PGYTECH has created a series of convenient quick release accessories that you can use to install or switch your camera equipment immediately. We have been testing the entire series.
PGYTECH Snaplock System provides a variety of practical accessories series, compatible with various photography kits. Thanks to functions such as "one-click installation", these accessories are very simple and quick to use. In addition, the anti-loosening design of the board accessories makes your camera safe and reliable in use. Every type of photographer in this series definitely has a quick release accessory.
PGYTECH has launched a series of accessories for photographers, video bloggers and smartphone photographers who seek to carry and use their cameras faster and more efficiently. PGYTECH Snaplock quick release system is equipped with SnapLock board adapter, SnapLock Beetle Came clip, action camera SnapLock board, SnapLock NANO Sviwil and Tilt Mount, so it seems that everyone has an accessory, but are they useful? We have been testing them to find out.
As mentioned above, PGYTECH Snaplock Quick-Release System has four main accessories. If you check the PGYTECH website, you will notice that there is also a Snaplock Plate Nano and a Snaplock Reverse Ball Head. However, we did not review these two accessories today.
We will look at each product separately, because even if they belong to the same series, they are all slightly different.
The Beetle Camera Clip eliminates the need to hold the camera or hang the camera around your neck when not in use. The Beetle Camera Clip allows you to quickly securely install and lock the camera on the strap or belt, then take it off and prepare for action, all you need to do is press the button. There is even a lock, so you won’t accidentally loosen it when walking, and the back has non-slip rubber, which can be more firmly fixed to the shoulder strap.
The Arca-Swiss compatible SnapLock board is used with the Bettle camera holder, which means it is compatible with various devices, and the board has patented tight-fitting screws to prevent it from loosening. You can also fix the camera on the SnapLock board from any direction, so that when you use a heavier lens, you can install it horizontally to better distribute the weight.
The body of the clip is made of aluminum alloy, so it is strong but light in weight, and its size means it can be easily put in a pocket.
The Snaplock board adapter allows the camera to be mounted on a tripod and other accessories with just one touch. The mounting base of the SnapLock board adapter uses a self-locking clip instead of a knob that you have to tighten manually, which means you can install the SnapLock boards used in the entire series in one simple step. You can also press a button to ensure that the system does not unlock itself.
The Arca-Swiss interface on the side and the 1/4" and 3/8" threaded holes at the bottom make the Snaplock Plate Adapter compatible with various gimbals, plates, tripods and sliders.
Snaplock Nano rotating and tilting installation
For users who need a mount that provides more fluidity, the Snaplock Nano Swivel & Tilt Mount can be rotated 360 degrees and tilted 180 degrees with adjustable damping, so the operation is smooth. Like all products in this series, this accessory uses patented technology (PGYTECH SnapLock Nanosystem), allowing users to install/remove gears quickly and easily. There is an additional lock to ensure that your camera is firmly connected, and the square cold shoe mount can be quickly installed in any direction. The patented 1/4" screw allows you to hold the plate or cold shoe seat firmly in place, and the rotation lock knob of the cold shoe seat contains a patented screw to prevent it from loosening.
Snaplock Nano Swivel & Tilt Mount can be used with a monitor or as a mini tripod head, so you can connect your smartphone or camera to the device (tripod is not included).
Action camera snap plate Arca-Swiss
Sports camera snap plate, as the name suggests, is suitable for sports cameras. It has a rotatable (360 degrees) and tilt (32 degrees) ball head structure. It has PGYTECH's quick release pin, so it is easy to install/remove the action camera-just unlock the pin and then rotate it 90 degrees to lock/unlock the pin.
The square is compatible with Arca-Swiss, so you can use it with a tripod or PGYTECH’s Beatle camera holder. The universal interface and the 1/4”-20 conversion adapter make the action camera snap plate widely compatible with many popular action cameras from GoPro and DJI and other brands.
The base and ball head of the plate are made of aluminum, which means it is very light and the size is easy to carry around.
All accessories in the PGYTECH Snaplock System are compact in size and light in weight, which means they can be easily placed in a camera bag or even a pocket for easy carrying. They are also very well done, the aluminum alloy feels very strong and all components are good. The lock button is easy to press, giving you peace of mind, and your camera will not fall off the bracket to which it is attached. We also like the rubber texture, which can provide extra grip for the accessory when it is attached to the camera and/or shoulder strap.
The anti-loosening design of the plate ensures that your kit is safe (PGY even provides Alun keys, so you can easily tighten the bolts), and the simple "one-click installation" system provided by the plate and adapter makes it fast to install/remove gears.
You don't have to worry about the installation direction of the SnapLock board, because the square shape means you can quickly install it in any direction. It also uses Arca-Swiss standard size and is compatible with most Arca-Swiss boards. Compatible with Arca-Swiss are also SnapLock mounting bases with 1/4" and 3/8" threaded holes, so you can use the device with various gimbals, plates, tripods, and sliders.
If you have multiple cameras and mounts, a small problem is that you need to purchase multiple SnapLock board adapters or boards so that you can easily switch from a slider to a tripod or replace the camera. However, if you have a camera and a tripod, you will find the SnapLock tablet adapter system is very easy to use, and it really saves time. This is one of the simplest quick release plate systems we have ever used, and the camera can be released from the stand with the push of a button. The plate is also easy to slide/snap into place and feels very safe. If you use the Alun key to fix the board to your camera, once it is in the SnapLcok mounting base, it will not move. The extra lock can double assure your camera is safe.
