Customer Reviews

Bogen - Manfrotto Super Clamp with Standard Stud (#2900)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a super strong clamp that will hold most video cameras STEADY on a motorcycle. I have used it on the handle bars and the rear grab handles and both were rock steady

I have used this little beauty in some unusual places - to get a night shot of my favorite sushi place in Kyiv clamped to a railing across the street. I used it on a train in Poland clamped to a buffet table and I have also clamped it to motorcycle handlebars. I would echo the caveat about be careful - it has a potentially crushing grip. The included stud has a standard tripod mount thread and there is a quasi quick release function so that you can mount and dismount a camera fairly quickly. I say quasi because you will have a stud sticking out of the bottom of the camera.
It packs well in a camera bag and I usually bring along a mini ball head such as a Manfrotto 2108/3314. You will need the reversible stud (2907) to attach it. I have also used it to clamp a remote flash to a tree branch! A highly recommended accessory for the determined photographer.

These things grip like they're welded in place, they're built like little tanks, and they are TOTALLY indispensable when the need arises. Those little squeezy clamps are fine, but mount a big fat 70-200 on the front of a camera/battery grip setup and try clamping THAT to a doorway or a pipe (or, as the other reviewer stated, motorcycle handlebars...) and watch you gear hit the floor.

Downside? They grip TOO well sometimes. Be careful - you can crush a thin door if you crank it too tight...

Highly recommended.

I wanted rock-solid support for my camera in situations where space and speed were important, also for intermittent repeat shots taken from precisely the same vantage point over a period of months and for long exposures/bulb shots.

Tripods and monopods came with various trade-offs. I found this clamp and bought it on the basis of both the specifications and the reviews. It can be used for a range of things, and has a supplementary screw mount as well as the stud. But I only use the stud and for my camera equipment.

Not all things have degrees of goodness. They either completely work or they completely don't work. This is something that works 100%.
Italian made. A simple but high quality industrial standard of build and materials. A good instruction leaflet, in case you lose your intuitive powers.

It's a little chunky to fit in a pocket and, according to specs, weighs 1.2 pounds. So, if you pack it it in a camera case with lenses etc., make sure they are protected from it.

The jaws open to a max capacity of 1.25 inches. Without the wedge adaptor - but with care - I managed to secure it to a 2.6 inch board and again to a 3/8 inch thick flange. And, of course, it will accommodate a pipe, or similar shape, up to at least 2 inch diameter. When you tighten them, take care that you don't crush something.

The stud holds the camera about an inch above the clamp. For me, that was enough to clear any obstructions.
One end of the stud has a standard quarter-inch thread for your camera etc.. The other end is hexagonal to mate with the clamp. The clamp has a quick-release press-in knob and a well-sized thumbscrew to secure the stud completely.
So, you can remove the camera and stud to rotate them or stow them; that's a form of quick release, if you're happy with the length of the stud in the camera. However, I've used a ball head and quick-release plate - both Cullmann - for over 20 years, so I wanted to transfer them to this clamp. They did. The whole setup is as good as it gets. There are other adaptors and accessories that you could use to mount camera, flash, reflector, etc. simultaneously.

The thumbscrew also secures a removable wedge, which fits into one jaw of the clamp and turns it from something to use on a pipe to one on, e.g., a tabletop or plank.

I had a minor quibble with the thumbscrew. It can get in the way of your fingers when securing the clamp to an object. But it's not impossible to deal with; I soon adapted to it. A little more thought at the design stage would have avoided this.

You can use the clamp anywhere there's a lump of the right dimensions. I've used it on a table top, deck rail, car steering wheel, branch, chair leg, door, etc. This clamp is as reliable and immovable as the thing you secure it to. No duck tape required unless it gives you pleasure.

I wish I'd bought one sooner, and recommend it without hesitation.

The bone-crushing power and leverage of this clamp assembly is nothing short of astonishing. Out of the box, I was clamping to everything, and each time it was secure as the next. I will have no issues mounting my rig to this and feeling secure that things will remain where I place them.

I looked at other solutions that were not brand name or that were not purposely built for the task, and I decided to go with a very trusted name in cameras. I recommend you do the same.

Six stars.

I used my manfrotto super clamp for years and loved it. However earlier today I was using it to clamp a 60" umbrella with two 580EXii flashes and PocketWizards on a Manfrotto 23" flexible boom arm to a bridge railing (over the water) for a portrait shoot. As I was adjusting the umbrella it seemed a bit loose and when I jiggled it the whole freaking contraption broke off at the 1/4" brass mounting stud!

Luckily I had the thing in my hand when it broke so I was able to catch it, but if I was not holding it that would have been about $1,800 of gear falling in the river. I am not sure, but I think the newer version of this clamp still comes with the same 1/4" stud, so be careful out there!

I am now switching over to the super clamp stud from my cowboy studio clamp. I don't like the cowboy studio clamp quite as much as the manfrotto one, but I like the larger stud that comes with it a whole lot better!

I'm still giving the manfrotto one two stars for the years of service, but I won't be able to trust this quite the same again.

Purchased this to mount my GoPro off of my rollbar within the car. I couldn't stand the vibrations I was getting from other bar mounts and the 3M double sided tape stuff included with the camera were insufficient. Solved my problem perfectly!

After hearing about these for years, I finally picked one up a few months ago (and then about 4 more immediately afterwards). It's a great little product, and I'd say a must-have for photographers.

On the good-side:

Very strong/secure and tons of uses. I use one attach a portable LCD screen Haier HLT71 7-Inch Handheld LCD TV to a tripod to view photos after taking them (or on a monopod to view photos taken at odd angles). I use one on a lightstand along with a Monopod to create a Boom arm. Use 2 on lightstands (with a monopod) to create a background support. Clamp these onto railings and add a ballhead on top (much more secure than a Gorillapod). Connect them to a pole and add a speedlite to the end for an instant lightstand. There are a ton of uses for these things!

On the down-side:

They're expensive. They seem cheap, but then you start buying 4-5 of them and quickly see what people mean when they say they're expensive! The 3rd party knockoffs are a bit "iffy" and for expensive equipment, I say get the Bogen/Manfrotto. It's also heavy and not so compact (they take up a lot of room!)

Make sure you get one with the Manfrotto 037 Reversible Short Stud - Replaces 2907 -- you can buy it in a bundle or separately (the bundle is cheaper). The short stud is reversible (so 1/4" or 3/4" threading), and doesnt "stick out" like the included stud (great for mounting a ballhead or camera).

but not exactly what I was looking for. With this clamp you limit yourself to desks, doors, squared poles, I think I'll be using it to mount my 580ex but not my DSLR. Hard to get the DSLR in good position vertically, so I'll be purchasing a gorillapod for that. Still a good product for what it is.

Put a speed light and a pocket wizard on one of these and you've got some money riding on that clamp. I trust this thing to it's job and I don't have to worry about my investment falling onto a hard floor. Cheap insurance!