NiSi NM-180 Macro Focusing Rail - an in-depth review
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- čas přidán 11. 07. 2024
- NiSi NM-180 Macro Focusing Rail - Show Notes
For more information about this excellent rail, including links to where it can be found for the lowest prices, drop by my website and check out the article - www.allanwallsphotography.com...
If you plan to purchase any of the items discussed or used in this video, and would like to help the channel out when you do so, please consider using one of the links below. As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualified purchases made using some of these links.
The NM-180 can be found right here... amzn.to/2M0ZWSz
So, how come a second NiSi review so soon? Well, NiSi was kind to send me one of their Macro Focus Rails, the NM-180, when they sent over the lenses that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. I started using the rail immediately and, after a ton of focus stacking experimentation, think that this is a piece of gear that should know about. It fills a very important gap in the focus stacking equipment lineup. Despite costing a little less than most of the other manual rails currently on the market, this one can do something none of the others, that I have tested, are capable of. The NM-180 can stack at steps all the way down to 25 microns. That is the kind of step size I would use for stacking with a 10X microscope objective.
For this kind of precision, the only viable option formerly available was to use an automated rail, like the Stackshot. This is the first rail in this modest price range, that can consistently give the kind of short, accurate, reproducible steps needed for high quality extreme macro photography. While the Stackshot would be my weapon of choice for shooting in the 10X range, I recognize that many don’t have access to such an expensive tool, and that is where this rail blows away the competition. As you will see in the video, I made a very tiny modification to the rail, in order to unleash its full potential, but it is mod that should take no more than 2 minutes to make.
There are a few things about the rail that I am not crazy about - the odd legs, and the fold-away handle, but the solution is to just not use them. Other than those issues and the fact that it could use an additional mounting hole on the base, there is a lot to love here. It is a solid, well made, and beautifully engineered device that should probably cost a lot more than it is currently selling for - an amazing $110, last time I checked.
I don’t need another rail - but I am getting one of these. The perfect backup to my automated rail, and a load of fun to use.
A full throated thank you to my Patreon ( / allanwallsphotography ) Supporters and to those supporting my work through donations (www.allanwallsphotography.com.... None of this would be possible without your generosity!
Thanks for watching and I’ll see you again soon!
Allan
Outstanding review! Thank you very much for doing such and in depth analysis.
finally a nice review channel!
my huge respect, thank you
Well done sir..! I enjoy each and every video you produce.
Great review. Thanks for taking the time to review it.
Great review with a no nonsense feel to it. Thanks
Happy New Year, Allan! After viewing this review I ordered one and received it 3 days ago and I"m very impressed so far. Thanks for pushing me over the final obstacles to purchasing this. d:¬{D
Found your review ... it's great! Thank you very much!
Brilliant & informative video as usual Allan.
An exceptionally competent and thorough review, much appreciated. Thank you.
Masterful review! Brillian work, superb channel. Congrats,maestro!!!!!!
Thank you very much for this detailed and well done review. You speak clearly and frankly, and i appreciate it. I am learning a lot watching your videos. I had this rail on my list of things to possibly get, and now I can make an informed decision. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you Lucie! Hope your holiday was a happy one!
Great informative review, especially the details of the degree of movement possible with high precision, and the simple modification to allow the rail to be used down to 25 microns. Can't wait to play with one of these. I clicked your link at Amazon, but I use Amazon Smile so I am not sure I was able to give you credit for the link when I made the purchase. Good job! Keep up the gpod work.
Really one in-depth review about rail and the significance of the minute of minute things, thanks so much for making the video.
Hello Allan, a perfect review of this product, objective and your advice is of a remarkable quality. A big thank you for all this.
Thanks Alain!
Hi Allan. You had me at your intro, which has to be the most inventive I have seen! More seriously, thank you for a fantastic review, which has really helped me decide on a rail.
Incredibly informative review, thank you!
Allan, Thanks so much for this review. I just purchased this rail (in the mail as I write this) and you have made me happy with my choice. I am just starting with Macro and have a 1:1 lens so will practice a lot with that for awhile. Your review was crisp, clear with no bull.. Thanks again.
Amazing review. Just what I needed
Thank you Mr. Walls for the info..and shearing the video.
Thank you sir!
