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Arca quick release

gazwas

Active member
So I've finally decided to get myself an Arca head. Looking like it will be a Cube but the D4 is very much in the running.

Regardless of which I choose the QR has me wondering. I'm all for the monoball (slide) fix but have never seen a Cube with anything but a fliplock. Why is that?

Don't like the look if the fliplock as it seems overly complicated, especially next to the rather simple and elegant mechanism of the monoball fix but there may be a good reason why everyone chooses it over the other options. Use will be Rm3di and 1Ds3 on an Arca L bracket.

Anyone care to share any words of wisdom?
 

julienlanoo

New member
Hi i have the cube with the fliplock, ( I could choose what i wanted, fliplock or other whatever, arca lets you choose) ..

Why
- I think it's the point of buying everything full option :p :p
- And i personally thought it was safer, that your camera can't just slide of willy nilly just by the smalest brush.

I am realy happy with the Fliplock and with the cube for that fact..
It's quick, it's versatile ( as you can click in all the arca formats) and safe..

greets
ju


So I've finally decided to get myself an Arca head. Looking like it will be a Cube but the D4 is very much in the running.

Regardless of which I choose the QR has me wondering. I'm all for the monoball (slide) fix but have never seen a Cube with anything but a fliplock. Why is that?

Don't like the look if the fliplock as it seems overly complicated, especially next to the rather simple and elegant mechanism of the monoball fix but there may be a good reason why everyone chooses it over the other options. Use will be Rm3di and 1Ds3 on an Arca L bracket.

Anyone care to share any words of wisdom?
 

justinpoulsen

New member
I have the cube with fliplock. I keep it because I tested it and it works well with all of my plates (markins and arca swiss). I'm not touching the tension unless it needs to be adjusted. Everything works so well right now that I'm not messing around with it. I don't see a benefit in replacing the mount as I don't believe it was originally intended to be changed. It's solid and it works. I've only heard of issues when people start messing around with the tension adjustment.
 

gazwas

Active member
Thanks for the replies.

I suppose the fiddly nature of the Fliplock makes it very safe but I'm still tempted by the Monoball Fix. Video's of its use on the P0 heads I've seen doesn't look as if brushing against it would release the camera as it looks quite difficult to pop the catch.

The Monoball Fix looks the perfect match for the Rm3di so has anyone got any experience of the Monoball Fix with any other Arca head?
 

PeterL

Member
Gareth, I've been very happy with the Slidefix/MonoballFix system. I have it on my D4 head. It's lower profile and more elegant than the old style Arca plates. The plate is still semi locked in the mount (can slide in, but not out of the mount) even though the release lever is not pressed all the way in. The only slight problem was not having the lip (to prevent twist) on the mount plates, but once screwed in and a bit of loctite - it's ok. I'm using it on my Alpa TC and STC.

Cheers, -Peter
 

gazwas

Active member
Thanks Peter.

Martin at Arca has emailed me the Monoball Fix system chart and its vast - amazing!

With all that choice I'm not sure if I'd ever need or want the bigger plates. I see they do a plate for the 1D with a back lip so I imaging twist would be none existant and the Rm3di would just mount super firm without any plate.
 

baxter

New member
I've got fliplock on D4M and had it on a P1 prior to that. I was shooting earlier in the year with a friend who had a P0 (no fliplock, the easier to mount lever with small plates whatever that's called) and he accidentally caught the catch releasing it, so his D800 and 70-200 hit the deck. Camera lens mount needed replacing and other damage. Camera was out of action for 3/4 weeks. He now has a D4M with fliplock!

The inner release on a fliplock can be a fiddle with cold hands in winter, but once you are used to it, it's ok.
 

Dustbak

Member
I have a cube, first thing I replaced was the fliplock. I put a RRS pro-b2 on top of it and never looked back. Excellent decision, the fliplock still allowed movement, the screw clamp does not (provided you never forget to screw it tight :))
 

gazwas

Active member
I was shooting earlier in the year with a friend who had a P0 (no fliplock, the easier to mount lever with small plates whatever that's called) and he accidentally caught the catch releasing it, so his D800 and 70-200 hit the deck. Camera lens mount needed replacing and other damage. Camera was out of action for 3/4 weeks. He now has a D4M with fliplock
Wow, that sounds like one of those horror stories that a friend of a friend of a friends brother read on the internet but you actually experienced the failings of the Monoball Fix first hand. Mmm, that's got me reconsidering now! :confused:

I have a cube, first thing I replaced was the fliplock. I put a RRS pro-b2 on top of it and never looked back. Excellent decision, the fliplock still allowed movement, the screw clamp does not (provided you never forget to screw it tight :))
So the RRS is like the Arca classic QR with the screw? Why do people not get this when they order the cube rather than buying a Fliplock version only to replace immediately with the RSS QR? Is the RSS different than the Arca classic in some way?
 

HenryDove

New member
Gareth,

I went for the D4 with quickset screw from Robert White - no regrets over a lever. I think some have posted in other threads here that removing the top plate on Arca heads is harder than it once was so putting the RRS lever or screw (both lovely, but I'm happy with the quickset screw on the D4) might not be an easy option now.

Henry
 
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