about arca swiss style dovetails for awhile from my photography background. They’re simple pieces of metal that attach to a camera body to provide a stable platform from which to photograph once mounted to a corresponding quick release. Seeing a future issue of wanting to swap cameras quickly and easily on my setup I decided to pursue this method of mounting the camera. Mounting the camera to an arca swiss plate has the added benefit of keeping the camera from twisting on the rig, an issue I had been dealing with for sometime now.
Now to find how to mount the quick release to rods…
Solution one was from RedRock Micro, a while back they came out with a product that allowed users to mount a Really Right Stuff lever release to 15mm rods. Great! Except that the height is nonadjustable. I then looked for a product that would be adjustable. Recently Really Right Stuff introduced a solution that uses riser plates and allows the user to orient the quick release in two directions. Great! Except for the price. I couldn’t justify spending the $355 and even more for the plates!
So I turned to Amazon. I bought a cheap arca style quick release for about $8 then I went to Berkey System, a really good source for quality odds and ends. I picked up a quad block and two vertical rods with female threads. I measured the distance between the vertical rods, marked the holes on the quick release, used a drill press to bore and counter-bore holes for the screws, screwed it together and I had my perfect solution!
I’ve used this on a couple shoots and it works as good as I thought it would! Maybe some companies will take note and make something with the same no nonsense simplicity.
After the better part of a year researching a good baseplate for my small body cameras, I decided to fabricate my own.
I had seen various configurations and products from many companies most of which stick you with buying a proprietary system that you then have to repurchase once you upgrade your camera down the road. The closest entry was Wooden Camera’s quick cage but it was too far out of my price range and didn’t have the flexibility I was looking for. I was looking for something rather simple in fact and I was surprised to find that not a single company had what I had in mind.
I had known about arca swiss style dovetails for awhile from my photography background. They’re simple pieces of metal that attach to a camera body to provide a stable platform from which to photograph once mounted to a corresponding quick release. Seeing a future issue of wanting to swap cameras quickly and easily on my setup I decided to pursue this method of mounting the camera. Mounting the camera to an arca swiss plate has the added benefit of keeping the camera from twisting on the rig, an issue I had been dealing with for sometime now.
Now to find how to mount the quick release to rods…
Solution one was from RedRock Micro, a while back they came out with a product that allowed users to mount a Really Right Stuff lever release to 15mm rods. Great! Except that the height is nonadjustable. I then looked for a product that would be adjustable. Recently Really Right Stuff introduced a solution that uses riser plates and allows the user to orient the quick release in two directions. Great! Except for the price. I couldn’t justify spending the $355 and even more for the plates!
So I turned to Amazon. I bought a cheap arca style quick release for about $8 then I went to Berkey System, a really good source for quality odds and ends. I picked up a quad block and two vertical rods with female threads. I measured the distance between the vertical rods, marked the holes on the quick release, used a drill press to bore and counter-bore holes for the screws, screwed it together and I had my perfect solution!
I’ve used this on a couple shoots and it works as good as I thought it would! Maybe some companies will take note and make something with the same no nonsense simplicity.
