New exiting Universal Rail Quick-Clamps from NOVOFLEX and ALPA
New exiting Universal Rail Quick-Clamps from NOVOFLEX and ALPA
Different standards and the merging of photography and video increase the requirements for the equipment. The new universal rail system from NOVOFLEX and ALPA provides an answer and overshadows the existing solutions.
Just like the accessory solutions from NOVOFLEX, ALPA products are characterized by their high modularity. It is our common concern to create perfect combinations and thus provide interfaces for as many accessories as possible.
Both companies have devoted themselves particularly to the widespread "de facto standards". In recent years, we have expanded our product portfolio with accessories in the standard UniQ /C common in the “photographic world”. Both companies offer their customers different dovetail tripods (or "stitching columns") for many cameras, as well as tripod heads, focusing racks and quick-change couplings in this standard. Added to this are solutions for advanced macro and panoramic photography.
We now turn to the next widely used accessory standard: In recent years, a growing "fusion" of photography and videography has been established. This trend has also recently been reflected in the digital medium format since HASSELBLAD and SINAR have been offering digital backs allowing to capture video.
The so-called "Nato Rail" is an established standard for the connection of numerous accessories such as viewfinders, microphones, hand-grips etc. in the area of the moving picture. This system is characterized by its compact dimensions. It also allows longitudinal displacements and provides very high positioning and alignment accuracy.
With Universal Rail, NOVOFLEX and ALPA are launching a solution that is compatible with Nato Rail. At the same time, we start with five different products in order to offer customers a complete and diverse system of plates and associated quick releases. Our products are new developments and were not available in this form before. They open up additional functionality for the user who is currently committed to the convergence of standing and moving images.
Products Universal Rail
The ¼-inch screw can be removed on all universal-rail quick-clamps, so that they can also be placed directly on a tripod.
The small and compact quick-clamp NOVOFLEX N = MOUNT resp. ALPA UNI.CPL.SML, which has a ¼-inch screw and a perfectly translated thread for fast and secure clamping, offers an introduction to the world of Universal Rail. It is perfect for light and flexible setups.
An absolute novelty on the market is the slightly larger NOVOFLEX N = MOUNT X or ALPA UNI.CPL.CRO: Contrary to all other solutions, it allows not only the inclusion of one rail in one direction but is designed as a cross-clamp, that allows fixing in two orientations. This opens up a variety of mounting options.
The absolute highlight is the NOVOFLEX N = MOUNT XQ or ALPA UNI.CPL.HYB: For the first time ever, photographers are able to mount rails in the either Universal Rail or UniQ / C compatible quick-change panels with the same device. With this ground-breaking innovation, NOVOFLEX and ALPA are reacting to the interplay of photography and videography. The new quick-change plate NOVOFLEX NPL1 or ALPA QPL.UNI.MK1, which has a universal rail in one direction and a UniQ / C profile in the other, follows the same development.
In addition, a 70mm long rail is available in universal rail format (NOVOFLEX NPL2). In this case, several ¼-inch screws can also be used if required, in order to ensure anti-twist protection.
Already since 2016, a rail specially adapted to ALPA cameras is available (https://www.alpa.ch/en/article/alpa-universal-rail-55-mm) which can also be used as a spacer. The two UNI.CPL.HYB and UNI.CPL.CRO quick release clamps have removable centring screws which are used as anti-twist protection, especially for ALPA cameras.