S.C.V. Photography Ideas: Fotopro QAL-500 Quick Release Clamp with P60 Quick Release Plate Review

August 28, 2011

Fotopro QAL-500 Quick Release Clamp with P60 Quick Release Plate Review

The Fotopro QAL-500 Arca Swiss® compatible clamp has been mentioned in many of my posts and reviews, therefore I decided to make this more detailed review and present all of its characteristics for reference purposes.

It is a simple and low cost clamp and can be found sold as a singe unit, in batches or even accompanied by an Arca Swiss® compatible dovetail plate.

The QAL-500 QR Clamp

Fotopro QAL-500 5cm Quick Release Clamp box

My copies of Fotopro QAL-500 came in a white box inside a small self closing nylon bag, accompanied by an 1/4"-20 to 3/8"-16 converter bushing.

The clamp's dimensions are 5 cm (1.97") long x 4,8 cm (1.89") wide and the knob extends 2,35 cm (0.93") for a total width of 7,15 cm (2.81") and weighs 88 gr (3.1 oz). There is a 3/8"-16 threaded hole in the center and two safety stop relief grooves on each side 2,2 mm deep.

The bottom side is almost flat with two shallow, 1cm wide grooves across the length one passing over the center hole and one close to the front.

The diameter of the screw knob is equal to its length 2,35cm (0.93") and has an embedded bubble level. There are few cases this bubble level would be useful and that is only when the clamped camera/lens is turned in portrait position with the knob on the side.

The P-60 QR Plate

In one of my purchases the clamp came together with a Fotopro P-60 camera plate.
The P-60 Arca Swiss® compatible Quick Release plate, weighs 41gr (1.45oz), measures 60x38 x10 mm (2.36x1.5x0.39"), has a double dovetail, three convenient captive slots for attachment on cameras or lenses, six thin rubber pads with rough surface to prevent it from twisting and comes with one 1/4"-20 captive screw.
On the top dovetail there is a small center mark at each side.

On the underside we can see the two M3 stop screws near the edges and that the 1/4"-20 captive screw, which may be tightened either with an Allen hex keys or with a flat screwdriver or even a small coin.
I prefer to tighten with an Allen key since it can exercise the maximum torque and results in a solid contact with camera base (needless to say not to over tighten captive screws).