Help on positioning equipment

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

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Jim McLeod
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Location: Nacogdoches, Texas

Help on positioning equipment

Post by Jim McLeod »

Hello, I am setting up my horizontal rig for macro shooting. I have read most listings on positioning devises and noticed the following positioning table. I am on a extremely scimpy budget and have wondered if anyone has anything really negative to say about using the Proxxon Table at the following site.

http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-27100-Mic ... 650&sr=8-1

My approach is to focus the camera and then manually manipulate the subject and finally do focus stacking. Granted I may not get to be expert like most of you, but will be happy with some fairly good results for an old 72 year old guy with a hobby. :lol:

Thanks
Jim

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

Perfectly good table - lots of people use them. I've got one !

Andrew

Jim McLeod
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Location: Nacogdoches, Texas

Post by Jim McLeod »

thank you very much, that's all I needed to know.
Jim :)

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

I thought this was one Jim but having found the post, I discover that it's not quite the same, but would still be a relevant pic if you're making something up. A Chinese version of the x-y rail used for the subject, is about $50 on ebay.

Jim McLeod
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:33 am
Location: Nacogdoches, Texas

Post by Jim McLeod »

Chris
Please repeat, do not quite understand your message. Am just getting old and decrepid. :oops: I already have an x/y chinese focusing rail for finding object and focusing my camera but it does not have enough small incremental movement for very many stacking documents, so wanted this one due it's very small incremental movement

Have already ordered the unit right after getting the first answer from Andrew

Thanks
Jim


Planapo
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Post by Planapo »

Oi! Let's not forget about the thread the Proxxon KT 70 table first got mentioned here aboard, shall we?! :smt028 :) :wink: :

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... ht=proxxon

--Betty

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

I just picked the first three the search pulled up :)

Andrew

ps: did you ever post any pictures of how you installed it ?

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Jim - sorry to be unclear. My thinking was that that pic of Rik's rig showed particularly well, how to get a milling table into operation, without a lot of shiny expensive metal fixtures from the likes of Really Right Stuff.
He sometimes manages to get some half-decent pictures with it!

I pointed out the Chinese X-Y thing as an efficient means of positioning the subject, not for moving it during exposure.

I'm at the metal-bashing stage myself. One idea I had was to fix a length of square aluminium tube to the top of such a table. Say 2 - 3 inches square by 1/4 inch thick. That would be strong enough to have windows cut in its sides for access to fixing screws, or to have holes drilled and tapped into it.


Betty - sorry I didn't realise you were the first to use one.. :oops:

elf
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Post by elf »

ChrisR wrote: I'm at the metal-bashing stage myself. One idea I had was to fix a length of square aluminium tube to the top of such a table. Say 2 - 3 inches square by 1/4 inch thick. That would be strong enough to have windows cut in its sides for access to fixing screws, or to have holes drilled and tapped into it
It has the t-slots built in for attaching things to it. Why would you need to add a less flexible method?

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

See Rik's pic I linked to!
I'd say it's a lot more flexible.
You can screw things directly into it
The milling table could be too short
Bellows/camera can be fixed by a tripod type screw upwards, from inside the square tube, access through the side
You can fix a bar at 90º, upwards, say, on the side of the tube eg for lights
The ally is quite stiff but soft enough to be worked with woodworking tools like a router
You can keep batteries, adapters, & your sandwiches in it....

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

ChrisR wrote:See Rik's pic I linked to!
I can't seem to get my eye on that link in your postings.

But I'm guessing you're talking about this one?
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... .php?t=155

Yeah, that monstrosity has worked out pretty well. I did dismantle the rear-lighting thing at far right because I never used it, and it got in the way of tipping the setup vertical.

--Rik

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Image

Sorry Jim, it's me that's senile, not you!
I didn't realise that the link hadn't got posted :roll: I'm sure I must have done something wrong. But yes, it was exactly the post which Rik has now kindly provided a link for.
Rik has developed the teacher's knack of listening to what a guy means, not just what he says...

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

ChrisR wrote:Rik has developed the teacher's knack of listening to what a guy means, not just what he says...
Well, it's only fair. After all, I ask my students to listen to what I mean, since what I say is sometimes quite different! :lol:

--Rik

PS. Jim, you'll be very happy with that Proxxon table. I suggest just duct-taping things together when you first get it. The motions will be so much better than what you're used to, that you'll get excited and figure out what to do next. Everybody's rig evolves in different ways, and they all end up working fine.

Jim McLeod
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:33 am
Location: Nacogdoches, Texas

Post by Jim McLeod »

Thanks to all. I thought that I had reviewed all the old links to the table, but still don't have a grasp on how the "search" works. Hopefully, I'll figure that out soon. :oops:

What a fine place for a person who doesn't quite know what to ask, can get the right answer. Will let you all see what I get when I get all the pieces in place. Seems like I am always in a wait for a part configuration right now. I've been trying to figure out how to show my toy off. I collect cameras (400+ Brownie's) and believe it or not, I don't have any that can take a picture. :idea: Ah ha, What I am going to do is strap my old 35mm EOS body to the rig and take a shot with the EOS DSLR.

Have a super day and thanks again. :D
Jim McLeod

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