Focusing rail for macro work

[480sparky]

Next step: Focus stacking.

And a geared tripod head.

... live view is pretty much worthless, i really had to do it from the viewfinder..........

Tethering with LiveView on a computer is the only way to fly!

 

[Buckster]

Next step: Focus stacking.

And a geared tripod head.

Agreed. I never would have guessed when I got my geared tripod head for macro work that I would eventually use it almost exclusively when shooting anything in the studio from a tripod, including portraits, but that's where I'm at these days. My ball heads are almost exclusively used outdoors now.

 

[petrochemist]

For focus stacking I have Zerene Stacker. Now I need a focus rail like this as I have just manually run the lens through the range.

The other great stand alone package is CombineZM (& it's later version CombineZP) both free & intended for microscopy but equally at home in macro. I prefer the name of the earlier version as it reads as 'combines them' an accurate description of it's role.

 

[pixmedic]

You can kinda see it in the pictures, but I'm already using a geared head. The ball head went on the monopod

 

[480sparky]

Looks more like a Manfrotto 804RC2.

Geared......... like the 405 or 410.

 

[Dave442]

Oh yes, a geared head.

 

[pixmedic]

Looks more like a Manfrotto 804RC2.

Geared......... like the 405 or 410.

Oooh.
Have to look into that

 

[480sparky]

The 410 is more than adequate for DSLRs. The 405 is more for medium format gear.

 

[Overread]

Geared tripod heads are fantastic for macro. The Manfrotto junior geared head is really all you should need; the other models tend to get more expensive and are more aimed at much heavier setups (although i think they've a few new designs out now).

Basically you can adjust each axis very slowly using the turning nob and there is basically no drop nor shift when you let go of the nob (barring any induced by your hand on the setup if you moved the whole tripod+camera+lens setup). They are a must have for macro and really make it a lot easier.

However because you have to turn a sprung locking screw for each axis to release the nob pressure (ergo to free move) they are all-but useless for fast positioning or action tracking.

Studio - landscape - macro - portraits to an extent - basically anything slow where you want fine controls they are ideal for.

 

[AvianStewardess]

Next step: Focus stacking.

ooooooh I hadn't even thought about that...
maybe next time. have to look up how to do that in PS or LR. probably a PS thing yes?
...

PS can handle a *simple* focus stack but if you get into it more seriously you'll want to look at software dedicated to it. I use Zerene...I believe they have a pretty good trial version, although I jumped into the deep end immediately because I was so frustrated with PS. I've heard Helicon is good, too. Focus stacking can get pretty intense...

 

[Overread]

Combine ZP (Freeware) - Helicon Focus - Zerene Stacker

All 3 and I think a few others are great stacking software options. Each one has different settings and mods and each one works a little differently. Sometimes stacks which fail with one will work with the other; the differences are impossible to shoot-too so its one rare case where owning more than one software option does yield a major real world difference (as opposed to say noise reduction or sharpening where software choice is oft more a matter of preference and where differences are small scale most of the time).