Macro focus rail

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A. Georgiou
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:36 am

Macro focus rail

Post by A. Georgiou »

Hi to all, this is my first post.

I'm new to macro and would like some advice on what macro focus rail to buy.
I own a Arca Swiss ball head and have just placed an order for Sigma 150mm macro lens. I've had a look at three brands, Kirk Enterprises, Novoflex and Really Right Stuff and don't know of any more. I would like a single focus rail that can adjust forward, back and the quick release to rotate 360-180 degrees if possible.

All help is much appreciated.
Aristotle Georgiou
Sydney
Australia

dmillard
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

Hello Aristotle -

I use the Novoflex Castel-L focus rail, in conjunction with with an Arca-Swiss ball head, with a 23 Linhof Technika, a Nikon D200, and (rarely now) a Nikon F4. I've had it for about ten years, and I'm very pleased with it. It operates smoothly, and is compact and light considering its ability to securely lock heavy camera systems. However, the MiniConnect quick release does not automatically align your camera with the translation axis; I use registration marks that I have made on the base of my cameras to accomplish this goal.
Critically aligning long lenses, that have their own tripod mounts, might be more challenging. I haven't used the other focus rails, so I can't compare their performance.

David

P_T
Posts: 461
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:13 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by P_T »

Being a non-user, I would also like to ask, what is the advantage of using macro focusing rail?

For many of my subjects, usually there's barely time to press the shutter button several times before they fly/run away let alone time to set up a tripod+rail. That's why I'm currently saving up for a macro flash, and perhaps a shoulder brace, instead of a focusing rail.

Earlier, I was also thinking about investing in a macro rail as well but it was only for a focus stacking purposes and since I'm using an MP-E lens, seems like the steps simply aren't fine enough.

dmillard
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

P_T wrote:Being a non-user, I would also like to ask, what is the advantage of using macro focusing rail?
It really helps with precise framing and focus of close-up shots of relatively static subjects, like flowers and perching damselflies. For critical applications, a desired magnification ratio can be maintained during focus. The focus rail also helps to position the camera closer to subjects on the ground than could easily be done with the tripod head alone.

A. Georgiou
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:36 am

Post by A. Georgiou »

Thanks David, does the C-L have a quick release thats removable?
Being a non-user, I would also like to ask, what is the advantage of using macro focusing rail?

For many of my subjects, usually there's barely time to press the shutter button several times before they fly/run away let alone time to set up a tripod+rail. That's why I'm currently saving up for a macro flash, and perhaps a shoulder brace, instead of a focusing rail.

Earlier, I was also thinking about investing in a macro rail as well but it was only for a focus stacking purposes and since I'm using an MP-E lens, seems like the steps simply aren't fine enough.
The advantages are so you can finely adjust your focus distance from your subject without moving your tripod. You would only use a focus rail for still subjects like plants/flowers. Anything else you would be wasting your time.
Aristotle Georgiou
Sydney
Australia

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

I have one which I plan to use for small arthropods moving over small distances in a semi-confined situation e.g. a small "arena" with one side open for lens access, the whole thing being indoors.

Mine is the Manfrotto 454 Micrometric Sliding Plate. It has a spring-loaded lever which allows instant movement over up to several cm without having to wind it all that way with the worm screw.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

P_T
Posts: 461
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:13 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by P_T »

Thanks for the reply guys!! I guess I made the right choice in investing on a macro flash instead of focus rail since pretty much all my subjects are flighty little fellas.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Good decision.

I have had my rail for several years and not used it (largely due to family commitments). In the meantime, I have bought two types of ringflash and a second bellows lens, plus twin macro flash set. Of these, the latter has had the most use due to its versatility.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Joseph S. Wisniewski
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:53 pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Post by Joseph S. Wisniewski »

Hi Aristotle. It's only my fourth post here, too...

David is a great and wise man. I too have the Novoflex Castle-L, and it's just leagues beyond the rest.

Avoid the Kirk. I don't know how they thought this thing up, but is a sad joke, not worthy of the Kirk family name. It's a low end Chinese rail (you can get the same rail on eBay for $40, or from Adorama as their house brand for $100 or so) with a Kirk plate and clamp bolted on.

The RRS isn't bad, it's pretty solid, and it has an Arca dovetail milled into the entire lower part of the rail, so your Arca head can just "grab" it anywhere. But the RRS clamp is permanently oriented in the RRS "Really Rong Stuff" orientation, it's "sideways" relative to the plate you put on a long lens like a 150mm macro. I can't stand this sideways stuff, my long lenses have Kirk plates, but my cameras have Markins "bi-directional" plates, they operate in the same orientation as the lenses.

Novoflex now has Castle-L and Castle-Q. Castle-Q has a built in Arca clamp, but it's also in the "really rong" orientation. Castle-L can be in any orientation you want. But, as David mentioned, you can get it "off" of straight, and it can also rotate occasionally.