Good in-depth review. Thank you.
Fantastic. Beautifully done.
Hi there and thanks for the review. I enjoyed it very much, loved the humour 😀 and the infos you shared. In fact based on this I ordered one today and I am looking forward to trying it out soon. Thanks once again. Neil
Thanks Neil, I think you are going to be impressed!
You have sold me on this macro rail. The wire/paper clip made the deal. I will be ordering one of these very soon. Have a Merry Christmas and may the future be brighter for all of us.
Thanks, Lee - I'mm with you on that last sentiment!
Thank you Mr. Walls not only for this great review but also for all the content you’ve been putting out, I’ve been following your channel for a while and the amount of knowledge you’re sharing with us all is truly to be commended. Now, about this review in particular, I have been looking at this rail on the internet for a while and was already under the impression it’s one of a kind and unrivaled in terms of cost vs. value. Now your detailed review seals the deal for me, including your critical comments about the legs (I’ve seen some other very positive reviews that failed to mention the shortcomings of that design, even though one can see in those same videos how unstable the rail becomes when used on the legs, but you made a precise assessment of the implications and also of the limited usefulness of the larger rotation lever). So thanks to you I can now go ahead and buy this rail with confidence, specially considering your evaluation of how precise its movement can be. Two thoughts I have in mind about this rail: 1) Have you considered that the four threaded holes for the legs can be used as attachment points with appropriate bolts to secure the rail to a cage? By the way, I’m planning my own cage based mostly on your videos, so thanks for that also; 2) Considering the level of mechanical precision the rail provides... How about using it as the core piece of a DIY motorizad stacking rail? I know from your videos you’re not the biggest fan of such solutions, but perhaps with some ingenuity and a decent stepper motor + Arduino setup it can be done reasonably well with this rail? It could be considerably less expensive than the Stack-shot. :). I look forward to your thoughts on this, and thanks again for generously sharing so much.
Great questions, Ivan. I thought about both of these alternatives. The threaded holes for the legs are too small to rely on for stabilizing the rail - they probably wouldn't break, but they would be very fidgety to access from below the cage. I think the mounting solution is to pick up 2-3 quick-mount clamps in a row then simply clamp the rail in place when I want to use it. I may do a quick follow up video to demonstrate the concept. As for motorizing the rail - I considered this also, however, the very features that make it such an outstanding manual rail, would make it very hard to use as a motor-driven one - specifically, the relative tightness of the lead screw. You really need a very smooth, low resistance lead screw - one with actual bearings, to allow the motor to accelerate and decelerate accurately at all load weights. The lead screw in the NM-180 is moderately high resistance, preventing drift and accidental over-rotation. If you get one, you'll see exactly what I mean.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thank you Mr. Walls for considering both my questions, your answers make total sense. It’d be great if you do get around to making that short video showing how to clamp the rail. Even if the rail cannot be motorized, your ingenious idea of using thin wire to add visual control of steps is simple and brilliant, so I’m still planning to buy this rail to work manually with it. Happy holidays and may 2021 be a better year for us all.
Got one last week and I do agree with you review 100%. Thanks.
Good morning and Happy Holidays. I’m a new subscriber, joined up after seeing your macro cage video. I’ve dabbled in macro and want to get more serious with what I’m doing. Somehow stumbled on your channel and I’m glad I did. Informative, thorough, and easy to understand.
You’ve helped me decide about this focusing rail. I’ve just ordered one (Merry Christmas to me). I like the price and the fact that I’ll be able to focus stack accurately and for a reasonable price.
I would like to see more reviews of stuff you find useful. I’m off to explore your web page and maybe some more videos. Keep up the good work.
gary.
Thanks Gary - glad to have you on board!
Brilliant review.. you sold me on getting one!!
Thank you for your useful review.
That was extremely useful to a beginner like me. Ordered one from the Nisi shop in the Netherlands today.
Thanks Allan, This is an excellent review. It helps me greatly for my beginning macro photo.
My pleasure and good luck with your future macro adventures!
Dr.Allan Walls A happy new year .And Merry X,Mass to you !
Thank you! And the same to you!
