Macro gear ?
Does anyone use focusing rails? If so, any recommendations? Also any recommendations on a good tripod and head? I have a Canon 1D-Mark IV and a Canon 100mm macro lens. Mostly I use an old small tripod with legs that do not spread to the ground and a ball head that drives me crazy.
A few standard basic recommendations - none are cheap ...
The Gitzo carbon fiber tripods are at the top of the class. A medium size one like the 3530 is probably the best all around. I think that's the one Art Morris uses. I forgot the exact model number, but look at his recommendations, and that's the one.Originally Posted by Nancy Bell
I've heard that the new RRS tripods are great also. Neither of these are inexpensive, but once you get one, you're glad you did, because they make tripod use more of a pleasure because they work well. They both go all the way down to the ground, for low shots and close-ups. This is absolutely necessary. Having a really good tripod is as important as your camera and your lens.
A few photographers swear by the Manfrotto tripods, but I have not liked them very much, personally.
There are several good ball heads. The RRS heads are highly recommended by most professional photographers, seconded by the Kirk ball heads. I have a large RRS and have used a Kirk for years, but am now using a Markins ballhead, another very high quality product, a little smaller than the other two. I think Art recommends the Giottos, which is even smaller, but I'm sure that if he recommends it, it must be pretty good.
Of course, if you're not already equipped with them, all your lenses and bodies will have to have quick-release plates attached to them to facilitate fast mounting and unmounting on the tripod head. If you're not familiar with all this, it may seem like a lot to get into, but it works better than any other system and are well worth the time, money, and effort to get it all set up.
I'm sure there are a few more good products and I'm sure they will be mentioned in further posts, but you can't go wrong with these. They are the gold standards of tripods and ball heads.
The RRS focusing rail is probably the best there is, maybe the most expensive, too. The design can be difficult to work with if you are using a long macro lens with a tripod collar. They are designed to hold the camera body, not the lens, but they also sell an adapter for long lens use.
I think the Novoflex products from Germany are well made, but I've never used them and I'm not sure how easy they are to use with Arca-Swiss quick release plates.
I'm not sure about the Kirk focus rail. It looks like a good design, but I don't think it's as well made, as precise, and as solid as the RRS. If anybody out there has one and thinks otherwise, please speak up.
That should get you started. Just go ahead and empty out your bank account now, because you'll spend a few bucks getting all this tripod stuff set up, but a few years from now, you'll still be using state of the art equipment that lasts many, many years and is a joy to use.
One more recommended macro rail type of product
RRS makes a very handy product called the 192 Precision Plus Package. It is a sliding rail (a long dovetail, about 7 or 8 inches long, that slides in your tripod head clamp) with a sliding clamp on top of it. The clamp can be oriented for a camera body or a lens with a tripod collar. It costs a bit less than most of the high quality macro rails and basically does the same thing, just not as precisely perfect. I find that it works great most of the time, and relieves you of having to move the tripod to get a few inches further away or closer to your subject, but if you need very fine adjustment, the focusing rail is better for that.
This rail can also be helpful for setting the nodal point of a lens when making multiple shot landscape panoramas.
Last edited by Jim Cash; 07-08-2011 at 11:29 PM.
Macro set up
Hi
The RRS focusing rail is truly well made and works well. I think you only need it for greater than 1:1 magnifications and/or focus stacking. For the latter you may want to look at Stackshot. There are many others even home made ones. I have not used the Novoflex but I have seen some good reports. You may want to look at the Hejnar photo ebay site. He makes a focusing rail that is slightly cheaper than the RRS. I have some lens plates from him and they were as good as the top guys.
Most people would use a three way head instead of a ball head on the tripod. The Manfrotto 405/410 which I have is the most commonly used one. You have to buy a separate plate from Kirk or Hejnar to use Arca plates with this head. I use both, i.e. a ball head and a three way at different times. Any Small ball head would do. RRS, Kirk, etc
The Induro company makes a nice tripod with an adjustable center pole The CX 214, the cost is reasonable. Gitzo makes one too it is better but more expensive. I have the metal Gitzo, buy the carbon fibre one. Benro makes a good one but many have lost their camera from poor handling with it.
Tony
Chris Henjar makes a number of fine products for camera and lens support. Here is a link to his macro rail.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Macro-rail-A...item35b34d8959
Jim
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