# Base Plates for 5D3, 1DX -- seeking advice?



## [email protected] (Jul 26, 2013)

Colleagues: I am accustomed to keeping a steel base plate on my gear (example: the Really Right Stuff plate for the 5D2), both for protection and also because I can vigorously screw in my Black Rapid attachment. I don't mind the extra weight. I seek advice re. options for protective base plates for the 1Dx and 5D3. (I know RRS makes a plate for the 5D3 but not for the 1DX.) They must have female fitting for BR attachment, and be very durable--steel preferred over aluminum; titanium best of all. M-Plate? Acra? Anything else? Thank you for your time. 

Addendum--Thanks, winglet and neuroanatomist. The Kirk plate (I did not know of them) may be what I want. I prefer steel to aluminum, but RRS doesn;t make an equivalent plate for the 1Dx as they do for the 5D3. Not certain what neuroanatomist means by lug and locktite, but Ishall research this. Thanks again.


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## winglet (Jul 28, 2013)

Perhaps I don't understand what you mean by base plate, but I use a RRS quick-release plate on my 1DX and love it:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=B1DX-L

??


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 28, 2013)

Maybe the OP is looking for a plate that goes all the way across the bottom? Regardless, the RRS plate for the 1D X doesn't have the 1/4"-20 threaded hole the OP is looking for, but the Kirk plate does. 

Still, rather than screwing in the lug, I'd recommend connecting the lug to a Kirk 1" clamp (with Loctite 242), then connecting that to the camera plate, lens plate, etc.


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## ahab1372 (Jul 29, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> Addendum--Thanks, winglet and neuroanatomist. The Kirk plate (I did not know of them) may be what I want. I prefer steel to aluminum, but RRS doesn;t make an equivalent plate for the 1Dx as they do for the 5D3. Not certain what neuroanatomist means by lug and locktite, but Ishall research this. Thanks again.


What Neuro means (and many others, including myself, use successfully) is, instead of attaching the BR strap directly to the base plate, attach it to a Kirk 1'' Arca-Swiss clamp, and then clamp that to the base plate. Since the Kirk clamp can be permananently attached to the BR strap, add loctite before screwing the lug in, and it will never work itself loose. That makes for a secure connection that can be easily detached when needed.


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## [email protected] (Jul 29, 2013)

Aha. Many thanks! I looked at the clamp assembly but now I understand. Thanks again. J


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## winglet (Aug 3, 2013)

Hey thanks guys that's great! Not only did it explain what the OP was asking about, but I'd never thought of using a Arca-Swiss plate like that, and I'm a dedicated Blackrapid user. I've got one of the Kirk plates on order as we speak!

And I wouldn't trade my RSS L-plate for the 1DX for anything. They ain't exactly giving them away  but it's like a piece of functional art, it's so well-made.


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## ahsanford (Aug 3, 2013)

winglet said:


> Hey thanks guys that's great! Not only did it explain what the OP was asking about, but I'd never thought of using a Arca-Swiss plate like that, and I'm a dedicated Blackrapid user. I've got one of the Kirk plates on order as we speak!
> 
> And I wouldn't trade my RSS L-plate for the 1DX for anything. They ain't exactly giving them away  but it's like a piece of functional art, it's so well-made.



You know, I've got a BlackRapid that I only use when I have the 70-200 F/2.8 on my 5D3. I have a Wimberley Arca plate that I usually take off when I am using the BlackRapid... Do I need to? The plate's threaded hole is off-center of course, so it will torque the plate screw from repeated use, but I would never go so far as to loctite the plate down. Is the load from repeated 'draws' with the Black Rapid enough to unthread the plate screw?

Just curious.

- A


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 3, 2013)

ahsanford said:


> You know, I've got a BlackRapid that I only use when I have the 70-200 F/2.8 on my 5D3. I have a Wimberley Arca plate that I usually take off when I am using the BlackRapid... Do I need to? The plate's threaded hole is off-center of course, so it will torque the plate screw from repeated use, but I would never go so far as to loctite the plate down. Is the load from repeated 'draws' with the Black Rapid enough to unthread the plate screw?



Assuming you mean the Wimberley P-5, that plate's only anti-twist is the grippy material (unlike dedicated plates which have a lip in the design), so it might twist from the torque. Of course, you'd still have to unscrew the BR lug to connect the plate to a tripod/monopod clamp. 

I don't think anyone is suggesting connecting a plate to the camera with Loctite (at least, I'm not). The idea is to connect the BR lug to a small clamp with Loctite, to give your BR strap the same quick release capability that you have with a tripod/monopod clamp. 

A picture might help...


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## ahsanford (Aug 3, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> ahsanford said:
> 
> 
> > You know, I've got a BlackRapid that I only use when I have the 70-200 F/2.8 on my 5D3. I have a Wimberley Arca plate that I usually take off when I am using the BlackRapid... Do I need to? The plate's threaded hole is off-center of course, so it will torque the plate screw from repeated use, but I would never go so far as to loctite the plate down. Is the load from repeated 'draws' with the Black Rapid enough to unthread the plate screw?
> ...



Confusion obliterated. 

Great advice, Neuro. Appreciated.

- A


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## risc32 (Aug 3, 2013)

damn, just realized that i used loctite on my camera plates. well, i'll probably never need to remove them anyway, but i bet they'll still come undone if needed. oh well. actually, by the time i'm ready to offload my 5d, the plate might be worth more than the camera. funny digital...


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## lopicma (Aug 3, 2013)

risc32 said:


> damn, just realized that i used loctite on my camera plates. well, i'll probably never need to remove them anyway, but i bet they'll still come undone if needed. oh well. actually, by the time i'm ready to offload my 5d, the plate might be worth more than the camera. funny digital...



In the future... if you use the blue Loctite, this isn't a problem.


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## [email protected] (Oct 13, 2013)

I'm the original poster here .. in ase anyone looks at this, I found a solution: Markin makes a relatively inexpensive base plate, #50, well-machined aluminum, with a 1/4" hole that accommodates a BR attachment point ... I am using this happily on my 1Dx.


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