At the heart of the SYMPLA system is the Plate, which attaches your camera to the SYMPLA rig & moves it into position. The Variable Plate allows the camera & lens to be moved on three independent axes (longitudinal, lateral & vertical), a flexibility that's essential for aligning multiple camera & lens combinations with critical components like the Flexible Mattebox, or for positioning the camera viewfinder in front of your eye. Adjustment controls are simple & secure: longitudinally, the Variable Plate slides along SYMPLA Rods & is unlocked & blocked with one repositionable ratchet lever. For vertical adjustment, a single geared dial on the side of the Plate gives fingertip control of movement; the Plate maintains its height when the dial is released, with a ratchet lever to lock the camera vertically in place. For lateral adjustment, again, a single geared dial
- this time at the end of the Plate
- adjusts the offset of the camera from the Plate's central axis, & again, a single lever locks down the movement. Precision-cast in aluminium with durable steel components, the SYMPLA Variable Plate has no hard-to-access screws & requires no tools for fitting or adjustment: your camera is conveniently attached to the Variable Plate via Manfrotto’s most popular Quick Release video plate so swapping cameras, or moving a camera between SYMPLA & a Manfrotto video head is easy & fast. Using the sliding QR plate also means that an additional level of longitudinal camera positioning is possible, allowing long lenses, viewfinders, batteries & other bulky accessories to be taken into account. The QR plate is held in place by a secured by a secondary safety lock, so the camera can't inadvertenly slide out of the Variable Plate. On the underside of the Variable Plate are two 3/8” threads for attaching the rig to a monopod, tripod or to a video head (such as the 504HD) via another sliding QR plate. Easy-Link fittings on the Plate sides also support Magic Arms, light modifiers, LED lighting units or external monitors.