Installation Tips
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| All mounting screws have hex socket heads and install with a hex key; included. Screws are "captive" style; they rest freely in slots and sockets but don't fall out and get lost. |
Plate Installation Notes
Really Right Stuff quick-release plates come with all mounting screws already installed. Depending upon the plate, the screw(s) may be be installed in either a socket or a slot. Mounting slots are threaded only at one end—to remove, slide the screw all the way to the end of the slot that is threaded. Use the included hex key to screw the plate onto your camera or lens.
Installing a Camera Body Plate
Camera body plates have a front and a back; they're made to fit on your camera in only one way. The back of the plate can be identified in one of two ways:
- If your plate has a white laser-engraved centering index mark, this mark is always on the back of the plate.
- If your plate does not have a centering mark, then look on the bottom of the plate. For conventional plates, the safety stop screw will always be on the right side of the plate when you're looking at the back of the camera (sole exception is our BP-CS plate—the single safety stop screw can be installed on either side).
Wipe off the bottom of your camera as well as the top of the plate—ensure that you're not going to trap any dirt or grit between the camera and the plate. Now line up the plate and loosely install the mounting screw using the enclosed hex key. Examine the fit front & back to make sure that the plate meets the contours of the camera perfectly. Now you can tighten down the mounting screw.
Installing a Lens Plate
Lens plates with single screws mount so that the flange is at the back of the lens foot. Wipe off the bottom of your lens foot as well as the top of the plate—ensure that you're not going to trap any dirt or grit between the lens and the plate. Now line up the plate with the flange at the back, and loosely install the screw into the mounting socket; leave the screw loose. Now slide the plate and push the flange flush to the back of the lens foot; leave no gap between the flange and the lens foot. Now you can tighten down the mounting screw.
Some lens plate have no flange at all but have multiple mounting screws. Wipe off the bottom of your lens foot as well as the top of the plate—ensure that you're not going to trap any dirt or grit between the lens and the plate. Line up the screws with the sockets and loosely install each screw. Ensure that the plate is a reasonable fit for the lens, then tighten down the mounting screws.
Clamp Installation Notes
If you intend to convert an existing
ballhead to accept our clamp, check to see
if the round platform atop the head can be removed.
Some ballheads, such as those from Linhof, Giotto,
and Gitzo (some models), have a platform that will
freely unscrew from a female socket, tapped 3⁄8"-16, in
the stem. Buy our 3⁄8"-16 stainless steel stud to mate the clamp directly to that stem
without the needless platform. Some Bogen/Manfrotto
ballheads can be modified in a similar manner, but
the tapped female socket in the stem is metric 6-1.0.
Buy our B2 AS II clamp and fix to the head using a
M6-1.0 flat-top metric machine screw. Use LocTite type 242 (blue fluid, medium
strength) to keep
clamp from twisting.
Hardware |
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reducer bushing
reduces threaded socket from 3/8"-16 down to ¼”-20 |
3/8" stud
3/4-inch long
for ballheads with female tapped 3/8" socket |
flat-head ¼”-20 screw 3/4-inch long for Really Right Stuff ballheads |
flat-head Metric 6 screw 1-inch long forballheads with female tapped M6 socket |
LocTite 242
Single Application tube suggested to secure studs & screws |
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Mounting Plates in the Clamp
If you have a lever-release clamp, you
can swing the lever fully open and top load your plate.
But if you’re using a screw-knob clamp, it’s too slow to
open the jaws wide enough for top loading. It’s faster to
slide a plate into the clamp from the end—tilt the front
edge of the plate downward, toward the clamp, and
engage the front dovetail so that it rides underneath the
front corner of the clamp’s jaw. Keep that front edge
of the plate in contact with the clamp corner and then
level the plate, and swing the plate’s rear dovetail into
the clamp.
Replacing clamps on Arca-Swiss ballheads
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| Hex-head mounting screw on current Arca-Swiss heads. |
The clamps on current model Arca-Swiss ballheads can be replaced with our B2 AS II lever-release clamp or our B2-Pro II screw-knob clamp (our screw-knob clamps have captive knobs, unliked the Arca-Swiss knobs which can accidentally spin off and get lost). Install clamps with flat-head M6 screw.
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| Arca-Swiss B1 ballhead with Really Right Stuff B2 AS II lever-release clamp. |
To remove the clamp from a current model
Arca-Swiss ballhead, use an 11mm 6-point
box socket (with ¼-inch drive—¾-inch drive won't fit into the narrow recess around the bolt head) wrench to
remove hex-head bolt. A short (not deep)
socket is preferred; be careful not to strip the bolt head! If your Arca-Swiss ballhead's clamp does not have a hex-head bolt, then your ballhead will require professional installation in order to replace the clamp. We suggest contacting Precision Camera Works and ask for a quote (they're quite familiar with this process).
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