Versatile Mount Plate for your Canon Camera
Review by Fernando Santos
Not too long ago, someone had this crazy idea of making a “camera collar” that would allow you to rotate the camera without having to move your tripod head or having to use an L-bracket. Apparently, it wasn’t an easy task but, as soon as someone solved the problem, many companies presented similar solutions. I tested the SmallRig Rotatable Horizontal-to-Vertical Mount Plate Kit 4300 for Canon and, if you’ll allow me, I’ll tell you more about it.
The idea is that you don’t turn your ballhead to the side, messing with the composition and camera balance, nor do you use an L-bracket. You simply rotate the camera counterclockwise around the center of your sensor, keeping everything else in place. By not using an L-bracket, you won’t have a problem using your fully articulated screen.
The SmallRig Rotatable Horizontal-to-Vertical Mount Plate Kit 4300 comes disassembled; but it takes only a couple of minutes to put it together. (A small instruction manual is included, but most people won’t need it.) The 4300 mount has three parts: the camera plate, the collar, and the collar foot.
The model I tested was specifically for Canon EOS R6/R6 Mark II, R5, and R5C. The camera plate part is well-built and even includes an anti-twist pin that goes into the camera body, allowing for a stronger connection between the two. The collar rotates smoothly, but with some tension, which I found pleasing. There is a locking knob, but you may not even have to reach out for it. The collar foot is compatible with both Arca and Manfrotto RC2 standards.
I tried using the kit with many of my Canon RF lenses, and didn’t find any problem with most; however, the pancake-style Canon RF 28mm F2.8 STM is so short that it almost completely fits inside the collar, making it impossible to use the lens control/focus switch. Apart from that one, all the others were okay.
You can also use the Canon EF-EOS RF adapter with your Canon EF lenses, and you won’t have a problem with any EF lenses because they’d be mounted outside the collar. I have to warn you that, if you use the Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF–EOS RF, or the one with the control ring, you won’t be able to use those features; but you can still use them just to mount your EF lens.
I found the SmallRig rotatable mount to work well; however, it’ll add some height to your camera, which may be a problem if your camera bag isn’t big enough. It has an attachment point for a camera strap as well as a QD socket. There’s one 3/8″ and also some 1/4″ threaded holes that you can use to mount additional accessories.
Pressing the camera button to release the lens is a little harder because the collar is so close to the body. I didn’t have a problem; but someone with larger fingers may find it difficult. Same goes for removing the camera body cap. The SmallRig 4300 manual shows a way to do it with both fingers. I’d prefer that a new camera body cap was included that had two small bumps to make it easier to attach/detach.
One thing I didn’t like was the fact that the camera doesn’t rotate 180°, which would be nice for those who usually flip their tripod central column to mount their camera upside down. I don’t do that often, so it wasn’t a big deal for me, and wouldn’t prevent me from recommending the SmallRig Rotatable Horizontal-to-Vertical Mount Plate Kit 4300.
