Review on Haoge Manfrotto MH054M0 Q5 MH055M0 Q5 MH055M8 Q5 by James Salem

Edit: I got a note from Haoge with some instructions that didn't come with the plate. There are a few smaller screws that can go into holes at the end of the panel. This works on my Manfrotto 500 head, but sacrifices a bit more length than necessary. It doesn't work on my 502 head. Manfrotto did this by properly shaping the bottom of the plate. There's no reason Haoge can't. I will also point out that Manfrotto does not use the Swiss Arca standard. If this insert had a double dovetail (like many inserts) with an AS standard on top it would be a lot more useful. Supplied with several screws and two Allen keys. It also has plenty of 1/4-20 holes that prove necessary. Cons: The top of the plate is machined smooth, so it doesn't offer any real resistance to prevent the clamp or camera from rotating. The big problem is that it doesn't match the size and design. In the first photo you can see that the stop is slightly narrower than the original Manfrotto plate. It's a small difference, but it can cost you thousands of dollars if you have an expensive setup falling apart. Photo 2 shows this on a 500 fluid head. The stopper lets it slide back far enough so it doesn't catch the quick release and fall out. It slides off the front with no resistance. Photo 3 shows a possible solution - a 1/4-20 mounting screw (which will need to be trimmed) will keep it from sliding too far forward or backward. If you have a 501 head, this is a workable, if inelegant, solution to a problem Haoge was meant to fix. On a 502 head, it doesn't slide off the back, but it does slide off the front. The screw keeps it from sliding off the front, but if you screw the bottom screw in both corners (the board is symmetrical and can be flipped upside down) you won't be able to mount the board on the 502 head. The screws at the top allow it to work , but the backstop is still in the way. You must move the insert all the way back so the screw loosens the stop on the head, and then release the stop so it doesn't touch the stop machined into the underside of the plate. It's also important to make sure the screw goes through the hole far enough to be almost flush with the bottom of the panel as the front stop on the head is only about 3mm high. Another unaesthetic solution to a problem that shouldn't have existed in the first place. In photos 4 and 5 it is all the way forward (with the screw in the last hole) on the 502 head. With care it can be lined up correctly but there is enough slack to cock it well to one side. Of course, the main purpose of the long plate is to have enough room to move the camera (actually the focal point of the lens) backwards, so I don't think alignment will be an issue in the real world. I suspect Manfrotto's long plate can do the same. I have no idea how this works on other Manfrotto heads. Maybe it works perfectly for some, or maybe it has issues that can't be fixed with a few screws.