Menu
What's new
The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Seeking help from Max users

rayyen

rayyen

Member
Seeking help from Max users.
I bought Alpa Max with stitching adaptor recently.
Now looking for a good quick release plate for the adaptor.
Any good recommendation? I like the idea of RRS plate with a small rim to hold tight the camera, but I don't see RRS made plate exclusively for Max.

Many thanks,

Ray
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Well, since Stephen mentioned it ...i did have a very helpful session at RRS trying all of their plates with the Alpa bodies that I have. This was specifically with the STC/TC but I used to have the MAX before and so I know what you're looking for with that and the same plates really apply. You can use any of these on the body or the stitching adapter. the most important thing is the lip on the plate IMHO.

There are a number of options for the Max. I personally like to have a reasonable amount of surface area when mounting the Alpa body on an Arca head so my recommendations would be as follows:

RRS BP-CS - this is long but fits widthwise on the body. I use this on both axis of my STC and it would work equally well on the base of the MAX

RRS MPR-73 - this is similar in size to the BP-CS but is oriented the other way around. On the MAX it will run front/back of the body and is potentially better for preventing fore/aft movement although the BP-CS shouldn't ever move either. The MPR will stick out if you store your MAX without lens/body whilst the BP-CS will just seem like an extended base.

For a smaller plate then the BP-22 will work. I use this on my TC and also on an SWA tripod mount. It works very well but isn't quite as long as the BP-CS or MPR-73.

Hope that helps.
 
R

rga

Member
Probably sacrilegious, but I strongly recommend securing the stitching foot as well as whatever plate you get with Locktite blue. I have experienced loosening of threads that, if not addressed, could have had terrible results.

The blue is very strong but not permanent like the red...
 
S

shortpballer

Member
If you are looking for something that will fit nice and snug, I use a H1 RRS Quick Realease. I then used a dremel to widen up the sides a bit. It now fits snug on both sides of the stitch adapter. Doesn't move even when the plate is loosely tightened. A little more custom work, but works quite well.

PS: only tried this method because I had an H1 before the Max. And when purchasing the max I realized that it was only a small .5-1mm or so too small for the stitching adapter.
 
rayyen

rayyen

Member
Dear all, many many thanks for all your valuable sharing.
Thanks, Pemihan, stephengilbert, jotloob, Graham, cly, rag, shortpballer : )

I think I'll prefer BP-CS, looks handsome and safe on the stitch adaptor ; )
Thanks guys!!!
 
N

narikin

New member
Just a note to say with the Alpa FPS it's not such a problem - the slightly thicker body means that various RRS plates work, with the lip sitting correctly to stop any twist. I am using an old B21 Quick Release Plate (Multi-use #794) which seats perfectly on FPS.

Other Alpa's are too thin for the lip to be set against the body. I'm amazed RRS haven't made one dedicated for Alpa TC/STC/Max as yet. The Alpa user base is much bigger than some of the obscure pieces they have for sale.
 
kdphotography

kdphotography

Well-known member
narikin said:
.... I'm amazed RRS haven't made one dedicated for Alpa TC/STC/Max as yet. The Alpa user base is much bigger than some of the obscure pieces they have for sale.
Click to expand...
You'd be surprised what RRS can do if you just ask....Very friendly folks!

:) ken
 
N

narikin

New member
True Ken, but, well, we've all been asking/hinting here for years, and nothing seems to have happened!
Graham's been at the factory trying all the plates to see what works, etc. But - no new dedicated products came from that.

Alpa have put 2 nice holes either side of the mounting thread ideal for locking/ anti-twist pins. It's a perfect situation!
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
narikin said:
Other Alpa's are too thin for the lip to be set against the body. I'm amazed RRS haven't made one dedicated for Alpa TC/STC/Max as yet. The Alpa user base is much bigger than some of the obscure pieces they have for sale.
Click to expand...
The lip for the MPR-73 or BP-CS works just fine with the TC/STC and MAX. I actually sat down with the folks at RRS and tried just about all of their plates for the best fits. They took notes so that they could advise customers. Ask for Mark G in support ...
 
N

narikin

New member
GrahamWelland said:
The lip for the MPR-73 or BP-CS works just fine with the TC/STC and MAX. I actually sat down with the folks at RRS and tried just about all of their plates for the best fits. They took notes so that they could advise customers. Ask for Mark G in support ...
Click to expand...
I must be going blind Graham - I own the MPR-73, and there is no lip on it I can see! It has the lens flange piece you can screw in along various points, which makes it good for the base of the Max's stitching adapter, as CLY pictures very well above, but not for the TC or STC, unless you are using it fore-aft, which is very ungainly and makes it stick out a lot. Please post an image if I'm not getting it, which is quite likely! I have a BP-CS on order at this moment, so can't speak to that.

I'd still say its worth RRS making a dedicated plate for the thin Alpa TC/STC/Max bodies. Alpa sells a plate like that with 2 'index pins' for their Linhof head solution, but its an odd piece, and I'm not sure if its Arca spec compatible or not.
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
narikin said:
I must be going blind Graham - I own the MPR-73, and there is no lip on it I can see! It has the lens flange piece you can screw in along various points, which makes it good for the base of the Max's stitching adapter, as CLY pictures very well above, but not for the TC or STC, unless you are using it fore-aft, which is very ungainly and makes it stick out a lot. Please post an image if I'm not getting it, which is quite likely! I have a BP-CS on order at this moment, so can't speak to that.
Click to expand...
Yes, the MPR-73 with bar is used fore/aft on an STC/TC with the lip against the body. You can set the plate as far back or forth depending upon where you mount the bar on the plate. It does make for a very rigid setup though but it does protrude - but then again so does your lens and back so it's not a big deal. That said, I went with the BP-CS as it does mount the other way around for convenience when packing the body on it's own in the bag.

narikin said:
I'd still say its worth RRS making a dedicated plate for the thin Alpa TC/STC/Max bodies. Alpa sells a plate like that with 2 'index pins' for their Linhof head solution, but its an odd piece, and I'm not sure if its Arca spec compatible or not.
Click to expand...
I certainly wouldn't complain about RRS making a plate with the index pins on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top