A big advantage for me is not so much the mount per se, but the fact that there are small manufacturers like Kirk who make custom-fit brackets for many cameras. Unlike any Manfretto camera plate I have ever used, a Kirk (Swiss-Arca standard) will not twist when you swing over for a vertical shot. The custom plate curves up over the edge of the body, preventing rotation...
With respect to the mounting system itself, in my limited experience it seems easier and more secure to mount on the swiss Arca mount, and there is just the one standard. Five or six companies follow that standard. Unlike Manfretto where I had to buy new size and shape mounting plates every time I got a new head... it was a major breakthrough when they came out with new plates that would substitute for two old ones, that would mount on two different QR platforms!
If I can fit the tripod in the suitcase, I'll have my Kirk ball head with me on my Australia trip.
Stan
Rob Studdert wrote:
On 7 Mar 2004 at 21:22, Herb Chong wrote:
for those of you who are fans of Arca-Swiss QR plates like i am, Kirk Photo has just announced the PZ-87 for the *istD without battery grip and the PS-88 for the*istD with battery grip.
Herb,
For those not "in the know" what are the advantages of the Arca-Swiss QR system over the Manfrotto snap in system? Also have you used the "L" brackets? I used to use the Manfrotto 340 Elbow bracket when I had a P67 but it's not suitable (and too heavy) to use with my Mamiya 7 gear. The Kirk plate looks interesting but it appears that it will obscure the film spool release like the 340 bracket :-(
Also do you know if there is an Arca-Swiss QR compatible ball head that's around the same size as the Manfrotto 308RC?
Cheers,
Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998
