Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 stars200mm Lens Plate - Someone will eventually have to make a good cheap one of these.
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016
It's a piece of milled aluminum, why can no one get this right for less than $40? The technological challenges are zero and it doesn't even need to be particularly precisely made. If you go to a place/website like BH they have plates that start to approach the price of prime lenses.
That being said, the market is what it is, and with a lack of better options at this price point this is an OK product.
The Good
- I love the versatility length of the 200mm plate. You can use it to attach two cameras (or any other pieces of gear) to a single tripod since it comes with two 1/4" screws.
- You can also use the length to make a pseudo video tripod. Just attach it so that almost the whole length sticks out behind the camera and you've turned a photo tripod head into a cheap video head. I’ve attached a picture showing this
- You can balance almost any telephoto lens plus camera setup without a tripod collar. I’ve attached a picture of this too.
- I like the tabs on the screws which mean you can tighten them without tools.
The Bad
- The furthest screw slots are unusable because the screw heads hit a piece of the plate and can't be tightened. I’ve tried to show this in one of my pictures.
- The plate came with few dings and dents. This does not bode well for the overall construction quality.
- The rubber pads are not of high quality. They are more of a hard plastic than the grippy stuff found on higher quality plates.
- The screws are very loosely held into the plate when not attached to a piece of equipment. Honestly, you have to be a bit careful that they don't fall out while you are carrying it around.
In conclusion, I'm disappointed with the quality of this piece of equipment but I'm not aware of a better alternative. It functions well enough and is a cheap and versatile tool.
Photos taken of the 200mm lens plate and a Cannon Rebel SL1.
