Tripod Question

landsleaving

I picked up a cheap tripod on ebay and it has a little nub beside the main screw that I presume is supposed to fit into the little hole without the screw threads on my camera - Olympus e520, but the nub and screw are too close together. The screw goes in fine and everything works ok, seems nice and steady, but it seems a bit odd the little nub doesn't match up with the hole on the camera.

Is that a sort of standard size and the camera is different, and if I was to buy a better tripod would I have to get one that fits the Olympus specifically?

Rainbowsend

Is the "nub" spring loaded, does it push in? I think it is there to cause a bit of
resistance like a spring washer would, could be wrong but if the tripod is performing ok I wouldnt worry about it.

Gregor Samsa

That pin in the tripod plate is more usually used for video cameras. Most still cameras don't have a hole for it at all (some do, like yours, obviously). I would have thought that the pin/screw spacing was standardised, but then there's always exceptions to these things.

I have a Manfrotto tripod and head that I use 410PL quick release plates with, and they don't have a pin at all - so in answer to your question, no, a more expensive tripod wouldn't necessarily give you a pin that fits your Oly. But you might me able to get specific plates or tripods that have a pin spaced the same as your camera.

But to be honest, once the pin is spring loaded and it hides out of the way when you mount your camera on the plate, I wouldn't worry about it.

landsleaving

Cheers for the replies, it is spring loaded alright so it's not in the way. Mind at ease now :pac: