quick release plate

<p>I have a kirk L plate on my D300. My tripod has an ancient Kirk clamp which I find difficult to use especially in the dark i.e. I have difficulty getting the groves of the L - plate to catch inside the clamp.</p>

<p>I was thinking an lever type quick release clamp might solve the problem. The Really Right stuff one is out because it means I have to purchase a new L-plate.<br /><br />So I was looking at: the markins clamp:<br />http://www.markinsamerica.com/MA5/QS.php?req=QL60 </p>

<p>or the kirk clamp:<br>

http://www.kirkphoto.com/2_in_Quick_Release_Clamp.html <br /><br />Is the kirk clamp an improvement over the old style screw clamp. The description says you don't have to turn the knob as much but it's not clear to me how this is achieved.<br>

The Markins seems like a better bet but it is pricey and is 1/3 the cost of a new ballhead that they sell:<br>

http://www.markinsamerica.com/MA5/Q3E.php<br>

so rather than just buying a clamp I could upgrade my entire ball head system. Advice thoughts?<br /><br />PS.<br>

I don't shoot any really heavy telephoto stuff. I use a tripod for panos and night photography with a 50mm lens. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>The description says you don't have to turn the knob as much but it's not clear to me how this is achieved</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Coarser threads. I've seen Arca clamps with 32 tpi or M4x0.7 (about 36 tpi) threads. That means, to open the 2 mm you need to lift a plate out vertically, you need to crank the knob 3 turns.</p>

<p>There are tricks, like going to a 16 tpi thread, that can get this down to 1.5 turns.</p>

<p>What sort of condition is your old ballhead in, aside from the clamp?</p>

I use an olf giotto ballhead which gets the job done but it has some slop in it until you lock everything down which is

why when I saw the marlins clamp was 100 dollars and the ballhead with the lever clamp is $300.

<p>how about a tiny flashlight or just some thin reflective or glow in the dark tape to help you 'aim' the L-plate into the clamp and save yourself $300-400 ;)</p>

<p>Seriously, all the screw clamps are around 60-80 and the levers are 80-100. You can buy a better clamp now and if you want, later, replace the ballhead (most can be purchased w/o a clamp)</p>

<p>I only use Markins screw clamps on my Arca-Swiss Z1, Linhof Profi and Markins ballheads. They're very well made and accept all of the six or so different plates I have. I particularly like the spring-loaded detent pin in the top of the clamp, an additional safety feature that few other clamps offer. I had a Markins clamp custom machined to seat on the Arca-Swiss Z1 ball stem, see attached pic.</p><div></div>