Arca B1 Plates for 300 Schneider APO

[yui_cheng]

I am getting an Arca B1 head and I was wondering where I can get a

quick release plate for my 300 lens. Is it the same plate as the 6008

camera? Your experience/suggestions are appreciated.

[edward_s_carmick]

Dear Yui:

The best quick release plates are made by Really Right Stuff. The one for your Rollei is the B-22 plate. According to Bryan at RRS this is the same plate for the 300 mm. The problem is the balance point which is not at the tripod bushing on the lens or on the camera but roughly half way in between. I will ask Steve Grimes (machinist) to make one for me which I have sketched out and a few other people. I don't know what it will cost.

Nice lens but heavy.

Ed Carmick

[larry burk]

Yui

Bryan at Really Right Stuff recently supplied me with a B-82S plate for use with the F4-300 lens on my Rollei.

 

However I would like to hear additional information about the special plate Ed is sketching up as the lens/camera is out of balance on the tripod.

 

Larry

[jim_chow]

The plate for the 300 apo that I use is the RRS 74(n) or something like that. I don't use the B22. That's for the body! It's a small lens plate w/ 1/4" screw. I sent the footprint of the lens mount to RRS and that's the plate they chose. Seems to work fine. As Ed says, the balance point is too far forward. I manage to get by w/ just the 300 lens only, but when a tc is mounted, the unit is way too rear heavy (balance point seems to be at the tc). I use a RRS focusing slider to keep the center of mass over the ballhead. The optimum solution is to get a custom-made mount compatible w/ the RRS/Arca Swiss mount. Even something simple like a collar for the teleconverter would be a huge improvement (like I said, using the len's mounting location is tolerable for the 300mm lens only, but doesn't work well when a tc is added since the center of balance is far behind the ballhead).