Are tripod mounts standardized across cameras and tripods?
Asked 12/7/2011
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Do cameras and tripods use a standard mounting thread, or do I need to check compatibility for each camera/tripod combination?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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Yes. The tripod thread is standard: 1/4-20, which means ¼", with 20 threads per inch.
This is specified by ISO 1222:2010. I'm not willing to pay the $57 for my own copy, but I'm kind of curious, as wikipedia says that the current standard also allows 3/8-16 — apparently that's an older mostly-European standard. This is probably old-hat to aficionados of classic field cameras, but was new to me — all of the modern Japanese DSLRs and compacts I've seen use the 1/4-20 thread. 3/8-16 may still be common for larger-format cameras. I checked my grandfather's Voightländer Bessa medium format camera from the 1930s, and it uses 1/4-20. I think it's safe to say that for consumer and mass-market professional cameras, 1/4-20 is universal.
The 3/8-16 standard is in wide use today in photography, though — just not for camera mounts. It's common for lighting gear, including lighting stands and mounts. I have some Manfrotto gear with the reversible studs — basically, camera mount one side, lighting equipment the other way. Also, as Michael Clark notes below, 3/8-16 is typical for connecting tripod heads to the legs.
The other important thing is that almost all modern tripods use a quick-release plate system. There's a small plate which has the tripod thread which screws directly to the camera, and then that snaps into the tripod head using a proprietary-to-each-company attachment. That means that even if your camera would use the less-common thread, you could get a plate that matches — for example, a Gitzo plate which comes with both threads. And adapters between these two threadings are readily available — probably mostly for ease in mixing and matching between camera and lighting support.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—camera tripod mounts are generally standardized. The common camera socket is 1/4"-20 (a 1/4-inch thread with 20 threads per inch), and for consumer cameras and most mainstream professional bodies it’s effectively universal.
You may also encounter 3/8"-16, which is another standard used in photography, more often on larger or heavier equipment and on tripod heads/support gear rather than typical camera bodies.
So in normal use, it’s reasonable to assume a standard tripod or quick-release plate will attach to a standard camera body via the 1/4"-20 mount. The main thing to check is not usually the thread itself, but whether the tripod uses a plate, head, or adapter that matches your setup.
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