Say Hello to Leofoto's New and Improved AM-5 and AM-6 Magic Arm Kits
When it comes to mounting anything anywhere, magic arms are the solution to almost any problem. These nifty gadgets feature two arms connected by an elbow hinge, with two ball-joints at the tip, all locked by a single lever on the elbow. The combination of the elbow and two balls allows virtually any orientation and position.
Heavy Duty, Designed for Cine Industry - The AM-5 and AM-6 are Leofoto's heavy duty magic arms, designed for the daily wear and tear of the cinema industry. The entire arm is made from machined aircraft-grade aluminium and stainless steel. The only exception is some rubber seals and padding. These arms can comfortably handle loads of 1.5-3kg, depending on the leverage exerted by the orientation.
They are ideal for mounting monitors, light panels or tablets. They can also be used in conjunction with a clamp or suction-cup to mount cameras or lights to absolutely anything from a balcony rail to a mountain bike or a vehicle. We are always surprised by what people get up to with magic arms, so we won't try to prescribe specific uses to you.
Connections Kit - The kit version comes with Leofoto's proprietary 3/8" connections installed, but also includes one of the new 1/4" connections described below, as well as one standard 1/4" connection.
This is one of the key areas of improvement over the older models. The new 1/4" tip has 3 key features that allows it to be locked on incredibly firmly. 1) It has a large flat contact area with a rubber grip pad - this is absolutely crucial to prevent wiggling and flex at the joint. 2) It has a large knurled locking dial, which allows a firm lock by hand. 3) When hands aren't strong enough, the locking dial has holes that allow the insertion of an allen key, which gives a ton of leverage and allows the arm to be locked as if it was welded into the port.
Standard Magic Arms vs Kit Magic Arms
The Kit version has Leofoto's proprietary 3/8" connections. It also includes one of the new 1/4" connections with locking dial and one standard 1/4" connection. The kit version does not feature the cold shoe connection.
The main lock at the elbow features a large ergonomic control, which makes it easy to apply a lot of locking force to the arm.
These accessories can get very complicated very quickly - if you have any doubts about the right tool for your job, don't hesitate to get in touch with us for help.
More about Leofoto's Magic Arms
Leofoto's magic arms offer endless mounting solutions for accessories and come in a massive range of sizes. The arms are split into 3 different size categories as below, with each offering different lengths and amount of joints.
- AM-1 & AM-2
The AM-1/2 series is small, compact and lightweight, features 1/4" screw tips and we would not recommend mounting anything heavier than 500g using these.
- AM-3/4
The AM-3/4 arms are larger and stronger and can handle loads of up to 500-1000g, depending on balance and positioning. The standard version has a 1/4" screw thread tip, while the kit version of these have a larger 3/8" tip and a special mounting head with stabilising bevels that correspond with a female port found on Summit tripods and some of Leofoto's clamps and accessories.
- AM-5/6
The AM-5/6 arms (released Dec 2022) are a heavy duty upgrade of the smaller arms previously available. We recommend these for use in the cine industry, to mount monitors, lights mics etc.
The kit version features tips with Leofoto's super solid proprietary accessory connection system found on the Apex of Summit tripods as well as many clamps and other accessories. The kit includes two 1/4" replacement tips - one standard and one of the new style 1/4" tips with the independent locking control.
- AM-7
The AM-7 kit was developed on our request for the South African PRS and ELR market. This allows the simplest possible mounting combination of a spotting scope and Kestrel on a tripod without requiring multiple tripods or any special rail. Simply mount your scope on the tripod head, while the magic arm accepts the Kestrel on the rotating vane. The length of the AM-7 ensures that the Kestrel sits well above the scope, so that the scope does not influence the wind measurement. Mounting the kestrel leaves you free to focus on the rest - you don't have to constantly pick it up and take a measurement as the wind changes.
Leofoto also developed the CF-7P universal spirit-level to be combined with this to ensure that the kestrel's vane sits perfectly level so it can swivel easily in a light breeze for the most accurate possible reading.
The AM-7 can be used for any application - as with the AM-3 and AM-4, the special 3/8" mounting points can be replaced with a standard 1/4" tip.