07-21-2016, 08:42 AM
You know the address Gumptrade.com ? It's a vendor of Mengs tripds and other accessories, has also a warehouse in Europe and delivers convincing quality with sometimes little glitches like the knob of your ballhead. But mostly weel made. L-plates for 20-40€, as good or better than i.e. Fuji's own accessories - it's not all copied, and the mechanical finsih doesn't really have to hide behind "official" stuff.
Also, some of their macro rails you can buy in Europe three or more times more expensive as their offer.
However, their Arca adpater-plates have an excellent finsih, but they don't care much about precision. I have 4 clamps of FLM and Arca which don't clapm by tightening a screw, but clicking into a tight tolerated slot. That makes it QUICK-release like manfrotto systems, but the plates need to be manufactured to these tight tolerances. Thanks to Mengs, they are a little to big, so I could mill them down. L-plates are made of 2 elements. One usually fits precisely, the other is also usually too big. I don't know why they do so, because they also offer a quick relase clamp operated by a lever.
Also, some of their macro rails you can buy in Europe three or more times more expensive as their offer.
However, their Arca adpater-plates have an excellent finsih, but they don't care much about precision. I have 4 clamps of FLM and Arca which don't clapm by tightening a screw, but clicking into a tight tolerated slot. That makes it QUICK-release like manfrotto systems, but the plates need to be manufactured to these tight tolerances. Thanks to Mengs, they are a little to big, so I could mill them down. L-plates are made of 2 elements. One usually fits precisely, the other is also usually too big. I don't know why they do so, because they also offer a quick relase clamp operated by a lever.