Man. Seriously. Thanks for making this video and sharing your findings about this rail and it's accuracy. I wouldn't ever have thought to measure the grooves as a metric for adjusting movement. This is going to be my first manual focus rail. It might even be my only manual focus rail unless I decide to move to automatic focus rails. You got as sub outta me sir.
Allan, Great video, I've been looking to upgrade my focusing rail from a cheap one and I think I'll be going with the this one based on your review and the price. Glad I found your channel. thanks, Clyde
thanks Allan I'm starting with macro photography & I was hoping to get reviews on focusing rails whether I needed it. It was a great detailed review
Outstanding review !
Thanks, Alfredo!
Thank you Alan for your review and I think you have persuaded me, plus you're always full of little pearls of wisdom on the way, so I leave armed with those too! For me macro is being out in nature and I have the good fortune to have just got the Laowa 100mm x2. I have tried some manual focus stacking but even with a lot of practice it is still going to be hit and miss with just the occasional hit, I think. I also have one of those dirt cheap flimsy things you showed but it is useless, with the camera wobbling hugely atop the rail as well as all the other things. So I think this might help me to get a system going where I can go turn click turn click as rapidly as possible whilst the creature remains obligingly still. I hope this post finds you well, and all you do is very much appreciated as always. Philip
I have already ordered one. In fact I had already ordered it before I saw your video. I usually go by reviews and this one had a better rating than some twice the price. So you reinforced my good thoughts about this rail. I actually had the other cheap rail that you used as an example but I threw it away because of frustration and I didn't want to donate it and have some other poor sap go through what I did with it. I really like your humor, and straight talk and I have subscribed. I have dabbled with macro for a few years, but I want to get serious with it. My hope is to do some snowflakes. I have done quite a bit of water drop refraction pictures but there again I want to improve. Don Komarechka is the guy I have paid a lot of attention to and I am super impressed with his art. Thanks much! Tom
Great advice, thank you.
Super review ! Thanks a lot Allan !
Thanks, Thomas!
I have just bought this rail and searched for a good review and practical tips on how to use. Your excellent video does all that in spades, especially at around the 16 minute mark where you describe the # of turns necessary to overlap each shot for stacking. How you did the math is a mystery that I would have spent hours trying to figure out, so thank you! I agree with the "cons" you mention re legs and crank... initially which I thought a good idea, but in short practice I see you're right on.
Great review. Very informative. Thank you.
Allan, I purchased the NISI focusing rail and I want to thank you for the review. You are correct that it is an excellent rail and for the price can't be beat.
I'm using it on a tripod with a macro lens + dcr250 for a 2.5 enlargement and I'm getting wonderful results.
Great review. Just ordered 1instead of the manfrotto 454.
Fab review Allan, next level stuff, really loved the index mark hack which I will definitely try too. Curious to see your finished product once you get your own rail.
Thanks Igor - I will certainly post some shots of the permanent modification!
@@AllanWallsPhotography that would be awesome, looking forward to it!
Very informative review. Thank you.
Thanks, Allan.
Ich finde, BESSER kann ein erklärendes Tutorial nicht sein: ruhig vorgetragen, sorgsam bebildert, mutmachend, von einem echten Fachmann, einfach nur KLASSE: vielen dank fürs Teilen!
Ordered one from B&H. Reasonable price for a quality instrument. Merry Christmas, Allan. Tnx for the review.
Thanks Ernst! Merry Christmas to you also!
Really enjoyed your video....well done and well said
What a great and detailed review of the pluses and minuses of this rail. Thank you. I placed an order for one two days ago based on a couple of very limited reviews and I'm pretty sure that this review will generate a few more sales too. I had already decided the feet were coming off though and will be searching for the superglue and a pin too. Keep up the great videos.
Thanks Jay, you will love this rail!
Thanks Allen. Bought this before i've seen your detailed video. My expectations were not that high, but the suprise was even greater when i unboxed it. The wobbly stuff i will get rid off. Good tip tho that little wire, i'll fix that. In stead of drilling two holes for keeping it from turning any way i won't like. i uses the for holes from the leggs i got rid off. I adjust it to some plywood or something i think that's usefull. I'ts a gem, thanks!
Great review, this has convinced me that I can better invest in a manual focus rail like this one, than in an automated focus rail like the WeMacro, for my modest needs!
