Manfrotto 323 RC2 Rapid Connect Tripod Adapter with 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate - Replaces 3299-Black

I’ve used these quick release plates for years out in the field shooting nature/landscape and sports and they’ve held up great to the elements and abuse. Nice and compact design and the stability they provide for my larger and/or heavier lenses like the 70-200 f/2.8L II and 300 f/4L is rock solid. Never had any play issues and always locks in tight. Super quick and easy to swap equipment around and mount with ease. Definitely a game changer if you use different equipment often.

This is a high-quality metal quick release adapter and plate. I bought this to use with my Canon t6i DSLR. My old quick release (a plastic one that came with a cheap tripod) had a large plate that obscured the battery door. This one nicely just barely misses the battery door, so I can change the batteries without having to remove the plate. The plate has several nice features. There's a safety mechanism that can be set so that you don't inadvertently bump the quick release lever. There ring on the mounting bolt seems heavy duty and there's a circlip that holds the mounting bolt so it won't fall out when the plate is not attached to a camera (I researched some of the cheaper imitation plates, and there were complaints about these features lacking). The quick release itself holds the plate fairly sturdily and I don't think there will be much play unless you are really rough with your camera. As others have pointed out, there is a protrusion on the bottom that might interfere with whatever you're mounting this on (see my video for some measurements). There's is an 3/8 to 1/4 adapter included that comes already screwed into the base. It feels like a genuine high-quality product, but it comes at a hefty price. I'm debating buying a second one, so that I can have one on my tripod and the other on my Manfrotto dual-beam arm.

I own several Manfrotto and Gitzo heads and wanted to use the same QR plates on all my gear. So I was delighted when I read Manfrotto's claim that the 323 RC2 allows you to "add a quick release system to any tripod." So I ordered a 323 RC2 from Amazon and eagerly awaited its appearance on my doorstep. The best mounting solution--if possible with your head--is to remove the head's disk/platform and mount the 332 RC2 directly on the ball stem. The underside of the 323 RC2 is flat, so ball stems with a single key or boss will be too wobbly. Double boss stems should be pretty solid. I installed the 332 RC2 on a Gitzo G1177M Magnesium 1 Series Ball Head with a simple flat topped stem, so it has 100% contact with the bottom of the 323 RC2. The disk on top of the head (where you mount the camera) is easily removed (a single nut) and the 332 RC2 can be screwed onto the 3/8 inch stud sticking out of the ball stem. I finished the job with a wee dab of Loctite Blue 242 on the stud to lock the threads. The result was a beautiful Italian-French hybrid, i.e., a Gitfrotto head. It looks handsome--like original equipment--and works like a dream. My old friend, G1177M, is now much more convenient to use. The 332 RC2 is well constructed with excellent fit and finish. It's also fast to use: press in the plate and the spring loaded lock snaps shut. However the small 200PL-14 plates used in the 323 RC2 are best suited for light to medium sized load, e.g., your typical DSLR and telezoom. The new neoprene backed 200PL-14 plates are more grippy and less prone to twist than the old cork backed plates from the 1990s. For example my EOS 5D MKII and EF 70-200 4L IS USM were rock steady and didn't twist when flipped for portrait orientation. Check the customer images above for my picture of the 332 RC2 mounted directly on the ball stem of the Gitzo G1177M.

Great solid bit of kit that’ll indeed last a lifetime. It’s a bit heavy though if you’re looking to add it to your camera gimbal so you can swap easily from tripod to gimbal. Otherwise, the quality is top-notch.

The adapter is well made and holds the camera very securely. The locking lever and safety lever are easy to operate and should become second nature after using it for a while. I have no complaints about how it actually works. The problem, as many other reviewers have noted, is that it is not correct to say that it "Attaches to all tripods and monopods" (as the description in the Amazon listing says in its first bullet item). I can attach it to my Velbon PH-250B tripod only if I rotate it 90 degrees from what Manfrotto's instructions say. This puts the locking lever directly behind the camera, rather than tucked under the left side of the camera. Not necessarily a big deal, but the lever does jut out much further than the back of the camera. Of course, I can attach the mounting plate to the camera as recommended, and mount it on the tripod with the camera turned 90 degrees to the right. The up-down tilt control on the tripod thus becomes the left-right tilt control, and vice-versa (it's not a ball head). That would be OK, but now the up-down tilt control is positioned for the right hand, which is usually busy when framing a shot. I think I'll try shimming the tripod half of the adapter up about one-eighth inch, and putting everything back in the normal positions. If Manfrotto had just made the adapter about an eighth-inch thicker, so that the locking lever clears the top surface of the tripod (all tripods), none of these complaints would have occurred. The adapter does fit properly on a Velbon Neo Pod 6 monopod. That monopod has a circular mounting surface, and the adapter's locking lever just clears the edge of the surface. I can easily imagine that there are monopods that the adapter will not fit. So, four stars (would have been five) because the adapter works so well. Down one star because it doesn't really fit "all tripods".

