How to choose Product

For those who want to try using a ball head but don't know what to buy, here's a brief overview. Markins has adopted the Arca-Swiss compatible (dovetail style) system, which has become a global standard in recent years. This is one of the standards for quickly and stably attaching cameras and lenses to tripods and heads. This system was first adopted by the Arca-Swiss company, and is now used by many manufacturers. The Arca-Swiss compatible system mainly consists of the following two elements:

1. Plate
   A metal plate attached to the bottom of the camera or lens. It has grooves that fit perfectly into the quick shoe on the head.
2. Quick Shoe (Clamp)
   A part attached to the head. The plate with grooves is inserted into this quick shoe and securely fastened.

The benefits of the Arca-Swiss compatible system are as follows:

• Quick Attachment and Detachment
  The quick shoe (clamp) allows for quick and easy attachment and detachment of the camera or lens.
• Stability
  The contact area between the plate and the quick shoe (clamp) is wide, allowing for secure fastening and improved stability during shooting.
• Compatibility
  Equipment adopting the Arca-Swiss compatible system can be used interchangeably with plates and quick shoes from different manufacturers.

Thus, the Arca-Swiss compatible system is a convenient standard for attaching cameras and lenses easily and stably. Markins also adopts this standard, making it compatible with many camera accessories and easy to use. The basic items needed to use Markins ball heads are as follows:

1. Ball Head
   Please refer to How to choose Ball Head to select the optimal model. Except for models without a quick shoe (Q10i-NQS and Q20i-NQS), all heads come with a quick shoe.
2. Camera/Lens Plate
   An Arca-Swiss compatible (dovetail style) plate attached to the bottom of the camera or lens is required. Please refer to How to choose Plate to select the optimal plate for your model.
3. Tripod
   The screw to attach the ball head is a large screw, so if your tripod only has a small screw, please purchase a Bush Adapter to attach it to the head's screw hole.

The overview is above, and now we'll explain the ball heads, quick shoes, and plates individually. Additionally, there's an explanation about VR holders at the end, which we hope you'll find helpful.



Markins ball heads are divided into three series based on load capacity: Q3i, Q10i, and Q20i. Please refer to the table below to choose the appropriate series. If you are unsure which series to choose, we recommend the standard Q10i series.

Series	Features
Q3i (Traveler)	Best suited for use with Gitzo Traveler tripods. Verified compatible tripods → GT1541T, GT1544T, GT1545T, GT2542T, GT2545T
Q10i (Standard)	This is our most versatile series and can be used for any type of photography. We highly recommend it.
Q20i (Heavy Duty)	Designed for use with heavy cameras and lenses. Provides maximum stability and support.

Once you have decided on the series, the next step is to choose whether you want a knob, lever, or panorama type quick shoe. Then, select the color to determine the product (model number).

Series		Shoe Type		Color
Q3i (Lightweight)	TR (Traveler)	Knob Type	␣	Black Red	-BK -RD
		Lever Type	Q
		Panorama Type	P
Q3i (Lightweight)		Knob Type	␣	Black Red	-BK -RD
		Lever Type	Q
		Panorama Type	P
Q10i (Standard)		Knob Type	␣	Black Red	-BK -RD
		Lever Type	Q
		Panorama Type	P
Q20i (Heavy Duty)		Knob Type	␣	Black Red	-BK -RD
		Lever Type	Q
		Panorama Type	P

Markins quick shoes are divided into three types: lever, knob, and panorama. Please refer to the diagram and table below to choose the appropriate shoe type. If you are unsure which series to choose, we recommend the knob type.

Type	Features
Lever	One-touch attachment and detachment, and the tightening direction can also be changed, making it easy and convenient to use when using plates from a single manufacturer. However, if you use plates from multiple manufacturers in parallel, turn the clamping torque adjustment screw each time to adjust the clamping width of the plate.
Knob	The plate is gradually tightened by turning the knob, making it convenient when using plates from multiple manufacturers in parallel. It also has a quick turn of about one turn for quick attachment and detachment.
Panorama	This quick shoe is ideal for panoramic photography, which stitches together landscapes that do not fit in a single photograph.

• For UNC 3/8"-16 screw (left)
• For M6 screw (i-Type Ball Head) (right)

There are many types of plates, including Camera Plate, L-Plate, Lens Plate & Foot, Ring Plate, and Panorama Rail, but here we will explain the basic types: Camera Plate, L-Plate, and Lens Plate & Foot.


① Camera Plate

This is a plate that is attached to the camera body. This plate is attached to the ball head (quick shoe) and used.
Please check Applicable Plate Table to find the plate model number that matches your camera.



② L-Plate (L-Bracket)

This plate allows you to quickly switch between horizontal and vertical positions without moving the camera head. Vertical shooting is possible without using an L-Plate by tilting the ball 90 degrees, but using an L-plate reduces misalignment of the optical axis and prevents the camera from escaping to the outside, ensuring stability.
Depending on the model, L-plate are either sold as L-plate from the start or are made by combining a camera plate and a sub-plate.




③ Lens Plate and Foot

The lens plate is attached to the tripod mount of the lens, and the lens foot is a replacement tripod mount. First, if the Applicable Plate Table has a lens foot, we recommend using it. If there is no lens foot, choose a lens plate that is the same length as the tripod mount or slightly longer.
This is a frequently asked question, but if the suitable lens plate has two screws but the tripod mount only has one screw hole, you can use it by removing one screw from the lens plate. Also, if the lens plate has a flange, attaching it so that the protruding flange part hooks onto the edge of the tripod mount will help prevent the plate from slipping.







The VR-Holder is a product designed to effectively suppress vibrations during shooting. It exerts excellent vibration suppression effects by mainly supporting two points on the camera and lens, or two points on the lens.

The VR-Holder's quick shoe comes in both lever type and knob type, so please refer to the guide on How to choose Quick Shoe and select the type you prefer.
The York (a part that supports the front of the lens) can be chosen based on the step between the two supporting points of the equipment, either the shorter type YK-15S or the longer type YK-15L. The step between the quick shoe and the York is approximately 1cm for the YK-15S and approximately 3.5cm for the YK-15L.
Generally, choose YK-15L if using a battery grip, and YK-15S if not using a battery grip.
Additionally, please refer to the image below for the size of the VR-Holder to see if it is compatible with your camera and lens.


When supporting the camera and lens, attach the camera plate to the camera, and then attach the camera plate to the quick shoe. Similarly, when supporting two points on the lens, attach the lens plate to the lens, and then attach the lens plate to the quick shoe.
This concludes the explanation. Please also refer to the FAQ for further information. If you have any questions, feel free to Contact Us through the inquiry form.