I have a Manfrotto tripod with the 496 ball head but it has the RC2 style quick release and I’m not a fan of it. I would like to put an Arca Swiss quick release base on it but I’m not sure if this exists. I think I found an off brand one on Amazon but I don’t want some Chinese junk that’s going to drop my camera. Does anyone know where I could find just the base instead of a whole new head? Thank you
The specs say your head has a standard 3/8"-16 Female threaded base, so any head with the same kind of mounting hole should work. Also, the standard camera plate you have is Arca Swiss compatible, although in my experience with similar Gitzo plates, their "A-S Compatible" plate is slightly narrower than others and may not work with heads that can't close enough.
I've got a Sirui K-30X head that works fine for my lighter gear. Have you called B&H for recommendations? (note that they're closed until tomorrow)
I have two Manfrotto heads (one RC2, one RC4), that have third-party RC-clamp to A-S clamp replacement kits. The RC2 head is a 468MG Hydrostatic, and the RC4 is a 410 geared head. The kits replace most of the RC2/4 clamp components (i.e. the top parts) with an A-S clamp, that basically fits on the head in the same mount holes (and fit the proprietary mount obstacles). I've been using both for at least 15 years, frequently.
The 468MG head has: "Wimberley C-10 clamp replacement for 468MG RC2 clamp".
The 410 geared head has: "Hejnar 410 adapter replacement for 410 RC4 clamp".
They probably won't fit your head, but they might help to point you in the right direction.
It says Arca Swiss compatible, but that’s not for a long AS plate, I think it’s just for a square plate. I have an Arca Swiss plate for a telephoto lens and it does not work with this head, which is why I want to swap it out. Sorry I can’t post photos yet since I just joined, otherwise I’d be able to show you exactly what I’m talking about. But only square plates are compatible with this head
You will be far better off replacing your tripod ball head with a ball headed Arca Swiss style head. Less levels of attachment makes for safer camera attachment and more stable shots. I trust K&F, as I have several other items from them that I'm extremely happy with. I believe that they offer several versions of what you are looking for. A Google Search should bring them up for you to see. Their products are well made, but reasonably priced. My latest from them is a micro adjust three axis tripod head. It was a game changer for "Still Life" type shooting. Find what you want, then buy wherever you want.
I've used the "Desmond DAC-60 + Boss Tripod Ball Head Conversion Kit 60mm Arca/RRS Compatible QR Clamp" or similar in the past. With a Manfrotto head, there may need to be a bushing between the new clamp and the threaded post of the ball head. I've swapped several clamps off Manfrotto ball heads over the years but not recently. There are quite a few available on Amazon with different clamp lengths.
Alright guys, so I found and ordered a few of those adapters on Amazon and decided that I’ll keep the Sunwayfoto MAC-14T. This one is built nice and has a very smooth feel to turning the knob. It also has an extra notch that makes it compatible with Manfrotto 200PL RC2 plates instead of just Arca Swiss.
Here’s my thoughts on the other ones to help out anyone else that’s looking for one of these.
ProMediaGear C60 - I had high hopes with this being made in the USA and costing significantly more than the other options, but this was actually the worst one. Turning the knob is very rough and loud and the overall feel just isn’t as nice. You also need to purchase the little centering pins separately from their website because they don’t sell them on Amazon.
Leftfoto 70mm Manfrotto converter- I liked this one, the knob turns smooth and quiet but it was just too bulky. The tripod wouldn’t fit back nicely in my bag because the legs can’t close down far enough. Otherwise this one is pretty nice.
Desmond DAC-60+ - This one is pretty much identical to the Sunwayfoto but cheaper, the knob didn’t turn as smooth and the finish didn’t feel as nice. You can decide if that’s worth $17 less, it probably is for most people but I like perfection 😂
I wish there were better, more premium options, but at that point you might as well just buy a premium tripod head instead. The adapter will definitely suffice for now
