Falcam F38 Quick Release System: Does It Truly Speed Up a Hybrid Workflow?

As every professional photographer knows, taking pictures can be quite a physically demanding task. This is especially true for those who rely on hybrid workflows, which can involve carrying heavy camera gear around and switching between mounts, tripods, and handheld photography on the fly.

Every transition demands a certain amount of time and effort simply to reposition your camera where it needs to be. But what if there was a much simpler and faster way to make those changes?

That’s where the Falcam F38 Quick Release System comes into play.

I heard about this system through some travel and event photographer friends, who almost universally praised its convenience and ease of use. So, I had to give it a try for myself.

Read on to find out exactly what it is, how it works, and the unique benefits it brings, along with a couple of caveats, too.

The Rise of Hybrid Workflows

Before I introduce and explain the Falcam F38 Quick Release System, it’s important to understand why there’s such a growing need for a product like this.

The modern photography landscape is quite different from how it was just a few decades ago. It’s not just that camera technology is much more advanced, but photographers have become more creative, and clients have become more demanding in many ways, as well.

This, in turn, has led to the rise of so-called hybrid workflows, which essentially involve the use of different capture methods and hardware, rather than relying on just one system or approach.

Hybrid photographers might use a tripod one moment, for example, and a camera cage the next. They might also carry two or more cameras around to switch between for different types of shots, and regularly transition between handheld and mounted photography to suit the situation.

This style of photography allows photographers to capture more diverse selections of pictures to please their clients and deepen their portfolios. It’s also well-suited for the likes of wedding, event, and nature photography, but it’s not always the easiest way to operate.

The Challenges of Working This Way

Some of the difficulties involved with a hybrid approach include:

• Accessory Overload: Event and travel photographers often find themselves forced to carry around a diverse array of mounts, gimbals, and other accessories, plus the cameras themselves.
• Wasted Time: Even something as simple as attaching or removing your camera to and from a tripod takes time, robbing you of precious seconds that could be better spent taking pictures.
• Physically Draining: It can also be quite physically taxing to have to repeatedly screw cameras onto mounts or remove them when you want to transition to a different approach.
• Compatibility Issues: Not all cameras and photography accessories are made the same way, and you may encounter issues when trying to use certain cameras with certain mounts.
• Wear and Tear: While many mounts and accessories are well made, they will inevitably wear down over time as you use them and can be quite expensive to replace.

Introducing the Falcam F38 Quick Release System

Now you know the problems, let’s talk about the solution.

The Falcam F38 is a push-and-click camera quick-release system designed by Ulanzi. Fully compatible with many Arca Swiss-type tripod heads, baseplates, and mounts, it lets you snap your camera into position and release it with a simple button press, rather than repeatedly tightening or loosening a conventional quick-release clamp or screw mount.

Ulanzi offers F38 products to fit a wide range of photography accessories, from tripods to backpack straps, shoulder straps, gimbals, and camera cages. They’re all aimed at making photographers’ lives easier, saving them time and helping them carry and set up their equipment more conveniently.

The Benefits for Photographers

The Falcam F38 Quick Release System can benefit almost any photographer, but is notably useful for streamlining a hybrid shooting routine. Here are some of the many advantages I feel that this piece of hardware brings:

Far Faster Transitions

One of the most obvious benefits of the Falcam F38 is the fact that it can dramatically speed up your transitions when moving your camera onto or off a mount of some sort.

Whether you’re switching from a gimbal to a monopod or shoulder strap, the F38 lets you complete the process in just a couple of seconds.

This is invaluable for the likes of wedding and event photographers who often have to transition between handheld and mounted photography numerous times during any given shoot.

Eases the Physical Burden on Photographers

Mounting a camera to a tripod usually involves lining up the base of the camera with the screw on the tripod and screwing it into place. With some mounts, you may even need to use a screwdriver.

It usually takes only a few seconds, but it still involves a reasonable amount of physical effort, and over the course of a lengthy shoot, that adds up.

The beauty of the F38, however, is that it allows you to simply snap your camera in and out of place, wherever you need it. This is much simpler and far less physically demanding.

More Comfortable Carrying

Many photographers get into the habit of carrying their cameras on straps around their necks, or in separate cases, because they don’t want to go through the hassle of attaching them to shoulder or backpack mounts.

This, in turn, may lead to them suffering little bumps and painful back and neck strain over time as their cameras move around while they walk from place to place.

With Falcam F38 plates on your shoulder straps or backpack, you can more easily slot your camera into a comfortable and convenient carrying position as you move around.

An Entire Ecosystem

The F38 Quick Release System isn’t a single product; it’s a whole family of accessories that use the same technology but can attach to different accessories, like straps, cages, and gimbals.

If you’re willing and able to invest fully in this ecosystem and attach F38 plates to all of your cameras, your workflows will undoubtedly begin to flow more smoothly and fluidly.

