ACCESSORIES
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICES
Angela Nicholson reviews long quick-release plates that deliver more than the usual
● £52 ● 3leggedthing.com
In essence, these Ultra Plates are very simple. They are long quick-release plates that can be mounted on any Arca-Swiss-type tripod head (including 3 Legged Thing’s) instead of a standard plate. That extra length and the additional fixing points mean you can mount lights, microphones, monitors or scopes alongside your camera.
The Ultra Plates come in four lengths: 150mm, 200mm, 250mm and 300mm. They’re constructed from anodised aerospace-grade magnesium alloy and the shortest one weighs 81g, while the longest is only 143g. They all feel very strong and I’m unable to bend them when using my full strength.
Each plate has a screw slot that runs for most of its length, enabling precise positioning of whatever camera kit you’re mounting. This positioning can be guided by the measuring marks on each long side of the plates. Helpfully, the zero point is at the centre of the slot, which makes it easier to ensure that weight is evenly distributed.
Three Legged Thing supplies the 250mm and 300mm plates with two camera screws in the slot, while the 150mm and 200mm plates have just one. But it’s possible to add more screws or remove the existing ones.
Either side of the screw slot, each plate has a series of 1/4in-20 threads for accessories. These can be mounted directly or via an arm. There’s also a cold shoe at one end, which could be useful for holding a flash, or anything else with an appropriate mount. This shoe has a 3/8in-16 thread at its centre, adding to the mounting point options.
Next to the cold shoe, there’s a cable hook, which is useful for keeping cables held neatly in place. That’s especially helpful for videographers who may have a bunch of cables protruding from their camera. But it could prove handy for flash, too.
At the opposite end of the plate, there’s an ‘Arca square’, which enables it to be mounted at 90° to the standard position. I found it’s possible to mount
