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Product Showcase
Compiled by Jim Erhardt Wimberley P5 Universal Camera Plate While the Arca-Swiss style Quick Release system has become an industry standard, the clamps and plates are expensive and can add up to a sizeable investment if purchased for every lens and camera body that you own. While some economy can be gained by using a single lens plate for several lenses, camera plates are another story. In order to keep the plate from twisting, most of the better plates are designed to fit the contours of a specific camera body. The downside of this approach is that an expensive QR plate can only be used with the camera for which it is designed.
Wimberley has just introduced their P5 Universal Camera Plate, which addresses the problems of the plate twisting and the limitations of dedicated plate design for a specific camera. Machined from aluminum stock with a black anodized finish, this unique plate uses a thin layer of high density rubber on the top of the plate, where it mates to the bottom of the camera. Additionally, the aluminum plate is machined with a slight hollow under the rubber layer so that the rubber tightens firmly against the camera bottom around the outer edge of the plate, providing the required leverage for a solid and twist free installation. The Wimberley P5 also includes a set of stops that can be installed in the plate to prevent the camera from slipping out of the QR clamp in the event the clamp becomes loose. I tried the new P5 on a selection of Canon cameras, including an EOS 1n with a BP-E1 battery pack, an Elan 7E and a Canon G3. In all cases, the P5 fit the cameras very well and provided a solid, twist-free connection to the QR clamp. The Wimberley P5 Universal Camera Plate measures 3.0” in length, 1.5” in width, .330” in height (from bottom of the camera to bottom of plate) and weighs 1.4 onces. The P5 is available for $52.00 in the Nature Photographers Gift Shoppe.
Kirk PZ-78 Camera Plate for the Canon G3 Kirk Enterprises has introduced a new camera plate as well – the PZ-78 for the Canon G3. This dedicated plate is machined to match the contours of the G3, providing a perfect, twist-free fit in a compact design that allows full access to the G3’s battery compartment door. The PZ-78 measures 1.9” in length, 1.59” (overall) in width, .375” in height (from bottom of the camera to bottom of plate) and weighs 1.0 ounces. The Kirk PZ-78 is available directly from Kirk Enterprises. Jim - NPN 001 Comments on NPN nature photography accessory reviews? Send them to the editor. 
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