Tripod/Head for Macro
 

Hi:)

I have just moved to Closeup/macro with the Nikon D70 and my new Sigma 150 lens. I have the Manfrotto 055MF3 tripod and the Head is a 701 RC2. This is a good setup for birding both for my scope and my main birding camera setup which is the D70+ Tamron 200-500, but the head is not very versitile for macro - the bar gets in the way for manual focus and it can't turn into a vertical plane.

Should I buy a new head only (?ball) or a smaller, more managable tripod setup

Recommendations please for a versitile macro tripod/head setup

Cheers

Stuart R

(Admin- Please move to "Equipment" if required)

Stuart: You have some quite demanding lenses, so you will need a decent support.

In my experience a ball head works well for macro photography. But you will need a reasonably large one, and I would guess at least a 30mm ball. I used a Slik 800 Pro ball head for years, and its decent enough, if a bit rough. I don't really like the quick release and I suspect you can find better for the same kind of money. FLM make some nice ball heads that get decent user feed back. See www.SpeedGraphic.com for details. There are also Chinese Benro ball heads that offer remarkable value for money but they seem to get mixed user feedback. You can get them from numerous places including Microglobe and ebay.

Regarding a tripod, I use a Uniloc 1600 and have done so for 8 years. It is a remarkable, well made and versatile tripod. However, this morning the locking handle sheared the threads on the bent bolt, so it is unuseable until I get replacement parts from Uniloc. I used to have a Benbo Trekker, and that failed for the same reason after 18 months. I still recommend the Uniloc 1600 as there is nothing like it and it only weighs 2.4Kg. It is also cheap compared to the alternatives. IMO the Benbo Trekker is too light and mine was not well made (a leg fell off after 1 year, and the handle sheared off 6 months later).

Even with a good support I suspect that you might have problems with vibration with the D70 as it does not have a mirror lock up.

Leif

Hi Leif

Thanks for your reply. I have had another idea on a setup that might allow me to use my existing tripod rather than purchase another. If I purchased a quality ball head, this could be used on the Manfrotto for macro and the other idea is to use a Wimberley "Sidekick" which would fit into the ballhead and allow the mounting of the D70+Tamron 200-500 for bird photography and perhaps also the mounting of my Zeiss scope for bird viewing.
That is. Sidekick off, use ball head+QR plate for the Sigma 150 - Sidekick on for Tamron and scope.
Comments from users of "Sidekick" would be useful
By the way, the link for "Speedgraphic" does not take me to FLM but to a Italian graphic company!

Many thanks

Stuart

Hello Stuart: The web site address is www.SpeedGraphic.co.uk. If you want a head for a large lens, take a look at the Manfrotto gimbal head. There is a review at www.Digiscoped.com. Today I was passing Jessops in London and took a look at a Manfrotto ball head costing about £70. It looked solid enough for a camera and macro lens, and was surprisingly smooth. I suspect it works as well as my expensive head for all but large lenses.

Leif

While the Wimberley gimble head is without doubt a very usefull head, unfortunately it costs an arm and a leg to purchase it at more than £400 and is not much use for close-up work. On the other hand, the Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head is a good buy at less than £70 from Warehouse Express. It's an extremely smooth and rugged head complete with a quick release plate, very good for close-up and more than sturdy enough to support a long lens setup. Details at the following web address.
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/cache/offonce/pid/2306?

nirofo.

Hi nirofo

Many thanks for the information. The 488RC2 was a head I was seriously considering and I am sure it would be most useful for closeup work. The Wimberley mount which looked interesting was the "Sidekick" (http://www.tripodhead.com/products/sidekick-main.cfm) not the full, and as you say, very expensive Wimberley head. I have asked Wimberley by email if the 488RC2 and the Sidekick are compatable. If so, it could be most useful for both macro (Sidekick off) and bird photography/viewing (Sidekick on with lens or scope). Thanks again

Stuart R

That's the head I saw in Jessops. It looks very good, and much better than my old Slik 800. Leif

The sidekick is compatible with the ‘Arca-Swiss’ style quick-release adapter, e.g. the Arca-Swiss B1 or the Kirk BH-1. I’m not familiar with the Manfrotto range, so I can’t comment. I remember ringing Warehouse Express and asking a salesperson if the Sidekick was suitable for my previous Gitzo ball-head and she said it was. It wasn’t.

I have the sidekick and have used it two or three times on my Kirk BH-1 (I shoot birds only), but I've gone back to using my ball-head on its own. Unless I’m doing something wrong with the Sidekick, the problem comes when panning. If the tripod is not on absolutely level ground (or if the legs aren’t adjusted to take account of ground that isn’t level), when I pan the lens rotates about its axis, so I’m taking pictures at 45 degrees! (exaggerating slightly perhaps). It’s a similar effect to using a 3-way head, except you haven’t got the adjustment in each plane. I would imagine it’s the same with the Gimbal head? If the lens collar allows for easy rotation of the lens while still remaining secure, it would solve the problem, but it doesn’t on my 400mm f5.6.

These are not issues with a ball-head, of course, as the ball can be moved in all three planes with one adjustment.

If you purchase the Sidekick to fit onto the Manfrotto ball head, it's going to cost you an extra arm and a leg for the quick release attachments for fitting to the lens and to the ball head. Don't think plates are available for the Tamron 200-500.

nirofo.

I have the The 488RC2 and the 322RC2, for macro work I much prefer the 322. I use this head with my Canon 10D and either the Canon 100mm macro lens or my Sigma 180mm usually with the Canon twinlight macro flash.

You can see the set-up here http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...?t=111&page=11
See post 101