Spacer for 577 QR on Flycam

[Nick Reuter]

Hey guys, I have a 577 QR plate on my Flycam. It works pretty good but I just don't get enough room to easily turn the tension release. I need to ratchet around to loosen. I saw a video here -->

HDSLR 101 #10: Getting Smooth and Stable Footage - YouTube

around the 7 min mark where they have the same setup with a nice fat spacer in the middle.

Anyone know where I can pick up such a spacer?

[Don Bloom]

that can be do with a trip to the local home improvement store or local machine shop. Get a piece of aluminum block, cut it to the proper length, paint it black or have it anodized. Done. How do I know this? I have a couple laying around. I drilled it slightly larger than a 1/4X20 then scoured my leftovers for a longer 1/4x20 bolt to bolt the plate down with. Or you can drill and tap the block, screw (bolt) that down to the flycam plate the use another bolt thru the block to the QR plate.
I don't use the blocks anymore but I keep them around, you never know when you might need them.

[Zoran Vincic]

you don't really need a spacer at all, just pull the screw and reposition it when tightening the 577.

[Don Bloom]

Yeah, when I finally discovered that I realized I built the spacers for no good reason. It was good practice though. ;-)

[Seth Bloombaum]

I've used this spacer on a variety of rigs:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/620911-REG/Wimberley_RB_100_RB_100_Riser_Block.html
Very simple, a 3/8"-16 threaded hole on the bottom, and a 3/8"-16 stud on the top. I've used it to mount a 577QR on a teleprompter, on a robotic head, it's an essential accessory for me when building rigs. This is for just the reason the original poster mentioned, it's dang hard to get your fingers between many camera bodies and a mounting plate to get at the fixing screw, and if you're mounting the QR to a flat plate with one of those cameras, you only get about a sixth of a turn on it.

A great alternative would be some thick-wall square aluminum tube, thread and stud as above. But, for under $30, I was pretty happy to find the wimberly riser. I did a serious online search, other blocks were quite overpriced, IMO.

Pick up a couple 3/8-1/4" bushings at the same time!

[Nick Reuter]

Originally Posted by Zoran Vincic

you don't really need a spacer at all, just pull the screw and reposition it when tightening the 577.

I don't know if the 577 is different from the Calumet which I have on my flycam but I literally get an 1/8" ratchet ... I have to pull it out and reposiiton it 4 - 5x to undo it.

[Victor Nguyen]

I actually put my 577 backward on the glidecam... Too lazy to find another way.

[Don Bloom]

Originally Posted by Nick Reuter

I don't know if the 577 is different from the Calumet which I have on my flycam but I literally get an 1/8" ratchet ... I have to pull it out and reposiiton it 4 - 5x to undo it.

The 577 lock can be redone with a small allan head wrench. I think it might be 5mm but can't remember off hand. Simply loosen the allanhead screw and turn the locking lever where you want it then retighten the screw.. It takes about 20 seconds

[Chris Soucy]

Hi, Nick.................

Fire a mail to Richard@SWJuice.com and see if he has a CB100 top plate and one other spacer plate available.

The CB100 has been designed to accept a 577 adapter on the top plate,allowing it to be clamped down with either a 1/4" X 20 screw OR a 3/8" X 16 OR both if you want.

(Note: the second threaded hole in a 577 that looks like it should be a 1/4" X 20 is actually something like 6mm from memory, why, nobody knows).

A top plate and one (1) spacer plate give enough clearance for the 577 locking lever to swing >180 degrees with ease.

The top plate is secured to the spacer plate with 2 X 1/4" X 20 CS screws (supplied).

The spacer plate secures to a tripod QR (or anything else) plate using anything between 1 & 4 X 1/4" X 20 screws, depending on your degree of anality.

You can see a "full Monty" CB100 in action here:

Review: Vinten Vision blue5 Video Support System at DVInfo.net


CS

[Buba Kastorski]

c'mon guys, 577 tightening lever can be repositioned the way you want without any tools, it sits spring-loaded on the the hexagon, just pull it, reposition and you're done.

[Don Bloom]

Buba, In all the time I've had not 1 but 2 of the 577, I never even looked at that. OMG, I feel like an idiot. I could have saved lots of time had I realized that cute little trick. It just never dawned on me to look. :-(
I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! Thanks! :-)

[Chris Soucy]

Originally Posted by Buba Kastorski

c'mon guys, 577 tightening lever can be repositioned the way you want without any tools, it sits spring-loaded on the the hexagon, just pull it, reposition and you're done.

It isn't just the 577, most of the Manfrotto lock levers are exactly the same, adjustable in 60 degree increments.

However, the 577 (well, mine, anyway) requires a 180 degree throw to go from fully locked to unlocked and vice versa.

If the lever is trapped between a solid base plate underneath and a "hippy" camera above, it's reduced to less than a 90 degrees turn, which means you're stuck with doing the pull, reposition, turn thing during both lock and unlock manouvers, a total pain for the n'th time that day.

(See post #6)

The CB100 was specifically designed to allow the 577 lock lever to swing clear of the long edge of both top plate and spacer(s), thus giving a nearly 230 degree swing no matter how "hippy" a camera is parked above it, hence why I suggested it.


CS