Spindrift Photo

M-Plate Pro - a delightful piece of flexibility
I’ve got a few mini-reviews to share over the next few posts but the first one is an elegant blend of simplicity and functionality.  CustomSLR has designed a universal tripod plate system that fills a number of needs. First, it supports both the Manfrotto RC2 and Arca-Swiss mounts, and second, it provides several additional attachment points making it easy to add a strap like the BlackRapid RS series or CustomSLR’s own Glide Strap.  The plate is made from aluminum and is hard anodized for a superior black finish.
 
Tony Chor showed me his BlackRapid strap a year or so ago and it is a great way to carry a camera around for long walks but my Arca plate was already using the spot that the strap needed to connect to the camera so I haven’t made the switch to using it.  When I saw the M-Plate Pro, though, I knew that the wait was over.  Now I can have my plate and carry it comfortably too!
 
The only downside so far, is when I try to attach a lens with its own lens ring, the ring runs into the extra attachment point but I just need to rotate the lens ring around and it’s not a problem for long.
 
The M-Plate is available from CustomSLR’s online web store and they ship quickly. If you use either of the supported plate connections, this is definitely worth a look.