Previous manual focus rails that I had looked at online where of the type you mention at the beginning and intuitively I never had a good feel about the accuracy of stepping with those, so I didn't want to spend money on them.
But a rail with screw thread like this NiSi, yes I think I can work with that!
Thank you for your insight.
The legs, eccentric winder, and side facing mount position make this a perfect mini video-slider! Sit it on a wall, hold it down with one hand, wind with the other! Great review, thanks Allan!
The rotating carriage has a fluid bearing, perfect for smooth panning! This is a micro video motion rig.
Thanks Allan, excellent presentation and to the point without the usual waffle. I use Helicon for macro and wondered about using a bellows instead which you also had on the table.
Well, I wouldn't use the bellows instead of a rail. I would mount the bellows on the rail and move it and the camera as one. The bellows is not really designed to be a dynamic device and it is not very precise compared to a good rail. I use Nikon PB-6 bellows on both automated and manual rails.
I followed your advice when you came out with this video and bought this unit and it is A+. I use it both horizontally (as you show it) and mounted onto a camera pole mount that clamps to my table. I can then make those tiny adjustments to my focus plus a could clocks more (so it is focused closer than "in focus) and then do my focus stack with my Nikon Z6II to infinity. PERFECT! Thanks for your great advice!! (so it is focused closer than "in focus) and then do my focus stack with my Nikon Z6II to infinity. PERFECT! Thanks for your great advice!!
By the way, I use the larger knob whenever I need to make large changes to the focus point,
Hi Alan. Just an afterthought. I bought the Nisi Focusing rail after your review. Lovely thanks. Was also in the throes of buying a nodal rail. Low and behold this Nisi Focus rail can be used for that too. Two for the price of one. Keep up the good work. Cheers from sunny South Africa.
It can indeed - the double Arca-Swiss design makes it a very handy gadget!
Thank you for such a great review. This will be my first rail.
Amazon has it for sale at $99, adorama and B&H have it for $89
Good for you! I wish I had a manual rail as nice as this when I got started!
Thanks Allen, I got this after your recommendation. This is a very well built rail. I tried Leofoto MP-150 rail before this, there was lot of Play for that one and that costed me about $150 in India where as this one is only $100. The Leofoto one did not come with a plate. I would say this is the best macro focussing rail in this price point.
Me too - and I have tried them all!
Happy Holidays!
The same to you and yours, Bill! Thanks!
Brilliant, really informative.
Subscribed! Thanks a lot for the wisdom!
This is great news. I get emails from Nisi & have been thinking of getting it. Great tip with the wire for an advancement marker. If your handy enough you could use the threaded holes where the legs mount to mount ie to a base of some sort . Thank you for this video. subscribed.
Hi Ted, I'm waiting for my rail to arrive and my plan is to drill a small hole in the top surface of the frame and epoxy a small "L" shaped piece of spring steel. It really makes all the difference!
You're a class act sir!
I’ve spent a lot more on rails, but to date this is the best one so far.
Hey Allan, Great review. Being a toolmaker from years ago I appreciate all the detail. You really knock the little legs but all I saw were four pre tapped holes to mount it on a macro platform. The split half nut is how all lead screws were done to lessen backlash before ball screws came along and hoped that is what I saw in the pictures before I saw your review. Personally I agree the cute handle is fairly useless and if they had put a graduated dial like any lathe has you would have loved it I think. Thank You.
Thanks Jim - it's always good to hear from a real engineer on these matters. I don't enough about it to explain why something appears to be really well engineered, but as a macro guy, I know when it is! I agree about the legs - I didn't think the holes would take a real screw so I drilled and tapped four M3 holes and mounted mine on a plywood riser. Held up like that, the handle actually becomes useful for repositioning between stacks, I also replaced the indexing pin with a pin epoxied into a 2mm hole in the knob that indexes off an encoder wheel from an old printer - very accurate steps and easy to use. Probably should do a video on it! Thanks for the great comments!
Hi Alan,
Love your channel I did like the DIY fibre lighting being an old theatrical lighting master in Australia it was most interesting.
Thought I'd just drop a quick note to say I'm fairly new to macro and I am enjoying all the playing around with all the variables. I was however disappointed with the majority of manual macro rails on offer namely they're stability to support a BP5 attached to a D850 with a lens so I like you had a play around. I now use a small XY Milling table (you can by them on eBay for around $100.00AUD (they do come as cheap as $45.00AUD). The one I have gives the 1.25mm for a full rotation and I can get that down to 0.125mm if I'm careful.