I "fixed" this. On my Castle-L, I carefully measured four points around the axis of the screw of the Novoflex disconnect, drilled the head, and added pins to two corresponding points in the Markins clamp, so there is no rotation possible when the Novoflex quick release is mounted. You could probably have a local machine shop do this for you, if you're not comfortable with precision drilling...

DaveW
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:29 am
Location: Nottingham, UK

Post by DaveW »

It depends really what you want the rail for? If it is just tripod mounted low magnification macro work the cheapo Chinese rails are quite good enough, and they also do a dual axis one too.

http://www.adorama.com/MCFRS.html

I bought the same unaltered design in the UK over 30 years ago branded "Vintec", so it was not made in China in those days, but probably Japan so only the brand name changes. Obviously some factory somewhere turns them out for "own brand" retailers. As Joseph says you can get the same thing often off EBAY without paying through the nose to have it merely branded with some well known photographic retailers name.

There is nothing wrong with a lot of Chinese made stuff since the major camera manufacturers get some of their equipment made there (Nikon SB600 flashguns for instance). And always remember when it first came in Japanese photographic equipment was condemned in the same derogatory manner compared to German which then ruled the roost, but now virtually all of us use Japanese cameras etc.

The single axis rail seemingly uses the same slide mechanism and obviously comes from the same factory, wherever that now is. I think I also saw one of these used to move the specimen on somebodies stacking set-up (Rik's?)

If it's for higher magnification photostacking you need a much more precise one to move the camera, but I would not have thought anybody would be using a slider on a tripod for other than very low magnification photostacking? For that a more a "bolted down" studio set-up like Rik and Charles Krebs use would be needed surely?

If used in the field I would have thought micro adjustment was usually a bit pointless since you need to be able to move the camera backwards and forwards reasonably quickly since very few subjects in the open stay still enough to micro focus, even the breeze continually moves them? Just as with hand held work where you need generally to leave the lens focusing ring alone and simply rock backwards and forwards to keep the subject in focus.

I would have thought the need for micro focus adjustment would be confined to studio photography in the main? The "cheapo" slide is just as precise as most of the inbuilt slide mechanisms provided on bellows.

DaveW

A. Georgiou
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:36 am

Post by A. Georgiou »

Thank you very much for all the great help with making a decision. I have decided to go with Novoflex cause I like the design and they are well built.

I will be taking alot images of flowers out in the field and would like a diffusion tent that would also act like a shield from the wind.

Could any off you recommend a brand or model name that would be best suited outdoors.
Aristotle Georgiou
Sydney
Australia

dmillard
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

A. Georgiou wrote:Thank you very much for all the great help with making a decision. I have decided to go with Novoflex cause I like the design and they are well built.

I will be taking alot images of flowers out in the field and would like a diffusion tent that would also act like a shield from the wind.

Could any off you recommend a brand or model name that would be best suited outdoors.
Aristotle –

I think you'll be very pleased with the Novoflex rail.

There are some nice Chinese diffusion tents available on eBay, that fold up compactly to be carried in a cloth case. On the downside, these could become box kites in a stiff breeze.

I made my own diffusion tent out of PVC pipe and corners (used for plumbing and landscape irrigation systems), along with a polythelyene (polythene) painter's drop cloth that I cut to size. It was inexpensive, easy to make, sets up and breaks down easily, and the plastic sheet provides some diffusion without blocking too much light. It’s also very durable – I’ve used it for over ten years. If I have a chance, I'll set it up and post an image of it this weekend.

David

dmillard
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Post by dmillard »

Joseph S. Wisniewski wrote:Novoflex now has Castle-L and Castle-Q. Castle-Q has a built in Arca clamp, but it's also in the "really rong" orientation. Castle-L can be in any orientation you want. But, as David mentioned, you can get it "off" of straight, and it can also rotate occasionally.

I "fixed" this. On my Castle-L, I carefully measured four points around the axis of the screw of the Novoflex disconnect, drilled the head, and added pins to two corresponding points in the Markins clamp, so there is no rotation possible when the Novoflex quick release is mounted. You could probably have a local machine shop do this for you, if you're not comfortable with precision drilling...
Thanks Joseph -

It sounds like I need to brush the dust off my Unimat :)

David

g4lab
Posts: 1437
Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 11:07 am

Post by g4lab »

David,
Have you gone as far as trying different polyethylenes or measuring thickness?

I have been playing with various white things to use as diffusers and I feel all of them absorb too much light.

Your polyethylene sounds like a good idea. I am going to try it.
Gene

DaveW
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:29 am
Location: Nottingham, UK

Post by DaveW »

The circular "Hula Hoop" type Lastolite diffusers seem to use white ripstop nylon material, or material similar to that white nylon sheets or handkerchiefs are made of and work pretty well in sunlight. You may get some ideas here for DIY set-ups:-

http://www.creativepro.com/article/digi ... light-tent

http://www.eyefetch.com/tutorial-light-tent-101.aspx

It does not take much ingenuity to modify these principles into making a windbreak/diffuser.

DaveW

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