Does anyone use a focus rail with their 67 for macro work? If so, which one and is it adequate? (ie stable, durable, etc.) TIA for any suggestions.

Jim

-- Jim Korczak (korczaks@ptdprolog.net), September 22, 1998

Answers

Jim,

I use a focus rail with my P6x7 and 135 Macro lens often. The one I have is a Slick 2 Axis Macro Focus Adjust, Made in Japan. It is large and heavy duty 2.5 lbs. and I paid $125 used mint. I have never seen another one as heavy duty. It is easily a match for the big 6x7 and works great for copy work also because you can adjust side to side instead of moving your tripod. If you find a source for these let me know because I would like to recomend them to others.

Best Regards, John

-- John Brink (johnbrink@worldnet.att.net), September 24, 1998.

John,

Thanks for the tip. Would that be SLIK as in the tripod company? or a different entity altogether? I will keep an eye out for one.

I have seen advertised a number of "no-name" rails advertised at B&H and Adorama. I dont know if they are suitable or not.

-- Jim Korczak (korczaks@ptdprolog.net), September 25, 1998.

I use a macro focusing rail from Really Right Stuff along with my ARCA-Swiss B1 Quick Release ball head. The RRS macro focusing rail itself has the lower profile of the B1 QR's camera plate. The RRS focusing rail slides through the B1's QR clamp. The RRS rail itself has a female QR, which in turn clamps around the RRS Pentax 67 body plate I have attached to the base of the Pentax 67's body. The entire assembly is just as fast to operate as a dual rail macro focusing system, but is lighter, cheaper, and more rigid. I have my B1 on my Gitzo 341 so I can lower the entire assembly down to within a few inches of ground level. However, it really does require an ARCA-Swiss compatible clamp on your ball head if you do not use an ARCA-Swiss B1.

-- Marc Clarke (marcclarke@unforgettable.com), October 03, 1999.