Don't be! Just the other day a friend of mine asked why he should consider Element Technica gear over a more 'default' setup. What differences are there, why would one want to consider a dovetail and so on. So I wrote the following for those who are unsure about the pros and cons of such an investment specifically the Element Technica Dovetail and Element Technica Arri 19mm Bridge Plate.
Of course there are already great posts about Element Technica (ET) gear. This writeup is meant to compliment those posts along with Finner’s excellent video review posted here.
Overall, there is a reason why many Red One setups include Element Technica gear as required accessories. Read on to determine if this is true for you too!
First, take a look at the photo below. A more or less familiar sight. The quick release plate, the single mounting screw. A tripod head. This is what you would normally see if you purchased an O’Connor 1030HD or 1030HDS fluid head package or many other tripods for that matter. As you know, the part with the screw is mounted directly beneath your camera so you can take your camera on and off the tripod quickly.
At least for the O’Connor, this camera quick release plate attaches to a slide plate, which in turn slides across the top of the tripod head itself. So between these two parts you can 1) quickly attach/remove your camera from the tripod, and 2) slide the camera forward or back for better counterbalance depending on your configuration (some brands/tripod heads do not offer this second function):
Now, let’s take this familiar sight and compare them with those from Element Technica:
The function of the parts are similar but as you can see we are no longer dealing with the same variables here. On the left is Element Technica’s Arri 19mm Red Bridge Plate matched with an Element Technica 1030 Dovetail. On the right is the O’Connor camera quick plate and sliding plate from before. Side by side the purpose of the ET parts on the left should become easier to understand. Afterall, they serve a function similar to the parts on the right. The ET bridge plate is akin to the quick release camera plate and the dovetail is similar to a sliding plate.
Beyond this simple comparison however, the ET/Arri gear does much more.
Check out the photo below of the Element Technica 1030HD Dovetail we’ve all been hearing about and compare this with the default O’Connor Mini European Quick Release Plate:
The version shown here is the 12” Element Technica 1030HD Dovetail. This is one solid, finely machined part. You could fend off a pitbull attack with this piece it is so durable. With the smaller quick plate, you could possibly throw it through the air like a shuriken ninja star but then that would only make a pitbull angry. So don’t do that.
Of course there are already great posts about Element Technica (ET) gear. This writeup is meant to compliment those posts along with Finner’s excellent video review posted here.
Overall, there is a reason why many Red One setups include Element Technica gear as required accessories. Read on to determine if this is true for you too!
First, take a look at the photo below. A more or less familiar sight. The quick release plate, the single mounting screw. A tripod head. This is what you would normally see if you purchased an O’Connor 1030HD or 1030HDS fluid head package or many other tripods for that matter. As you know, the part with the screw is mounted directly beneath your camera so you can take your camera on and off the tripod quickly.
At least for the O’Connor, this camera quick release plate attaches to a slide plate, which in turn slides across the top of the tripod head itself. So between these two parts you can 1) quickly attach/remove your camera from the tripod, and 2) slide the camera forward or back for better counterbalance depending on your configuration (some brands/tripod heads do not offer this second function):
Now, let’s take this familiar sight and compare them with those from Element Technica:
The function of the parts are similar but as you can see we are no longer dealing with the same variables here. On the left is Element Technica’s Arri 19mm Red Bridge Plate matched with an Element Technica 1030 Dovetail. On the right is the O’Connor camera quick plate and sliding plate from before. Side by side the purpose of the ET parts on the left should become easier to understand. Afterall, they serve a function similar to the parts on the right. The ET bridge plate is akin to the quick release camera plate and the dovetail is similar to a sliding plate.
Beyond this simple comparison however, the ET/Arri gear does much more.
Check out the photo below of the Element Technica 1030HD Dovetail we’ve all been hearing about and compare this with the default O’Connor Mini European Quick Release Plate:
The version shown here is the 12” Element Technica 1030HD Dovetail. This is one solid, finely machined part. You could fend off a pitbull attack with this piece it is so durable. With the smaller quick plate, you could possibly throw it through the air like a shuriken ninja star but then that would only make a pitbull angry. So don’t do that.