Just thought Id share this with you.
Thanks for the channel and the tips.
Alan (Yes another one)
Enjoyed it. Thanks.
I've realised i have a good focussing rail. its called a mill table and it has a digital readout that is accurate to 5 microns, 0.005mm. and is unmovable off axis. gona have to adapt it with a photography attachment. love your videos
Hello Allan, very valuable content as always! I have one additional information corresponding with your opinion about Manfrotto 454: in manual of the Manfrotto 454 is information about reducing the play. "If there is play between the base and the plate, rotate the screws (...) to reduce the play". I know it works.
I'm looking forward to the your movie with Nikon plan x10 and NiSi 58mm ;-)
I improved the Manfrotto 454 by adding an extra layer (Focus Gear Ring) to the knob.
Yes, Krzysztof, you are absolutely correct - but my 454 is old now and the friction pin is worn - I plan to replace it and the little bit of wobble will certainly improve - thanks for pointing this out!
Very thorough review ! I almost had a reverse-heart-attack when I looked at the price of this unit. I usually have a normal-heart-attack after viewing the prices of the Novaflex, Arca Swiss and Really Right Stuff units. This NiSi appears to have the same attention to quality and seems to work well . I'm pretty sure the price will go way up after "version 2" comes out.
Hahaha - I am going to be using that "reverse heart attack" idea! Thanks!
I recently started macro photography. I bought the R5 and the Laowo 25mm 2.5-5x lens and have done a few stacks and there seems to be shake. My first rail was the neewer and it was cheap yes! Between the main screw and carriage it plenty of movement….which I can see in the view screen of the camera once the picture is taken. I’m thinkin I need a much more sturdy base and a rail like this one. So I watched your review and without a doubt I just bought one…. Now to fabricate a base that can hold 2 mounting plates. Excited to see what happens…
I have received my rail. Nisi has modified the end screw. It is no longer possible to do your modification to get the very precise adjustment for the 10x magnification. A very useful video.
Thank you.
Great review! Impressively thorough. But I kept waiting for the boudin commercials. 🤣. If by some chance you missed that word, try looking it up in Larousse Gastronomique. Again great review. Wish I needed one of those !!
I live about 100 miles east of true boudin country, but you can find it here with no problem - thanks for the video idea!
Great video I bought the rail upon watching this video
If you fasten a large Swiss arca clamp down onto your macro rig then place the rail in the clamp without feet etc the large knob/ handle will clear the base due to the little extra height of the Swiss arca clamp 👍
Great video thanks. I have ordered one from Nisi and think that a more secure base could be made using a spare Arca-Swiss mount. I'll wait until it arrives before playing.
Thank you for this detailed review. I'm planning on getting a macro rail, in the near future, and I think you've sold me on the NiSi.
I don't think the legs are meant to support the rail when shooting. I think they're meant to give you a way to set the rail down when NOT shooting, while keeping the leadscrew from touching whatever you set the rail on.
Just listening to your intro is all i needed to give you a like!
I came up with a ide on how to use those feet!
1. Measure the feet of the thickest part.
2. Drill a hole in a wood plank, that is deep enough for the widest part of the feet reach down.
3. Then do the same for all 4 holes, and wupti, it does not move.
(Even I with aphantasia could figure it out): D
And I am going to save some money, so I can buy this wonderful rail! - Thank you again for saving my day Allan!
Brilliant! Wait till you see the new NM-180 mark II that I will be reviewing (more feet to deal with!)
Great review. I ordered one based mostly on your review. I do agree with you about the feet. One thing I think you missed (or maybe I did) is that the entire rail is Arca swill comparable. No feet and just drop the entire thing in a Arca Swiss clamp. The bigger knob makes it real easy to turn 1/4, 1/2 and full turns. I really like what you did with the wire. As I move into higher magnification that will really help. Thanks for the review.
