Another tripod question

I have a Gitzo 3541LS that I recently purchased with a RRS BH-55 ballhead. I love both as they are the best I have ever used. The only problem is with macro. I have been trying to do macro, but it is very tedious to make small leg adjustments and the camera body gets stuck behind the spider (when camera is vertical) if the plate is not level. I have tried handholding the camera at a high ISO, the results were poor as my hands are not very steady and the noise is high at high ISO (I use canon 30D). Because it is a systematic tripod, I thought I could remove the top plate and replace it with one that has a center column. I was looking at Gitzo website and I see that there is a center column made for series 3 tripods (GS3511KB). I didn't see any top plate that can accommodate a center column. The website and the manual do not offer much info about making the tripod versatile. Does anyone have any experience with this? I would use the center column only on days I am doing macro work, and remove it and replace it with original plate while using long lenses. I can not afford to buy another tripod/head combination for macro.

I would appreciate any suggestions on this.
Thanks
Ravi

Sounds like you need a focusing rail.

Will be tough using the large tripod for macro but the center column might make it easier .. remember you can steepen the angle of the legs for going up rather than lengthening the legs !! ... also you could do a lot hand holding with the proper shutter speed !!

Hey Ravi,
Given my recent issues with the tripods.....I will refrain from commenting on them:D!!!....but in all seriousness.....what lens are you using for the macro work? Are you using flash? Is most of your work indoors or outside? I hand hold 90% of my macro work. Why???....because I use flash! This is not for everyone.....but learning how to use flash properly will greatly expand your macro horizons. Give me a bit of feedback on my questions and hopefully I will be able to expand on the response.

Thanks Jim and Alfred for your suggestions. I will look into focusing rails. I haven't tried handholding the camera much. A few times I did, I used SS around 1/100 without flash, and the photos were blurry. I have seen Roman's macro work in Macro forum, and I am amazed at the pictures.

I use Canon 30D with 100 mm macro (non-IS). All the macro work I have done has been outside. With long winters in Wisconsin in mind, I am contemplating on setting up a small studio for flower macro at home. I have rarely used flash for macro in the past, but have a Canon 430Ex flash. I have used reflectors whenever I had someone to help. If my money is better spent on buying either a ring flash or the dual flash set up rather than fixing the tripod problem, I can explore that option too. Roman, what kind of flash set up do you use? I would like to learn how to use flashes for macro. Thanks for your interest in helping me.
Ravi

Hi Ravi,
I use the MT 24 twin lights by Canon. Most of the time....I power them down and use as much ambient/natural light that I can.......especially indoors! Remember....the flash itself will freeeze most motion! When doing natural light or set ups indoors.....I tend to use the flash less.....but use multiple reflectors. Everything from stainless steel pot lids to aluminum foil mounted on matboard.....heck, even foam core works in reflecting light! I think using and controlling flash becomes easier.....we don't waste film experimenting! Try usng the 430 ex with a reflector to bounce light back.....then do one w/o the reflector.......you will see a difference!
Hope this helps a bit!

Thanks Roman for your response. I haven't had a chance to take any pictures yet, but will do some photography this weekend. With my 430 EX, can I get good results while mounting it on top of the camera? Or do I need a bracket? Seems like I can do some of the things you mentioned in your post. In the long run, I will save up some money for the Canon Twin lite.
Thanks again.
Ravi

Hey Ravi,
It works best when you use it off shoe....with a cord hand held.....but not always practical. The brackets can be pretty expensive so if you are set up on the tripod....use the 10seconds timer and then you can HH the flash off camera. On camera works pretty good for flowers....use same 10 second timer and lets you positon the reflector.....although not so easy with insects/forgiving with insects.
If you have a older, 2nd flash....Ikelite and others make a slave unit that you can mount a flash on......and it will trigger as a slave. Stand lets you position the flash wherever you want......very effective for water drop and hummingbird photogrpahy too!

I bought a column for my Gitzo tripod from RRS. it came with a replaceable ring so by I can convert from having a column to not having one depending on the situation