The Quick & The Release (Part 3)

Libec AP-1 Review

I stumbled upon the AP-1 at the Libec booth at NAB in 2011 & with a show special going on for the AP-1, I made sure to have one in my bag for my flight home.


It is a very simple adapter that you can connect any camera with a 1/4" tripod screw to mount the camera to a VCT-14 plate.

There are a bunch of similar competing adapters out there with street prices up to $340:

Libec AP-1 - $83
Varavon ENG Plate Adapter - $115
Genus GAP - $115
("Sony") Pro Tech ST-1 - $145
Triad VPA-14 - $340


I haven't tested out any of the competition, so I can't comment on their build, form or function.  But I will say the AP-1 is extremely well made, solid & sleek.  Coming in at 25% less than the next cheapest adapter, I think the Libec AP-1 is an easy choice.  (And I got mine for even cheaper!  Gotta love NAB specials.)

Nearly the entire top of the AP-1 is covered in soft rubber that does a great job gripping onto the camera.  The 1/4" screw & VHS locater pin can slide a generous 3.25" to accommodate proper balance of your camera if it is a little more front or back heavy.

If you need a 3/8" screw, you should be able to swap the 1/4" screw & VHS pin out.  But I haven't tested this out myself.  (From the product photos, the Varavon looks like it has a 3/8" in addition to the 1/4" screw, possibly in the right spacing now found on the newest of Panasonic cameras like the AF100 or AC160.)

Overall, this is a great, straight forward, adapter that is an easy purchase for anyone looking to mount their camera to a VCT-14 plate.  Look for it at Libec's NAB booth or from your favorite camera retailer.

Full disclosure: I do not work for Libec or any of their associates.  I was not asked, nor compensated to write this review.  However, I did receive some free swag from their booth at NAB: t-shirt, note pad, tiny screw driver set that was confiscated by TSA.  I'm a little bit of a sucker for free swag.