I'm considering switching over from a Manfrotto ball head with a RC2 plate to something Arca Swiss compatible.  Mostly because the RC2 plate digs into my hands when I'm shooting, and I'm looking at putting an L bracket on my camera.  It would be kind of retarded to put a mount onto a bracket with an Arca bracket built in already.

So what can you guys tell me about their ball heads?  I'd need something that can handle a decent load and functions in the cold with a 3/8 thread to mount to my tripod.

Unfortunately since I keep the battery grip on the camera, short of a $200 bracket, I'm looking at a Chinese clone.  Considering it is milled aluminimum it can't be too horrible, but thoughts are good.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&campId=5337559805&toolId=10001&customId=j58q3v2hib00zk8a00004&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F282249759341

Actually, it could be horrible, or it might be OK, depending on the machined dimensions.  

If you are using a screw-type clamp, the dimensions aren't that critical.  But if you are using a lever release clamp, consistent dimensions are very important.  If they aren't consistent, you will have to adjust your clamp pressure every time you use a different bracket.

That's why I like to keep the clamps and the brackets all from the same manufacturer. Consistent dimensions.

You could do what I did and get the Manfrotto MSQ6 Q6 Top Lock Quick Release Adaptor with Plate

ARCA-compatible.

Amazon linky

It's got a hole that should let you mount it on pretty much any ball head, but it fits perfectly on my Manfrotto ball head.

Then get yourself a RRS L-Plate!

Sound advice here.  I got tired of screwing around with cheap plates and ball heads last year.  Best thing I've ever done in this hobby...expensive but I now have gear that will literally last me the rest of my life.  I use a BH30 for my backpacking / hiking setup and a BH55 for everything else along with their L-plate.

They don't make the plate I'm looking at, otherwise I'd have considered it.  Specifically want one that fits with the grip on, and is an L plate, not an I plate.  

Btw, that plate doesn't work with RRS stuff anyhow.  But it is $30 from B&H so if I get an L plate, I might give it a shot.

Are you  happy with your ballhead ? If you are , as already suggested get the Acrca clamp for your ballhead , like Manfrotto's own   MSQ6 or the Hejnar

I have been very happy with all the Hejnar stuff I bought ( made in US as well ! )

They make a clamp retrofit for all the Manfrottos

http://www.hejnarphotostore.com/category-s/146.htm


I often have my L Plate and I clamp my sling onto the L brackets vertical side ( this way you can shoot landscape and portrait and the sling is not under my hand )

Since I usually sling camera with with big 2.8 lenses etc , I personally wouldn't trust all that off a cheap L Bracket

I have have been very happy with RRS , Kirk and Pro Media Gear

Here is the Promedia for your setup

Promedia Gear L Bracket

I bout a cheap Ebay L bracket for a D700 w/ grip and found it rotated enough to annoy me. The RRS cradles the battery grip so there is zero movement

One thing I REALLY like about the newer RRS plates is that they have QD sling swivel receivers machined into the plates (bottom and side for the L-plates).

I've migrated to a Magpul MS3 sling for my camera strap, clip in a QD swivel, and just pop it on and off as needed.  Plus, if the zombies attack, I can quickly strap on the SBR once I get done taking pictures!

RRS is truly the LaRue of camera mounts.

ETA, I've got a LT100 ($135) mount for my TA31F ACOG ($1,000) on my $800 SBR with the $600 can, so why not get a $150 RRS L-Plate for my $1,500 D500 body and up to $1,000 lens?  Buy one, cry once.

I understand budgets and all, but when I took the ARCA plunge 2 years ago I've fallen in love with the permanently attached L-plate.  Leaving those proprietary Manfrotto plates on the body all the time sucks ass, and taking them off an on all the time sucks ass.

Okay, that is kind of awesome.  I'm using a Peak Design strap now, but have considered something like that. 

In 2012, I converted my Manfrotto 488RC2 to Arca Swiss by simply replacing the clamp with an RRS lever clamp.

https://www.ocabj.net/manfrotto-rc2-to-arca-swiss-conversion/

At the time, the RRS clamp was $140. There are other less expensive options if you want to keep the cost at a minimum. You could also go with a knob clamp, as well.

But a couple months ago, I picked up a RRS BH-55 along with a new set of CF legs (Induro), so now I have two Arca Swiss capable tripods. The BH-55 is definitely a night and day difference from the Manfrotto 488 with RRS clamp in terms of stability at the ball stem, as well as the lack of movement on ball lockup.





As far as L-plates, I use RRS across the board. My Canon 5DIII, Olympus E-M1II, and Olympus E-M10II, all sport RRS L-plates.

We'll see what Nikon ends up announcing this month.  Might leave my D7200 behind and get a full frame, so long as it can do 6-7 frames a second even if in DX mode.  It would certainly simplify everything I need to buy.

That was my worst case scenario, as I can't afford to have 2 bodies at the moment.  In the future, probably won't have to.  Now, I can't justify 2 bodies.

The D810 has 1.5 and 1.2 , 5:4  crop modes. In the 1.2 crop modes its about 7fps and the you are still shooting @ 25 MP

You start to realize its amazing the D810 buffer can keep up even at 5 FPS FX considering the files its writing are  over 40MB raw + 10MB jpg ( if you have that set for jpg ) each shot

Yup, I had that realization the other day about the frame rate and crop modes and image size.  I already knew about the buffer though, as I had a .gov customer come in needing a new CF for his IR modified D810 for aerial mapping.  (Btw, that thing was awesome) We slapped a Delkin Cinema 1050X into it and the damn thing wouldn't even buffer after 2 minutes of constant max frame rate.  Kinda blew our minds on it as it would write practically as fast as the images were taken.

Man, I miss that job some days.