Excellent Compatibility

As mentioned earlier, Falcam F38 plates are compatible with most Arca-Swiss-style tripod heads and clamps, although compatibility depends on the manufacturers.

Thanks to this, you shouldn’t have too much trouble integrating F38 Quick Release System technology into your existing camera kit.

Secure Locking

It can feel a little strange at first if you’re used to screwing your camera into mounts and monopods, to simply slide it into place. It may even feel as though the connection isn’t quite as secure and reliable.

However, having used F38 plates for quite some time now, I can confirm that they’re just as secure as conventional mounting methods; there’s zero risk of your camera coming loose or falling off.

Strong Build Quality

Ulanzi, the manufacturer of the Falcam F38 Quick Release System, certainly hasn’t cut any corners when it comes to materials or build quality of these products.

Each plate is made of strong aluminum alloy and steel to ensure that it lasts for years of use, so you won’t need to worry about these products falling apart and letting you down.

Less Wear and Tear on Threads and Mounts

When I used to rely on traditional screw mounts, I noticed that the threads on the bottom of some of my cameras started to wear down and look a little rough around the edges over time.

With a system like this, however, that’s not a problem. Since you snap your camera into place, instead of screwing it, there’s no real risk of threads getting worn.

Revenue Potential

Lastly, it’s worth noting that using the F38 Quick Release System may help you increase your revenue from paid photography jobs and capture even more wonderful photos to impress your clients.

This boils down to the fact that you’ll spend less time and energy transitioning between mounts, meaning that you’ll have more freedom to take additional pictures during a typical shoot.

The Limitations of This Technology

As you can see, there’s much that I love about the Falcam F38 Quick Release System. At the same time, I can acknowledge that this product isn’t perfect. While the pros outweigh the cons, in my opinion, there are still a couple of key caveats and limitations that prospective users need to be aware of, including:

You’ll Need Multiple Plates for Best Results

If you want to make the most of the Falcam F38 Quick Release System, then a single plate won’t suffice. It likely won’t be enough to make a truly noticeable difference to your workflows.

Instead, you’ll probably need to invest in several F38 products: one for each of your cameras and tripod-mounted lenses, as well as additional mounts for your backpack, etc.

Not Universally Compatible

Even though the F38 was designed with compatibility in mind, that doesn’t mean it will work equally well on every camera, lens, and mount.

I personally ran into one or two issues when trying to fit these products to some of my hardware. I’ve also read complaints about how the quick-release plates can make cameras more awkward to hold.

Costs Can Quickly Add Up

Since you may need to purchase multiple plates and may even need to replace some of your existing mounts and accessories to function flawlessly with the F38, this system can be quite a big investment.

Each plate doesn’t cost too much on its own, but when you need to buy several of them, the bill can quickly add up. This is something to bear in mind, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Examples of Falcam F38 Quick Release Products

As mentioned earlier, while they all use the same core technology, there are different F38 Quick Release System products you can buy to flesh out your photography kit. Here are just a few examples.

Shoulder Strap Mount

As the name implies, this F38 mount is designed to attach to your camera’s shoulder strap. It allows you to easily slide and snap your camera into place for easy, comfortable carrying, then remove it as and when you need to, all in just a few seconds.

Like other F38 products, this shoulder strap mount is well-made from strong and sturdy metals, with a helpful one-piece rubber base pad that helps to increase friction and provide a more stable, secure mount.

Multi-Hole Quick Release Kit

The F38 Multi-Hole Camera Quick Release Plate Kit is the all-rounder of the F38 family. Featuring a 1/4″ to 3/8″ screw thread, it’s designed to easily attach to almost any modern camera from brands like Sony and Canon, and once it’s in place, it stays there.

You’ll then be able to quickly and comfortably slide your camera onto various compatible accessories, like tripods and cages, in no time.

F38 Travel Tripod

This product costs significantly more than a regular F38 baseplate kit. However, it may be of interest to those who want to invest in a new tripod, as well as those who are keen on travel and nature photography and videography.

It’s a travel tripod with a built-in F38 system on top, ready and waiting for you to slide your camera into place. Surprisingly lightweight but sturdy enough to support up to three kilograms of weight, this tripod has a bowl base for one-step leveling and a locking structure design for portability.

The Final Word on Falcam F38 Quick Release Technology

Overall, while there are a couple of downsides to this technology, I can still strongly recommend the Falcam F38 Quick Release System to almost anyone serious about their photography, and especially to those who rely on hybrid workflows, like event and wedding photographers.

It’s such a simple piece of hardware, but it can make a significant difference to your day-to-day photoshoots. It can save you seconds on each transition, adding up to hours with long-term use, while also giving you more freedom to take photos, rather than getting bogged down with tedious manual tasks.

Even though it may cost a little to buy the plates you need, I still feel this is one of the best value investments you can make today; one that will pay you back tenfold in your future photography sessions for literally years to come.