# STUPID QUESTION ALERT - Manfrotto Quick Release



## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

I have the 190DXB tripod with 390RC2 head w/ quick release.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images345x345/269982.jpg

When I have the handle of the head pointing towards me, with the camera pointing outwards, I have the quick release lever under my LCD of the camera.  BUT, looking underneath my camera, the quick release has an arrow with the words "len" pointing the opposite direction of my lens.  What gives with that?  (I could turn it 90 degs, but then the handle would be out to the side)

Did I over look something?


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## Overread (Nov 15, 2009)

Its teh suggested direction that your lens should face. Far as I can see it should not matter which way round your setup is arranged, so having it as you do should not be a problem. just remember you can turn the quick release plate around on that head (read manual that came with it) as well as mount it on the end of the handle if you wish*


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## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

I have tried but it doesn't fit if I rotate it 180 degs.  I will dig up the manual and see what it says.


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## kundalini (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm trusting the engineers at Manfrotto to have been studious in the principles of design and physics. The arrow is giving you the intent of their design. There is only one way to mount the QR plate onto the head. Sure, you can circumvent this by orientating your camera body otherwise, but why would you under normal circumstances? At times there may be a need to do so, but not generally the norm.


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## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

kundalini said:


> I'm trusting the engineers at Manfrotto to have been studious in the principles of design and physics. The arrow is giving you the intent of their design. There is only one way to mount the QR plate onto the head. Sure, you can circumvent this by orientating your camera body otherwise, but why would you under normal circumstances? At times there may be a need to do so, but not generally the norm.



But why would you have the handle sticking out front with the lens?


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## Overread (Nov 15, 2009)

wait sorry - I mean you can turn the whole quick release setup around on the head - the plate itself will only fit on one way - but the housing it goes into can detach and be turned around as well as mounted in a different position.


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## Overread (Nov 15, 2009)

battletone said:


> kundalini said:
> 
> 
> > I'm trusting the engineers at Manfrotto to have been studious in the principles of design and physics. The arrow is giving you the intent of their design. There is only one way to mount the QR plate onto the head. Sure, you can circumvent this by orientating your camera body otherwise, but why would you under normal circumstances? At times there may be a need to do so, but not generally the norm.
> ...



So you can get to the viewfinder without having the handle rib you  also with heavier lenses, even with a tripod collar, one prefers to have their hand under the barrle of the lens more than held back behind the camera (less force needed to move the setup)


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## kundalini (Nov 15, 2009)

Sorry, but I don't use a pan/tilt head.  But I'm guessing that they are left hand driven.  If this is correct, then the arrow should be pointing forward and the handle to your left so that you can operate the camera controls with your right hand.


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## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

I am looking at the instructions right in front of me with the tripod here also.
I see nothing that shows how to change anything on the tripod, nothing on the tripod that looks like it can be reversed, and infact the instructions show the camera with the "lens arrow" pointing towards the lens, while being installed with the handle in the opposite direction of the lens, but with the quick release on the same side as the handle.


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## Overread (Nov 15, 2009)

OK I'm going to take that as a hint to head to bed now ---- I've been reading this all wrong (missread your head type as 322 instead of 390).... :blushing::blushing:

just ignor the suggestion arrow - yes the lever should point toward you certainly. Chances are since the plate it used in most manfrotto setups there is a general direction it faces and for some reason in this head its facing "backwards". It won't make any difference at all.

Night night all now!


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## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

I just don't see why the instructions show the lens arrow pointing at the lens, yet they show the quick release on the handle side.  The notch on the plate is only on one side.









Overread said:


> OK I'm going to take that as a hint to head to bed now ---- I've been reading this all wrong (missread your head type as 322 instead of 390).... :blushing::blushing:
> 
> just ignor the suggestion arrow - yes the lever should point toward you certainly. Chances are since the plate it used in most manfrotto setups there is a general direction it faces and for some reason in this head its facing "backwards". It won't make any difference at all.
> 
> Night night all now!


I don't have any big heavy lenses, but its just always bothered me and I figured I would sort out why.


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## kundalini (Nov 15, 2009)

battletone said:


> I am looking at the instructions right in front of me with the tripod here also.
> I see nothing that shows how to change anything on the tripod, nothing on the tripod that looks like it can be reversed, and infact the instructions show the camera with the "lens arrow" pointing towards the lens, *while being installed with the handle in the opposite direction of the lens, but with the quick release on the same side as the handle*.


 So the handle is rearward and the lens is forward.  Okay, makes some sense, but is still left hand driven.  Sorry, what was your question?  

It seems all is in order.  Now you just have to drive that bad boy.


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## battletone (Nov 15, 2009)

kundalini said:


> So the handle is rearward and the lens is forward.  Okay, makes some sense, but is still left hand driven.  Sorry, what was your question?
> 
> It seems all is in order.  Now you just have to drive that bad boy.


If I put my camera on there with the plate "correctly" attached to the camera, the lens will be pointing the same direction as the handle.  The opposite of the instructions.  Which would make the handle Right Hand driven out infront of the camera.

I went ahead and isntalled it like this, as just from an engineering perspective, with a heavy lens, the mount would be much stronger this way, but I have found a benefit to it....I can point the camera straight up.  But it seems wrong to be using the same hand as the camera controls are on, even if I do use a remote most of the time.


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## Overread (Nov 15, 2009)

huh - no no ignor the mount arrow - seriously which way you stick the lens on won't have any effect since the mount is the same design both ways. Having camera controls and the arm on the same hand is just daft  Set it so the arm is in your left hand and the camera controls in your right - the lens pointing the opposite way to the arm. 

*yes I said I was going to sleep, but i couldn't sleep.....*


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## kundalini (Nov 15, 2009)

Well, since Overead is nighty night and I'm half in the bag, this is what I see when I mount my QR plate to the camera body. 







BTW, this image is of a Nikon D700 with a 105mm f/2.8 macro lens and SB-800 flash attach and shot with a D300 with 50mm f/1.8 lens and SB800 flash in TTL mode....


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## battletone (Nov 16, 2009)

kundalini said:


> Well, since Overead is nighty night and I'm half in the bag, this is what I see when I mount my QR plate to the camera body.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Do you have the same head?  With my camera and the plate attached exactly like that.....

It attaches to my tripod like this.


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## Bitter Jeweler (Nov 16, 2009)

I have to second the idea of the handle being annoying sticking backwards.
My old tripod was like this and I hated it, and almost knocked the setup over several times because of the handle position.


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## Overread (Nov 16, 2009)

I do I do!
*yes sleep depravation is kicking in and making me remember random stuff - like that 3way head I don't use much - wich turns out tobe a 390!*

Ahem turn it all around the other way! 
Either turn the plate around in the holder - its a tight fit, but it will fit (you have to pull the release lever all the way out). OR just ignor the arrow on the plate and point your lens the other way.


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## Overread (Nov 16, 2009)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> I have to second the idea of the handle being annoying sticking backwards.
> My old tripod was like this and I hated it, and almost knocked the setup over several times because of the handle position.



I hate it sticking backwards, but I can't imagine tryingto control things with the arm out infront - way too fiddly! I did once take the arm off a 3way head to get rid of it, sadly that was the end of my cheapo tripod as after that the arm never went back into the socket (darn internal nut fell out and it was all sealed plastic so no getting in to fix it)


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