Suitable tripod heads for minute adjustments and macro rails

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 18:32

What I'm really lacking with my 322RC2 is minute adjustments when shooting macro and I'm getting more and more frustrated with it as the days wear on. Something like the Manfrotto 405 Pro Geared Head would be perfect, but at £230 it's an expensive investment.

So, are any of the non-geared Manfrotto 3-way heads suitable for my needs? I need to be able to swing the camera around freely when I need to but get minute adjustments when required - I've tried playing with the friction wheel on the 322 but it's not giving me any joy.

Now on to macro rails. Does anyone have a set? And if so, does it just screw onto your standard 3/8" screw fitting found on most photo tripods? Any recommended brands?

yak.h'cir · 28 May 2007 at 19:39

Can't comment on the head except to say I want one of those!

I've got the manafrotto rails, I'll have a look when i get home tonight to double check the attachments for you. I connect mine to the little mounting plate (1/4" i think) and then stick that onto the tripod head. I know it comes with both sizes of attachment for the camera and i'm pretty sure it has both fittings as well for the tripod.

It works very well, but without a proper macro tripod head its usefulness is limited.

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 19:45

Manfrotto do rails? Couldn't see any on their website...

Ah, actually it would appear I wasn't looking in the right place as I've just found them in the process of posting this response. You wouldn't happen to be talking about the 454 Micropositioning Sliding Plate, would you?

yak.h'cir · 28 May 2007 at 20:29

Yes thats what i have!

Sorry I just assumed to call it rails because they do the same job as far as I can tell.

This is it in use with my camera (note the worst possible head for macro photography! You just have to loosen it a little bit and the whole thing roles all over the place);

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 20:32

yak.h'cir said:
Yes thats what i have! Sorry I just assumed to call it rails because they do the same job as far as I can tell.

No problem - I'd been searching for rails on the Manfrotto site before I'd even posted and kept drawing a blank. And when you don't know the right name you can't search for the thing you can't find!

That's one hardcore setup, yak.h'cir; is that the MP-E 65mm?

yak.h'cir · 28 May 2007 at 20:45

It is in indeed an MP-E 65mm!

Still getting to grips with it, its a very very very hard lens to use! Well that's probably because i instantly role it out to give 5:1 magnification which gives me a working distance of 41mm and a DOF of .048mm (@f2.8) you can only really use upto f5.6 at this magnifaction because any higher and you see a lot of diffraction softening.

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 20:48

Mmmm, extendable...

Well from what I've seen of your work you've got the skills to use such a piece of kit, so good luck to you. I'd love one myself but the TS-E 90mm is first on my shopping list.

yak.h'cir · 28 May 2007 at 21:12

Thank you, nice of you to say.

Did you have a specific purpose in mind for the TS-E? I'd love to try out the 24mm one, especially on a FF camera.

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 21:19

Indeed I do; product photography, and in particular food photography. I'd like to be getting work in magazines like Waitrose Food Illustrated and I've love to write and photograph my own cookbook.

Here's my latest 'foodie' shot:

I think a T/S lens is somewhat of a dream though as I'm nowhere near getting the best out of my current lens (100mm Macro) and camera. First job is to sort my lighting out and build a light tent/box.

yak.h'cir · 28 May 2007 at 21:30

Dammit that looks good! Did you make the brownie yourself?? I've never actually spoken to anyone who was into product photography, best of luck to you! Lighting is awesome in the picture, it really wouldn't look out of place in any cookbook, well maybe if it was a health food rubbish book. Can't help but feel the writing across the middle is a little off putting though... Was it at the request of a customer?

I might try photographing my microwave pizza later on

glitch · 28 May 2007 at 21:39

Well it's my turn now: thanks for your kind words.

And yes, indeed it was my own work. Cooked, styled and photographed with my own fair hands and I'm very happy at how it turned out; both photographically and gastronomically. The recipe is here if you're interested.

The text is a very basic watermark that I've just added in. I've got into the habit of making sure people don't use my photos without some link back to me, although I doubt anyone would have much use for a very small picture!