Manfrotto 035RL Super Clamp with Standard Stud

I wanted rock-solid support for my camera in situations where space and speed were important, also for intermittent repeat shots taken from precisely the same vantage point over a period of months and for long exposures/bulb shots.Tripods and monopods came with various trade-offs. I found this clamp and bought it on the basis of both the specifications and the reviews. It can be used for a range of things, and has a supplementary screw mount as well as the stud. But I only use the stud and for my camera equipment.Not all things have degrees of goodness. They either completely work or they completely don't work. This is something that works 100%.Italian made. A simple but high quality industrial standard of build and materials. A good instruction leaflet, in case you lose your intuitive powers.It's a little chunky to fit in a pocket and, according to specs, weighs 1.2 pounds. So, if you pack it it in a camera case with lenses etc., make sure they are protected from it.The jaws open to a max capacity of 1.25 inches. Without the wedge adaptor - but with care - I managed to secure it to a 2.6 inch board and again to a 3/8 inch thick flange. And, of course, it will accommodate a pipe, or similar shape, up to at least 2 inch diameter. When you tighten them, take care that you don't crush something.The stud holds the camera about an inch above the clamp. For me, that was enough to clear any obstructions.One end of the stud has a standard quarter-inch thread for your camera etc.. The other end is hexagonal to mate with the clamp. The clamp has a quick-release press-in knob and a well-sized thumbscrew to secure the stud completely.So, you can remove the camera and stud to rotate them or stow them; that's a form of quick release, if you're happy with the length of the stud in the camera. However, I've used a ball head and quick-release plate - both Cullmann - for over 20 years, so I wanted to transfer them to this clamp. They did. The whole setup is as good as it gets. There are other adaptors and accessories that you could use to mount camera, flash, reflector, etc. simultaneously.The thumbscrew also secures a removable wedge, which fits into one jaw of the clamp and turns it from something to use on a pipe to one on, e.g., a tabletop or plank.I had a minor quibble with the thumbscrew. It can get in the way of your fingers when securing the clamp to an object. But it's not impossible to deal with; I soon adapted to it. A little more thought at the design stage would have avoided this.You can use the clamp anywhere there's a lump of the right dimensions. I've used it on a table top, deck rail, car steering wheel, branch, chair leg, door, etc. This clamp is as reliable and immovable as the thing you secure it to. No duck tape required unless it gives you pleasure.I wish I'd bought one sooner, and recommend it without hesitation.

I use these clamps mainly to hold a rain umbrella on my monopod when I have shoots in the rain. It's a well made clamp that clamps things, I'm not sure what else to say about it. I bought the Manfrotto super clamp and a cheaper Limo Studios knock off to see if there was some major difference. The short answer is no, not really. You can stop reading here if you're impatient.That being said though the Manfrotto does seem to have better fit and finish. For example they both come with a little rubber triangle that fits in the jaws for when you're clamping to a flat surface like say a table. The Manfrotto piece fits snugly on the clamp both when you're using it and when your not it's molded well out of good material. The Limo Studios one....well that one is gone it fell off some where because it never fit properly it was misshapen from the get go. Similar story with the brass binding post the Manfrotto post is machined well, fits in place snug and has no jagged or sharp edges. I'd totally trust the Manfrotto product to hold my expensive studio equipment. The Limo post is sharp enough to sever an artery, fits with tons of slop but tightens down fine enough. Would I dangle an expensive strobe head off of it, I'd probably rather not. The handle used to tighten the clamps on the Manfrotto is long enough to do the job but not so long that it gets in the way when you're using it in tight spots. The handle on the Limo is too long and hits everything it seems. Bottom line is that if I were using it in a studio to hold lights, modifiers and backgrounds I'd spring for the Manfrotto clamps. If you just need to hold an umbrella on your monopod get the Limo clamps, they're good enough.

The Super Clamp is an invaluable tool. Rugged and versatile, it allows you to attach all kinds of stuff to other...stuff. Since it also has a 1/4 inch female for attaching items, I can have the Manfrotto flex arm attached to the superclamp AND add another item (I added a Zoom H2 mic) right off of the clamp as well. This requires having the right adapters, but if you have some hardware (1/4" male adapter and a swivel umbrella adapter in particular) you can attach lights, mics, or whatever IN ADDITION to the Manfrotto Flex Arm (which I strongly recommend as well for this unit).The one complaint, and it's a minor one: the superclamp attaches to round surfaces as well as flat surfaces. They include a little piece of plastic to flatten out the interior of the clamp for flat surfaces. This piece of plastic can be snapped to the side of the unit when not being used (this is where I found it upon opening the package). After using the clamp for the past week, I've noticed that it is kind of a hassle to keep that piece of plastic attached there. I don't have a great idea for where it should be stored, but I think this could be improved upon.Overall though, this is a great product and a must have.

The clamp is an exceptional tool to be able to mount a camera in odd places. The "standard" stud that comes with it is pretty useless for using a camera but I'm sure can be useful for holding other gear or attaching to other devices. Since I'm using it for a camera mount that's where this short review is going. With the optional short stud you can mount a small camera directly to the Super Clamp or mount a ball head and use it with a DSLR. I have put the Super Clamp on a bicycle and mounted a Pentax Q directly to the clamp. I have clamped the Super Clamp with ball head and Pentax K-30 onto a stadium seat where I could not tale a tripod, and it worked great. The clamp and ball head together is not tiny, but it'a a lot smaller than a tripod, a=nd certainly more stable than a lot of travel tripods, it can easily fit in a bag or large pocket.