By associate editor Elliot Smith:
Edelkrone have announced a new universal quick release plate that they claim will work on any camera and any mount with a 1/4″-20 screw.
You leave the QuickRelease ONE attached to your camera, then clip it into the plate’s 1/4″-20 screw and tighten. The company are positioning it as a way to move between different camera support systems quickly and without having to invest a lot of money in compatible plates and mounts.
It’s certainly a novel solution and looks like it will work well with smaller cameras – the video above shows a demo using a Canon 5D mkIII for example. Not sure if you’d want to trust your shiny new Arri Amira to it though – and fundamentally you’re still only attaching the camera at a single point with one 1/4″-20 screw, so I’d be a little worried about the possibilities of simple torque making the camera twist, especially with a heavier lens attached.
It also adds to the height of the camera when compared to mounting directly to the tripod plate, raising the centre of gravity, which could make balancing a camera with a gimbal system or Steadicam a bit tricker.
Having said all that though we’re keeping an open mind at Newsshooter as we haven’t seen a sample yet, and anything that makes switching between different camera setups quicker and easier can only be a good thing.
The QuickRelease ONE is available now via the Edelkrone website for €129.99 (excluding tax)