Tripod socket strength?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Out of sheer curiosity while I was tightening my Luma labs arca Swiss plate to my Canon battery grip a thought popped into my mind. It's it possible to tighten a tripod or mounting plate tight enough to break the socket out of the bottom of the camera? I'm more so talking normal tight or a little more, not bend the tool tight. How about the socket in a battery grip? I've got no clue how they're held in so it's all a mystery to me.

 

[tirediron]

Absolutely. You generally need to apply a bit of elbow grease, but it's not all that hard to do. Like most things, it depends on the quality of the gear. A third-party grip for a Nikon D3XXX or Canon Rebel is likely just a socket in an injection-molded piece of plastic, whereas with the built-in grip for a D5 or 1Dx, the socket is likely either cast integrally with the metal bottom plate or an expansion press-fit. Only ever apply enough pressure to the mounting bolt to secure the camera. Once it's stationary, that's good enough.

 

[Designer]

Did you post this question before? I know I've seen it before, I just don't remember who asked it.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Did you post this question before? I know I've seen it before, I just don't remember who asked it.

I had asked before how they were attached (i had to go back and look), but curious if anybody has ever broken one. My question pertained to the battery grip. I'm just curious if it would break/spin, etc. I've always been curious how they're attached as they look just molded into the camera but yet we hang lenses, straps, etc. off of them and i haven't ever heard of one breaking. Cross threaded /stripped maybe, never pulled out of a camera though.

 

[Overread]

I've heard of it happening, but normally only in conjunction with a heavy fall and the resulting forces that are applied then. I also never really heard in detail what parts specifically broke (ergo if the plastic around the metal shatters first or if the metal breaks out of its socket etc...).


Damage is certainly possible; its a single connection point and can thus hold a lot of force with a heavy camera and lens. It's why if a lens has a tripod collar you use the tripod collar almost always since it reduces the stress on the mount and the screwthreads.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I've heard of it happening, but normally only in conjunction with a heavy fall and the resulting forces that are applied then. I also never really heard in detail what parts specifically broke (ergo if the plastic around the metal shatters first or if the metal breaks out of its socket etc...).


Damage is certainly possible; its a single connection point and can thus hold a lot of force with a heavy camera and lens. It's why if a lens has a tripod collar you use the tripod collar almost always since it reduces the stress on the mount and the screwthreads.

Yes, the lens collar I can understand, plus it moves the center of gravity. I also wonder, does holding the body of your camera with a long lens facing the ground stress the mount? (I work on cars for a living so I'm always interested in what makes things fail lol)

 

[Designer]

.. they look just molded into the camera ...

In cameras with plastic bodies, that's all you get, but with a metal-frame camera it will be attached to a metal frame, which is probably stronger, but still there are limits.

 

[Overread]

Suzuki - it does put strain on the mount, but its very solidly made at the same time. I've had a 70-200mm f2.8 dangle from my hand with the lens pulling on the mount and many others do as well with no problems. I would say that that weight is probably getting close to the practical limit of what you can dangle one-handed from the camera mount before you start to approach setups where the lens is so much heavier that its unsafe for the camera (its also rather impractical on your handling as well*)


*Sigma's 120-300mm f2.8 OS first edition had a great tripod collar which had grooves on the inside so it doubled as a hand-holding point. Sadly the newer edition has a more standard flat-style collar.

You can get a handle for arca swiss type plates; it simply clips on like any tripod head would and is great for huge lenses which are at a point where trying to one-hand hold the camera between shots is impractical and unsafe.