Is the MP E worth over the raynox?

geetee50 · Post by **geetee50** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 7:09 am

Artuiculated arms I use cheap chinese ones, that do the job; I can not find them on ebay now but they are like this
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-roto ... r/p1528624

You will find them under friction arm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=f ... osacat=625

or magic arm
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Photography-/ ... =magic+arm

anvancy · Post by **anvancy** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:50 pm

I emailed Berlebach asking whether they do international shipping. Frankly speaking like I said before, with the purchase of the MPE I will be exhausting my entire finances. the forex is not on the friendly side. So I can afford till the Manfrotto 454 but the micrometer is still out of my reach.(as of now). the importance is understood but finances should also match the expectations.

What if just to start off and get a hang of a rail, I buy this? http://www.amazon.com/Macro-Focusing-Sl ... macro+rail

the newport systems can be purchased as I progress in my MPE usage.

Also thinking of picking up the wimberly plamp or other similar solutions.

Anvancy

seta666 · Post by **seta666** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:30 am

anvancy wrote: What if just to start off and get a hang of a rail, I buy this? http://www.amazon.com/Macro-Focusing-Sl ... macro+rail

Like I said before power without control is nothing; I would not use an MP-E in top of that rail.

If you can not afford a micrometer rail (there are more options other than newport) and a propper focusing rail just save the money and buy it when you can

Regards
Javier

geetee50 · Post by **geetee50** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:49 am

The cheap ebay rails will work, i used them along with Combine ZM with success, great for learning the craft but you will be working around the 2x end at best and with extreme care and patients, any movement is very slight, making the numbers on the side pretty pointless! IMO this product is sure to end up in the bin.

A manfrotto 454 will come up on ebay and will be a handy peace of equipment to use in your set up, I think I give around £30 for mine. This guy may post to you.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MANFROTTO-MAC ... 4d03a302a7

Both have a very similar build and do require a certain balance to perform at their best. Although they have a huge amount of travel, keeping the camera weight over the mount produces the best from this design.

Cheap macro rail

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macro-Turning ... 3cc4f24598

anvancy · Post by **anvancy** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:54 am

Ill do that then Javier.

what are the options other than Newport? Are you talking about Kirk?

Anvancy

geetee50 · Post by **geetee50** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:54 am

Like I said before power without control is nothing; I would not use an MP-E in top of that rail.

In all fairness this rail is poor but will do ok in the lower end with slower apertures, granted not a match best advised but if you have nothing else there will be a use for it till something affordable comes along. That said start with the Manfrotto 454 instead, when you have money get a linear stage like the Newport and never look back!

anvancy · Post by **anvancy** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:23 pm

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have the friction arm.kind of heavy for a single hand. I will check the manfrotto since Javier has also suggested a combo to me.

Are there any links/tutorials on how to use a macro rail system?

Anvancy

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:42 pm

anvancy wrote: Are there any links/tutorials on how to use a macro rail system?

I don't know but I thought it worth mentioning that, for suitable, small subjects, you have a choice: to move the lens or to move the subject. The latter may have implications for keeping the lighting constant.

Harold

anvancy · Post by **anvancy** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:47 am

That is understandable. But since both the micro meter and the focus rail are suggested, how will both work?what sits on what?things to be kept in mind while using a rail?

Rik/Javier any help on any articles or links?

Anvancy

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:52 am

I'm not quite sure what's being asked, but probably it's covered in here somewhere:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 5311#55311

--Rik

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:25 pm

Harold Gough wrote:
anvancy wrote:Harold what are your views on this?
Avancy,

I delayed answering while I did a quick test, which I have posted here:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 913#112913

I am looking into stacking supplementary lenses and am concurrently looking at Raynox, the 250 in the first instance.

I have now taken a look at the same situation with my Elamarit non-macro 90mm:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 214#113214

Harold

anvancy · Post by **anvancy** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:27 am

Rik, may be I am not looking into the articles correctly, but majorly the links are showcasing the setups. What I am looking after is, since I will be a newbie entering the focus rail territory, I want to learn how to use it.

Anvancy

geetee50 · Post by **geetee50** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:44 am

That would be down to you to learn it, it depends on your lens for depth of focus and the amount of travel on the rail when you rotate the knob to make it move, if you get blurred lines in your finished stack move the rotation screw/knob less. simples!

If you get the Newport with micrometer then things get easier. I've seen a link sometime back with step sizes for the MPE, I’m sure someone can post that.

It will all make sense in the end guaranteed!

seta666 · Post by **seta666** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:39 am

This is the DOF table I take with me to the field, based on the lefkowitz formula with maybe some conservative values; still I allow 10-20% overlapping between shots

For stacking you will use the micrometer rail, the focus rail is only for fast/ coarse positioning

Regards
Javier

conkar · Post by **conkar** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:23 pm

When I looked at mr Chris Hejnars website I saw that he has developed and now sells a new product named Micrometer adjusting micro rail (325USD). It's a micrometer driven rail and it can be used for focus steps.

It's not cheap but it's a new product that I not seen before.

http://www.hejnarphotostore.com/index.p ... cts_id=181

Regards,

Conny