I'm upgrading from a manfrotto head to a sachtler. can my manfrotto quick release plate attach to the sachtler head? i have 4 QR plates on various supports - and don't want to have to switch plates on the camera if I don't need to...

No. Sell the old plates here on dvinfo. There's probably a lot of interest in them.

I read it that you have multiple support devices, and want to use the same camera on each of them.

Add a MN357 or similar to your Sachtler head, then you can keep the Manfrotto plate on the camera at all times and use it on all your support devices.

I have this - I keep a MN357 base on my Vinten tripod, then I can switch between my Manfrotto lightweight tripod (501HDV), slider, and Vinten tripods without having to unscrew and re-fit tripod plates all the time.

If you chuck out your Manfrotto plates, it's no use. You can't get a Sachtler compatible base for all your other support devices.

Yes, the Manfrotto 357 plate adapter is an option I totally forgot about. If weight matters, the 357 is all cast metal and adds a bit to your rig. I bought one once and returned it.

By design, the 357 is a slider as opposed to the Sachtler side load on your FSB-6. Also, you have to reach around to the RHS on the 357 to lock the slider in place whereas the FSB-6 has it all on the LHS and can be done with your left hand. I prefer the Sachtler design as I like keeping my right hand on the camera the whole time during load and unload. I also think the on/off of the side load is easier (less finicky than lining things up for a slide operation) and using just the QR plate keeps the clean design of the FSB-6 head (i.e. isn't adding more knobs to deal with in the dark). Once I went to a side load, I dislike sliders. A side load lets you get the weight on the head right away vs holding it in mid-air while lining it up for the slide but YMMV.

I see additional plates for the FSB-6 are available here:
Sachtler Sideload Plate S - Camera Plate 0164 B&H Photo Video

Thanks guys -

Mike, sounds like that adapter is just what I need. I emailed Sachtler to see if they even sold separate base assemblies, and they sent me back an exploded view diagram of the entire head, saying everything I saw was for sale! I could buy all the parts to the base and put them together, but the adapter sounds easier! :)

Robert,

The Sachtler solution, even if it was a neat one, would also be a _lot_ more expensive than the Manfrotto one.

One word of caution, on some tripods it can be difficult to lock in the Manfrotto plate on its base unit because the size/shape of the tripod head means you can't easily turn the locking knob.

Keep your receipt, and if it doesn't work send it back!

thanks - I just read about that in another thread.

the extra base assemblies I am using now are manfrotto 577. I think I bought a 357 a few years ago and it was a slightly different size (?)

any idea of the 577 can be attached to the sachtler head?

It's all very confusing! :O

They are different sizes - I found out the hard way too! I actually meant the 577, the one with the shorter plate. Serves me right for trying to remember part numbers from memory!

I have used both the 577 and the 357 on various tripods over the past few years. They'll both fit any standard tripod head, but as you say the plates are not interchangable.

To confirm, I'm using the 577, you can see pictures here: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/tripod-sticks-heads/497978-sony-nx70-tinycam-vinten-vision-blue.html

They are different sizes - I found out the hard way too! I actually meant the 577, the one with the shorter plate. The 357 has a longer sliding plate and it is a wider baseplate too, the plates are not interchangable. Serves me right for trying to remember part numbers from memory!

I have used both the 577 and the 357 on various tripods over the past few years. They'll both fit any standard tripod head.

To confirm, I'm using the 577, you can see pictures here: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/tripod-sticks-heads/497978-sony-nx70-tinycam-vinten-vision-blue.html

great ~ thanks for clarifying! Looks like that's the way for me to go -

One word of caution, on some tripods it can be difficult to lock in the Manfrotto plate on its base unit because the size/shape of the tripod head means you can't easily turn the locking known.

Er, Mike, you wanna have another run at that one, you sort of lost me somewhere?


CS

Mike, do you mean the "L" shaped knob hits something before it's tightened all the way?

I had to replace the base plate knob that I mounted on a camera slider because of that - but the new knob works fine.

Er, Mike, you wanna have another run at that one, you sort of lost me somewhere?


CS

I think he meant "locking knob down". The Manfrotto design means the locking dips below the bottom plane of the adapter plate. On heads that have a wide enough surface, the Manfrotto design prevents the locking knob from turning because it hits the tripod head.

The Manfrotto design means the locking dips below the bottom plane of the adapter plate. On heads that have a wide enough surface, the Manfrotto design prevents the locking knob from turning because it hits the tripod head.

Blimey, what does it take to kill this damn thing - a wooden spike and mallet? Silver Bullets? What?

Both of Manfrotto's adapters are fitted with their famous "pull and twist" knob levers, allowing them to be repositioned, on the fly, no tools required, in 60 degree increments all the way around the knob shaft.

As it takes less than 100 degrees to go from "lock" to "off" and vice versa, if you can't configure the knob to avoid it hitting something, you just ain't trying.

Can I bury this one now?


CS

" you can't easily turn the locking known"

I meant "knob"! And I'm well aware you can re-position the Manfrotto lever by pulling it out.

I'll have another go at this later, I have to dash to work now. With my Sony NX70, Vinten VB and MN577 unit, it's either:

(a) The camera blocks the knob above the plate, and the Vinten blocks it below.

or

(b) I'd have to do so many crazy little quarter turns of the knob it makes it too awkward and slow to do this.

Edit:

or

(c) I'm just stupid!

(The last one is definitely an option, as always!)

Well there you go, it was (c) after all!

It is possible, just! Another few mm and it wouldn't have been possible to do more than a 1/4 turn, but I can _just_ get a half turn on the knob and it's enough.

I do seem to recall this wasn't possible on my HMC41, which was a "fatter" camera, but I can't confirm that memory because that camera has gone far, far away.

Happy days!

Just to show I do listen, occasionally, I've been giving my 577 adapter a pretty serious scrute and determined that, yes, it would be possible to induce a scanario where you couldn't lock/ unlock it due to immovable surfaces both above and below the lever.

The simplest (but fairly crude) solution goes like this:

1. Remove the allen headed M5 machine screw from centre of locking lever with 2.5 mm allen key. Put screw, lever and integral spring away somewhere safe.

2. Buy an 8mm tube spanner Amazon.com: T & E Tools 8Pc. Metric Tube Spanner Set: Home Improvement Use that to lock/ unlock the plate lock.

3. You could get slightly more technical and decide to leave the spanner attached, which would require finding an M5 bolt of the right length and a suitable washer and passing it through the centre of the spanner into the lever shaft.

The problem with that is it will definately be a danger to shipping during setup/ knock down and may well take a terminally fatal smack.

The second easiest way to solve the problem is to stack two 577's on top of each other and set them up so the lock knobs are slightly offset so as not to collect each other OR simply put the top one on spun 180 degrees compared to the bottom one.

That will give the top lock lever more than enough clearance to swing down below whatever is on top.

If you REALLY want to get into it, you could make a 16+ mm thick block/ shim/ standoff to go between the bottom of the 577 and the tripod slide plate, but that's REALLY getting out there.

As the number of bods this applies to probably numbers single digits, I think I'll call time on that one right now.


CS

I've decided to use the sachtler plate on the tripod, and then switch back to the manfrotto plate for any other setups I want to use with my manfrotto quick release plates . it's really not a big deal...

I bought the sachtler tripod (it's VERY smooth!) - and the satchler camera plate actually fits in the manfrotto quick release bases!

life is good!

BTW, I have the FSB-6T and the 577 fit's perfectly with no issues. Love not having to change plates. And the Sachtler just rocks!