yeah that isn't right. I would email them!
yevgeny.subbotin@mitcorp.co.uk tell him i sent you and there is a problem with shipping costs.

I would buy the Sony plate if you dont already have one from the US if you live there as it would be cheaper am sure... TLS is a UK company so i doubt you will get in cheaper in the US

I tried to register to check pricing, but I keep getting an error on the verification code. It's only four letters in a blue box - should be easy - but it never works. Tried it a dozen times, even started over.

i would try emailing and explaining that to them!

It really is much better than the protech one.

Phil,

I've never used one of these plates...

Do I need a piece for the camera as well as a piece for the tripod? For example, if I use a bogen head or a libec head, is there a component necessary? Do other more pro tripod heads already work with this adapter plate? Not planning to change any time soon - my libec sticks and head were about $1K - that's about all I'm willing to drop right now.

Thanks,

Hmmm...
 

Nice find! Think I'll wait until I'm back in the UK in Oct to buy one though it looks much more sturdy. Cool.

Jus.

The piece IS for the camera & works in conjunction with a Sony VCT-14 adapter plate, so you would need that as well.

LOL! Thanks, Bill! Where where you four months ago!?

I found what I needed anyway.

DOH!! Sorry about that. I didn't notice the previous post date. :D

Doesn't VFGagets make a similar solution now?

EX3 Heavy Duty Base Plate System | VFGadgets.com

They make a base plate, as does DM-Accessories (for less money). Neither, though, manufacture the VCT-U14 or other tripod adapter plate.

While the VCT system is an industry standard and has been for many years, it is actually a pretty flawed physical design that allows for a certain amount of vibration and play. For most tripod work it's not much of an issue but for vibration-critical applications such as Steadicam, remote head or vehicle mount, it is possible that issues may become noticeable in the image, especially with long lenses. I've seen a few 3rd party versions of the baseplate that attempt to remove the play from the system but in doing so the quick release application is usually compromised. It's a shame that this design has not been updated, but it was initially oriented towards news photography so the issues were not relevant in that application.

For my money the Sachtler touch-and-go design is more solid, however I haven't seen any prosumer-priced adaptor bases for mounting on heads that aren't already compatible with that plate.

Charles,

Those flaws are amplified when not using the rear pin. For most tripod/dolly work, it is still just fine and the quick-release benefit heavily outweighs the slight movement inherent in the design.

On a recent road trip, I used it in a vehicle mount. at first, the vibration/road noise was a huge problem. Since I began by just testing, and was able to resolve simply by wedging a small piece of aluminum in between the plate and camera. This shim lived there for a couple days during filming and it performed flawlessly. However, as you pointed out, it completely compromised the quick-release aspect of the unit.