Which clamp releases are best for Really Right Stuff BH-40?

After much deliberation I decided to get a Really Right Stuff BH-40 <a href="http://

www.reallyrightstuff.com/ballheads/index.html">ballhead</a> to replace my Manfrotto,

and there are so many different combinations of clamps that are available that I need help

from someone with experience to make a final decision.<p>

I will be using it with a Canon 5D and conventional RRS <a href="http://

www.reallyrightstuff.com/body_plates/canon/index.html

">B5D plate</a>. I've been advised that the level clamps are quicker, easier, and more

secure but best when used with RRS plates. No problem there, I will be using a RRS lever

clamp with RRS plate.<p>

The question I have is about the small <a href="http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/media/

full_size/BH40LR.jpg">40mm clamp</a> that comes standard with the BH-40. I've heard

that it isn't as secure as the standard 60mm <a href="http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/

clamps/index.html">clamp</a>. Yet perhaps the 60mm clamps don't have enough

clearance over the knobs? (I've heard this mentioned too) I'm only using it with a 5D with

mid-length lenses. Which would you advise, the regular or smaller clamps? Unfortunately

the RRS site doesn't state the length of the 5D plate. Thanks.

The 5D plate will likely be longer than either the 40mm or 60mm clamps. My 20D plate is over 80mm long. I'm using it with a clamp that is only 45mm wide without any difficulty.

 

I'd choose the 60mm clamp only if you were planning to use longer and heavier lenses (and plates). Otherwise the 40mm should be just as good at supporting the 5D plate, but lighter and more compact.

If you email RRS, they are pretty quick about getting back to you re: plate length for the 5D (or anything else for that matter).

 

Like the previous poster stated, with heavier lenses, you may want to get the wider clamp. If you don't have a long, heavy lens now, you may want one in the future and you'll already have the wider clamp.

 

If you haven't considered it already, the other clamps provide a spirit level in the clamp; the clamp included with the BH40 does not have one.

I have the BH40 with the lever clamp on one tripod and the standard lever clamp on my old Boden 488 head. The lever clamp for the BH40 is smaller then the standard lever clamp. But both hold the camera or lens.

 

 

I have been using it with a RRS camera plate but all my lens plates are Wimberley and they work fine. I have also used the Wimberley P5 camera plate and had no problem.

 

Hope this helps

 

Jim

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Carlo, I wrote to RRS but being the weekend

they haven't had the chance to respond ... and I was curious and too impatient to wait until

Monday so I asked. I look forward to hearing what they recommend. Unless there are

problems with a 60mm clamp on the BH-40, I think I'll opt for it. It's only an ounce of

extra weight and not terribly big, plus the level can be helpful.<p>I'm surprised to read

that Sheldon's 20D RRS plate is 80mm long. It might be just my imagination, but it seems

a bit of a waste mating an 80mm plate to a 40mm clamp instead of a 60. Even my little

Bogen/Manfrotto clamp/plate is ≥ 50mm. I'm sure the 40mm clamp will grip it

enough, but an extra 50% clamp space adds a little security. If the plate were only 40 or

50mm I might've thought the opposite.<p>

Thank you for the valuable information, I appreciate it.

A longer plate is useful for close up work. This will give some available lateral displacement which may be needed for fine adjustment of the composition.