DIY

3d print tripod quick release plates for Manfrotto 701HDV video tripod heads

Like many photographers and videographers, I have multiple devices to put on my tripods. Cameras, phone holder, video camera, and I even have a teleprompter that can go on a tripod. Because of how expensive the branded quick-release plates are for my Manfrotto 701HDV fluid video head, over the years I just kept swapping the one plate for whatever I wanted to put on the tripod. Inevitably, I never had a screwdriver or coin handy to tighten the screws down either. So the screws were always finger tight, which for many things is not good enough.

A 3d printed quick release plate for a Manfrotto video tripod head.

Manfrotto branded 501PL plates on big photo sites are around $42, and knockoff plates are still between $7-15 per plate on eBay and other sites. Well, no longer!! I found a model for the plate that is 501PL-compatible, bought stainless steel mounting screws, and now I made five 3d printed plates with thumb screws that cost $1.41 per plate.

Now, every device I have that needs to go on my tripod has a dedicated plate to make swapping devices on the tripod head so dramatically easier.

Thumb screw with d-ring for making your own tripod quick release plate
Thumb screw with D-ring for making your own tripod quick-release plate

I printed the plates in both Elegoo PLA+ and Sunlu PETG, on a Prusa Mk4. The plates were printed with a .20 layer height (.20 speed profile in PrusaSlicer to be specific) at 40% infill and no supports. You might be able to get away with less infill, but I wanted to be sure they were rigid. Also, the print times and filament use were not that much different. From some quick testing, the PETG prints are a bit more rigid (which I prefer), with nearly the same settings between filaments. Regardless, you cannot go wrong with either filament.

~Kirk