Kondor Blue 501 Arca-Type Pivot Camera Plate Review

Fluid heads are ideally suited for shooting video, enabling smooth camera movements when tracking subjects. In the photography world, the Arca-Swiss standard is a common one for clamps and plates and enables interoperability among many brands of accessories. However, the use of the Arca standard does not extend to fluid heads. Rather, heads from several manufacturers use or are compatible with the Manfrotto 501 plate, including heads from Manfrotto (of course) as well as heads from Sachtler (Ace and activ) and some from Cartoni (for example, the Focus 8).

When switching between heads, it is possible to change from one plate system to another but that solution is often less desirable than leaving the same plate attached to the camera, particularly if one has several cameras and lenses with Arca-type plates on them. One alternative that works with all fluid heads is to attach a Really Right Stuff Lever-Release Clamp to the plate that ships with the video head. Most fluid head plates allow at least two screw attachments, so if you choose a clamp with more than one mounting hole you can ensure twist-free alignment.

If your fluid head is compatible with Manfrotto plates (the shorter 501PL and the longer 504PL differ only in their length), then there are replacement plates with integrated Arca-type clamps from several reputable vendors, such as ProMediaGear. One potential issue with most of these products is that the Arca-type clamp is perpendicular to the long axis of the plate. This is the desired orientation if you are mounting a camera body plate or L-bracket into the integrated clamp, but if you need to mount a lens plate or other plate with the dovetails oriented along the lens axis, the integrated clamp of most such adapter plates is orthogonal to the direction needed.

I found a solution to that problem in the Kondor Blue 501/Arca-Type Pivot Camera Plate. This Manfrotto 501-type plate adapter has an Arca-type clamp that can be easily rotated from perpendicular to parallel relative to the plate/lens axis. It fits securely into the clamp of my Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Video Head and enables me to attach plates in either orientation.

I rarely use my interchangeable lens cameras to shoot video, usually a small M-series camera in situations where a venue will not allow camcorders. Most of my video footage is shot using a Canon Vixia HF G60 that I selected because it features the same lens and 1” CMOS sensor used in several of Canon’s professional camcorders but lacks the XLR inputs and codecs that I personally do not need. My choice of the Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Video Head was driven largely by that head being one of few that higher quality options that can properly counterbalance a load as light as 2.2 lbs / 1 kg. Higher-end fluid heads are designed to support and balance larger cinema rigs with accessories. There’s a first time for everything, and fluid head selection was the first (and only, so far) time I have run into the problem of my gear load not weighing enough. At least that restriction was kind to my budget since it ruled out the much more expensive heads from Sachtler and Cartoni.

I use a Really Right Stuff B26 Camcorder Quick Release Plate, which has the dovetails oriented along the axis of the lens. Switching the orientation of the Arca-type clamp on the Kondor Blue adapter is accomplished by removing the hex screw, rotating the clamp, then tightening it back down. There are set screws in the clamp that act as alignment pins to position the clamp at 90° increments through the full rotation, so you can have the screw knob on either side.

The hex key stores in the plate itself, similar to the design of some Really Right Stuff L-brackets (unfortunately, the hex key size is different from that used by RRS). There are several other features of the clamp intended for use with DJI gimbals including a spring-loaded safety pin and M4-threaded mounting holes.

With the clamp oriented along the lens axis and the plate locked into the fluid head, the camcorder is easy to mount.

It took me just over a minute to switch the orientation of the clamp for use with a camera plate oriented perpendicular to the lens axis.

Although my personal use of the Kondor Blue Pivot Plate will be with a light camcorder, the plate and clamp are more than capable of supporting a much more substantial load.

For those needing to mount both camera plates and lens plates to a fluid head that accepts Manfrotto 501/504 plates, the Kondor Blue 501/Arca-Type Pivot Camera Plate is an elegant solution.