This is a well engineered piece of equipment. It allows for quick removal of the camera from the base unit mate to shoot hand held without tripod/monopod, and features a spring loaded cam lock to snap the camera back in position on the tripod/monopod when you are finished. It has a little safety lever lock to prevent accidents. You want to take advantage of safety lock because it protects your equipment from premature removal(falling off, and plummeting to the ground). The plate that attaches to the camera has a protective rubber coating that prevents marring and slippage once the plate is fully secured to the camera via the threaded screw supplied. The threaded screw is secured to the plate by an "E-clip" retaining ring. The screw can work it's way out of the clearance hole on the plate so be aware of that when it's not in use and being jostled in the camera bag. I'm not sure, but I think you can purchase extra parts of the plate that mounts to the camera for extra cameras without having to spring for the whole package and not use it all.(one tripod - three cameras)The material appears to be of some type of cast metal, not plastic and the painted finish appears to be adequate to protect the material from the elements. It's too early for me to comment on the wear factor, but even though the price seems to have jumped up since I made my purchase, it is reasonably priced. This is well engineered and constructed, it's not a cheap piece of equipment found in bargain bins at your local flea market. I use it with a canon 7d and it feels totally secure. One last note, I couldn't find anything this nice at any of the major dept stores. Manfrotto 323 RC2 Rapid Connect Adapter with 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate - Replaces 3299 (Black)

Since a mounting plate is one of the most crucial parts of a tripod/monopod mounting setup, you don't want to buy cheap and hope for the best. That's why even though I am using a Vivitar VIV-VT-67 67-Inch Monopod , I got this plate for current and future use on other mounting situations. Everything is metal, and, though small, feels substantial in the hand. The quality of workmanship is almost felt when holding it. The rubber on top of the mount ensures that you will screw in tightly with no give, the ring on the screw ensures that you can tighten it easily, the simple push in locking mechanism gives you a tactile feedback when you know it's locked, the release lever along with the safety trigger is ingenious to prevent accidental dismounts, and did I mention everything is metal? Another nice feature, it has markings on the bottom that point the mount in the right direction of your lens so you know exactly where to rotate it. I was unsure about my purchase, as this plate was 3 times the cost of my monopod. However, since I now know that I have a quality product that I'm sure will last for 10, 20, even 30 years, I can rest easy in my investment. Get it, use it, and enjoy photography.

Already have 496RC2 quick release ballhead on my Dolica carbon fiber tripod (replaced the ballhead that came with it). This 323 RC adapter allowed me the flexibility and ease to mount, dismount, and change connections from my sling strap (Blackrapid) to my camera, tripod and lens mount of my 70-200 f/2.8 lens. It was the cheapest option to be able to get a quick release solution for sling strap, tripod and lens mount out there. Other option was to change to an Arca swiss type plate which to me would be more costly and cumbersome. This one part provided a solution to my problem. Overall very happy as the plate works as intended, hold my camera securely and connected to the strap and i'm able to switch to different configurations as i wish in a snap! No more unscrewing, screw back in, remove, replace plate etc..

A quality item, accept no cheap knock off imitations. Why risk your gear to save a few quid?

Thanx manfrotto

Kraftig konstruktion som håller hög kvalitet. Enkel montering.

doet wat het doen moet: snelle koppeling van een camera op een statief. Degelijke kwaliteit . De basis plaatst zich heel gemakkelijk op het statief en de koppelplaat zit zo op de onderzijde van de camera. Daarna klikken beide zich vlot in elkaar. De vergrendeling maakt dat de camera en statief niet toevallig los geraken. Een aanrader voor de statief-fotograaf!.

The Manfrotto Quick Mount Plate has been a total game-changer for my photography adventures. Its seamless and secure attachment to my gear provides unparalleled convenience, saving me valuable time during setup. Now I can focus on capturing those perfect shots without any hassle – a must-have for any photographer on the go!