Manfrotto 357 Sliding Plate Adaptor

Expensive, but brilliant little gadget. Manfrotto is famous for well-made and well-designed products, and this one is certainly that. It's solid, made to good tolerances, and feels really nice to use. It comprises of two main parts - the bottom plate and the top plate which are easily separated. The bottom plate fits onto a standard tripod (two threaded holes for different size screw mounts) and the top plate screws onto the underside of the camera. The top plate then slides into the bottom plate with a reassuring 'click' and can only be removed by pressing and holding the spring-loaded brass button (visible in product photograph). The top plate will then slide up to 80mm, and can be fixed in position with the black knob on the other side. An assortment of screws are supplied, which presumably fit all size camera tripod mounts, and two of these store nicely into two 'storage holes' next to the brass button.While this product is more usually used for fast swaps between various format cameras and video cameras (each requiring a separate top plate), specifically allowing the eye-to-eyepiece distance to be adjusted using the slide, I actually wanted this for a very different reason. For ages I've been trying to find an easy way to create stereo pairs, and then I stumbled upon this sliding plate. With the camera fitted sideways it will slide up to 80mm left and right, allowing one left image and one right image to be taken. I then 'splice' both images together in Photoshop, putting the finished 'stereo pair' image on my smartphone and viewing it with a Google Cardboard viewer. See the photo I've added. The result is awesome - perfect stereoscopic images with real wow factor. Of course, this only works for still shots, but I am currently working on a portable 'mirror' system that splits the image in a single shot allowing fast action shots or movies.In summary, this is a wonderful quality gadget that's really versatile... use it for fast and adjustable camera changes, for creating stereo pairs, or even for adjusting the camera backwards/forwards for adjusting macro shots.

I have the sliding plate component of this piece of kit fitted to all 5 of my cameras. With a base plate fitted to both of my tripods (one of which has a gimble mounting - the plate fits it) and my monopod this allows a completely smooth workflow, allowing superquick mounting and demounting. The sliding plates are available separately. Just make sure you order the correct one (the 357 not the 577). I have a manfrotto multi plane head on one of my tripods with a quick release plate. However I have fitted the manfrotto small mounting plate to the slide plate which allows it to be attached to this head. There are allsorts of holes, threads and such on this plate which allows quite a bit of flexibility in the mode of use. Just use a bit of imagination. The base plate can be bolted/screwed to just about anything, which opens up quite a lot of creative possibilities. By applying just a touche of friction it can also serve as a rudimentary macro focussing aid. These are expensive but they are a quality build, as you would expect from Manfrotto. The long slide plate (longer than the other version of this - the 577)) allows for fine balancing of the camera, even with a long lens fitted. This helps tracking, even on an ordinary non-gimbal head, with just a little friction on the vertical and horizontal axises.Incidentally, the slide plate when fitted acts as a very convenient stand for the camera, even with a long lens on. This allows you to place it on a shelf for storage or on any handy flat surface whilst working. Also allows you to stand it on a flat surface when in use, in lieu of a tripod.

This slider plate has been a great solution for when I am on the go and need to interchange equipments very quickly.I have it set up on my tripod, monopod and "glide cam" and it allows you to change very quickly between stabilisers loosing almost no time.It also has "a security system" that secures the camera to the plate even if you haven't locked in the position you want to take your footage. This is a very good feature to provide extra security to your camera.This plate is compatible with "Manfrotto MVM500A Aluminum Fluid Monopod with 500 Head" opposite to the plate "MANFROTTO 577 QR ADAPTER WITH SLIDING PLATE" which I first bought but needed to change for the 357.Highly recommend the product if you desire to take more pictures / footage and loose virtually no time.

Great item for the larger (RZ67) camera but arca style better for a dslr. Very well made and priced. Mine is added onto head of junior geared head whose plates were a pain to engage when invisible. This really sorts out the problem.I note that there are short plates being offered on Amazon to suit a DSLR which may help but these are not Manfrotto.

this used to be provided with a 1/4 screw and a 3/8 screw both of which are ESSENTIAL. the instructions even say they are included but for some reason they are now omitted and the plate is £20 more than it was when it was sold complete

it is the best adapter i have among many different brand. very impressed with the product, i bought two of this. very solid, i definitely think it is worth for the money. easy to use , it has a great grip

Meh. Good, however wont fit my tripod

OK