A quick release plate is a metal plate that screws to the bottom of your camera that allows you to quickly snap on or off the camera on the tripod. The "head" of your tripod needs to be able to accept the quick release plate. In the case of my Manfrotto head, it came with the quick release plate
well put, ray. what the quick release plate allow you to avoid is having to screw the tripod thread into the camera in lieu of a quick connection that can be popped of in a matter of seconds.
Oh i need one of those! I still havent figured out if its easier to screw the camera or screw the tripod LOL
before buying, check out really right stuff and kirk, 2 makers of really high quality plates be aware there are 2 types of releases, the channel stuff made by the above, this is what most think of with quick release and the hexagon type plate that drops into a reciever, and then a lock lever is used,(manfrotto), easy to convert over to the channel type i'm partial to the channel stuff, heavier yes, but allows special plates with stop screws for heavier lenses, thus preventing a tip of the ballhead because someone forgot to tighten same, and watching a multi thousand dollar lens go sliding out to the ground, front element first www.reallyrightstuff.com www.kirkphoto.com