The SnapLock Nano swivel and tilt mount is an ideal accessory for video bloggers because it can be attached to a handheld tripod because the 1/4”-20 screw hole on the bottom and the 1/4”-20 screw on the top allow it to be used as a mini Tripod head. It also has a square mounting design, so you can quickly install it in any direction and use the built-in buttons to ensure its safety. To give you more peace of mind, the 1/4"-20 screw of the SnapLock Nano board and the rotation lock knob of the cold shoe mount include a patented screw with a miniature thrust needle roller bearing, so you can firmly fix the board or cold shoe installation Seat in place.
Once your camera is secured, you can rotate and tilt the mount. Damping means you can smoothly adjust the rotation to 360 degrees and the tilt to 180 degrees.
The action camera SnapLock board, which is also specially designed for action cameras, has a ball head that can achieve 360° rotation and 32° tilt, so you can lock it in various positions. The convenient quick release pin function allows you to install/remove the device quickly and easily, and it is also compatible with multiple sports cameras, so more customers will be able to purchase and use the adapter. The square is also compatible with Arca-Swiss and can be used with Arca-type tripod gimbal or PGYTECH Beetle camera holder, so you can shoot hands-free while on the move.
The Beetle camera clip is the last device in our Snaplock System accessories series. You can attach it to your backpack strap or belt to secure your camera when not in use. It is designed to reduce the pressure on your neck because you don't need a camera strap, and it allows you to free your hands to set up a tripod, etc. Basically, when you don't want it, the device provides a solution for quick access to the camera to put it away.
It is very easy to install and lock the camera because there is no knob to twist/fix, instead, you can slide the board in/out by just pressing a button, thus moving smoothly. When installed on the clip, the same button can double as a lock to hold the board in place.
To fix the clip on the shoulder strap or waist belt, you need to lift the small handle, which is very strong and can be lifted with a click. Then you will see that there are 3 steps (PGYTECH calls it gears) to fix different strap thicknesses. The Beetle camera holder can be used with straps with a maximum width of 75 mm, a maximum thickness of 15 mm, and a minimum thickness of 1 mm. On your shoulder/waist belt, you re-secure the lock that you lifted to hold the device in place.
The Beetle Camera Clip can indeed hold the camera/lens very well, but we did take a while to believe it because we are so used to using camera straps. You feel the weight when using a longer lens, and we did find ourselves reaching for the camera at first, but after a while, we did stop doing this. After getting used to the system, we soon discovered that we could easily move around, hands-free, and no camera dangling on the belt. In addition, it is very easy to remove the camera from the clip when needed, because you only need to open the lock, press it down and pull the camera out of the clip. We found that using a backpack strap or belt to secure it is equally safe, but placing the camera horizontally instead of vertically on the strap does help to better distribute the weight.
The clip-compatible SnapLock board can really hold the camera well, and the patented tight-fitting screw is also fully in line with its design purpose.
The prices of accessories in PGYTECH Snaplock System are as follows:
If you don't buy it with the Beetle camera clip or Snaplock board adapter, you will also need a Snaplock board at a price of $14.90.
The prices of all products are quite reasonable, but if you do want to buy multiple boards or adapters, the cost may start to increase soon. These prices also do not take into account customs fees, value-added taxes, duties and taxes that you may have to pay-please check before buying.
Alternative camera clips include the Capture Camera Clip from Peak Design, which costs a little more than £50, while Amazon offers a variety of Arca-swiss quick release boards at varying prices, as well as a variety of board adapters.
For more opinions on photography accessories, please check out our reviews.
All accessories are very easy to use, well made, and can firmly fix your camera, but to make full use of the Snaplock Plate Adapter function, if you have different supports or buy multiple Snaplock Plates, you need to buy multiple adapters. If you have more than one A camera, then you can quickly swap them in and out for use. However, those who only have a camera and support need not worry about this, so they will find that the system does speed up the workflow and makes it very easy to connect/disconnect the camera to support.
Sports camera accessories provide smooth pan and tilt, and Beetle Clip is a useful way to free your hands and make your neck more comfortable when you are not taking pictures.
Thanks to functions such as "one-click installation", these accessories are very simple and quick to use. In addition, the anti-loosening design of the board accessories makes your camera safe and reliable in use.
Overall, PGYTECH Snaplock System offers a variety of practical accessories series, these accessories are compatible with various photography kits, which means that every type of photographer in the series must have a quick release accessory.
Features 4/5 Processing 4.5/5 Performance 4.5/5 Value 4.5/5 Overall evaluation PGYTECH Snaplock system tool series has quick release accessories suitable for various types of photographers.
The PGYTECH Snaplock System tool series has quick release accessories suitable for various types of photographers.
Own this product? Let us know what you think of EQDB.
Support this website by donating, purchasing a Plus membership or shopping with one of our affiliates: Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Amazon CA, eBay UK
You must be a member to post a comment.
ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community on the Internet.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and more.
Send the latest photo news directly to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Visit our contest forum, where you can find our monthly contests and other external contests to participate in.
Search for all the latest photography equipment and services in our dedicated photography catalog.
Calibrate your monitor so that you can see 16 different tones: