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I have a Cambo SC, which runs on the standard square-section monorail. The rail is about 18 inches in length. I find it impossible to tighten my Manfrotto hexagon quick-release plate's thumbscrew enough to overcome the rail's tendency to act as a lever. The result is that any sideways pressure on either standard, especially for near work when the bellows are extended, results in the whole set-up rotating on top of the tripod head. For example, the mere sideways pull of withdrawing the outer envelope of a polaroid can cause the screw to come loose.

I've tried to use both the cork-faced hex plate and the rubber-faced type. Neither is secure.

Does anyone else recognise this problem? If so, how do you get around it?

You might try replacing the thumb screw with an allen, or cross head screw to give more tightening leverage? There is such a plate offered by Manfrotto. Dennis.

Daft as it sounds you might get a tighter connection by removing the cork or rubber from your quick release plate.

Another option would be to use a tiny amount of some kind of threadlocking compound on the screw, or superglue on the qr plate, just enough to stop rotation but easy to break when you need to unscrew it ( i think you can remove superglue residue with acetone).

Thanks to both Dennis and Dave for taking the time to give your thoughts on this. Both make sense, not least because I could probably leave the plate permanently attached to the Cambo mounting bracket. I do have two, after all, and one with an Allen key fitting would make a third.