L bracket on my LX...

[ChrisR]

I use my Pentax LX a LOT, it's my standard go-to camera for colour film, like my MX is for black and white. My tripod and monopods have Arca-Swiss heads, so I have a couple of SRB-Photographic L brackets (see https://www.srb-photographic.co.uk/srb-l-bracket-mount-with-arca-swiss-fit-11588-p.asp). The one on the MX stays nicely in place, but the one on the LX works loose within half an hour or so.

They are only held on via the tripod mount. There are half a dozen pads on the top side of the bottom leg, that should hold it tight, but for some reason this doesn't work for the LX.

So, my question is, can anyone suggest something I can put between the bracket and camera that would help hold it in place?

(I considered putting this in the Talk Equipment thread, but since this is a 30 year-old camera, I thought I'd get better answers here. And some of you might even have the combo in question!)

 

[Carl Hall]

Do you know how it's working loose? Is the camera rotating slightly in the bracket and loosening the screw? I guess those rubber pads should stop this so are they not sitting flush against the camera base? I think you either need to stick it down with some well-placed self-adhesive pads or put a thin piece of rubber between the camera and body to increase the friction and stop the camera rotating.

At work I use loads of different positive locking methods for fasteners on assembly drawings; Loctite adhesives, spring washers, tab washers, locking wire, locking wire thread inserts, sometimes even peening a joint... None of those will really work here apart from Loctite, and that's a pain if you ever want to take it off again lol.

 

[ChrisR]

Do you know how it's working loose? Is the camera rotating slightly in the bracket and loosening the screw? I guess those rubber pads should stop this so are they not sitting flush against the camera base? I think you either need to stick it down with some well-placed self-adhesive pads or put a thin piece of rubber between the camera and body to increase the friction and stop the camera rotating.

At work I use loads of different positive locking methods for fasteners on assembly drawings; Loctite adhesives, spring washers, tab washers, locking wire, locking wire thread inserts, sometimes even peening a joint... None of those will really work here apart from Loctite, and that's a pain if you ever want to take it off again lol.

I think it must be the rotate and work loose case. If the screw went in tightly enough, I guess there wouldn't be that little bit of rotation in the first place, so that might be part of the issue with the LX. The screw has a wide slot, the kind you can tighten with a 1p coin... but that doesn't allow much tightening (at least with my available grip).

A requirement for me is that the bracket is easily removable. I'm thinking some kind of compression pad between the two?

 

[excalibur2]

Couldn't you re-tighten the tripod screw when it becomes loose and see if it becomes loose again, some cameras I have this problem (not using L bracket) and think it's because the rubber is gradually being compressed, although it doesn't explain why it's ok with the MX.

 

[Peter B]

Have you tried swapping the one from your MX to see if it slackens as well?

 

[excalibur2]

Just remembered I had a camera that was never tight and what is was, was the tripod screw was at the end of the threaded hole in the camera...so just put a washer on the tripod mounting screw.....well it might solve your problem.

 

[ChrisR]

Have you tried swapping the one from your MX to see if it slackens as well?

I haven't and I should. Though I'm slightly nervous that if I take the bracket off the MX, I might not get it tightly on again!