Thanks Robert, I am glad you like the rail - I have been really happy with it as well. I think most of the images (the stills) in the video show the rail clamped directly to a tripod thanks to the full length Arca Swiss mounting grooves. Very smart idea. I have had a few people contact me about their rail developing a slight wobble. Mine has been tight as a tick ever since I got it, but I took it apart and discovered a tensioning set screw hidden in a hole on the base of the carriage. It that works loose the carriage does wobble a bit. A 2mm allen wrench is all you need to tighten it back to like new. Just FYI!
@Robert L Lawrence Jr@@AllanWallsPhotography The Nikon D850 has a new automated "focus shift" feature in the camera using AF lenses. This feature is similar to what Canon users have had for years using Magic Lantern firmware - [focus stacking] feature.
Using a "precision" manual focusing rail to do "focus stacking" is rather primitive.
The lenses can auto/manual focus better than any external rail.
Allan, the rotation of the top, and the knob and feet features are most likely there to use this as a table top video slider / panoramic head, allowing both a lens foot ( 90 Deg. perpendicular to camera plate mounting orientation), AND a camera with a 50 or 35 mm lens to be used for photographing still objects, such as a flower, or filming interviews, etc. adding a sliding move to the shot. this is obviously adding to the usefulness of this kit, not just for macro, but as a video tool as well, increasing interest, as it is not just a niche product.( if you want to see a video of what I am trying to describe, look at "Acratech" long lens head/ focusing nodal slide, panoramic head options, shows exactly the use of these features in detail).
Hi Andy - you are, of course, absolutely correct. I should have been clear about that in my review. I was so excited to see just how well it performed as a macro focusing rail, I didn't take the time to make these points - Thanks for bringing this up!
Very useful review, as most of macro shooting practitioners do really care about if the comparatively cheap macro focusing rail plays, drifts, or even disassembles inadvertently. RRS and kirk maybe do certainly better CNC machining jobs on their products. However, the main designs therebetween are not so different so under working circumstances of low mafnification such as 1X-5X peformed by the MPE-65 gear, there might be no much difference between performance of NiSi and RRS/Kirk.
Hi Alan, I just found your channel and was interested in your review of the NiSi rail. You mentioned that you might need to drill another couple of holes as additional attachment points, I realised that as soon as you take off the feet, you already have four attachment points built in, a quick trip to your local hardware for the right screws and it can then be attached to you bespoke base of ply, MDF or metal
I have the very first rail that you show in the video (that you quite nicely panned), and I quite like it. But, I don't use it for focusing, I use it for micro-compositional changes, so that I don't have to move the tripod. Mounted on a lightweight Nikon Z7 the rail handles it quite nicely.
Thanks Robert, your point is well taken and I am getting ready to review the new NM-180mk.II, a significantly improved rail. I actually have two of them and will be using them as an X/Y positioner in the review video!
Hey Allan. Great video. I have been looking for a macro rail to get me started and this looks quite promising. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and yours. As a side note I too love a good Scottish black pudding but my Irish roots drag me back to Clonakilty black pudding. Would be interested in seeing your review.
Clonakilty is up there with best - but my weakness is for peppery Stornaway puddings (with a warm bap, butter, and too much HP Sauce - sublime!). Clonakilty make the best white puddings I've ever tasted, though.
Hi Allan
many thanks for the excellent review.
Kirk has a macro rail called FR-3 in the 300 $ range with more or less the same specifications like the NiSi-rail you reviewed. I guess, the NiSi is more or less a copy of the Kirk. Both of them seem to be made with a high standard to be fair.
One turn on the identical knobs moves the Kirk rail 1 mm in either direction - no play. no lateral movement. I made a bigger Knob from aluminium, which I can screw over the original knobs on either side of the rail and this knob has a scale of 40 increments. That means 0.025 mm from increment to increment. (....so a deep stack takes half an afternoon) What I haven‘t found out is, where the mechanaical limitations of these manual focus rails are, since it would be possible to make the diameter even bigger - for example 100 increments which would produce steps with 0.01 mm. Would be interesting to know someone out there who can tell where the limits of those precision rails are...
Wish you a lucky jump into the new year and keep on!
Walter
Hi Walter - I agree with you that the Kirk rail is a solid and well engineered rail with a very similar feel. I put out another video, several months ago, where I constructed a gear box to drive a Manfrotto rail using 1.0 micron steps - It was pretty accurate, but totally impractical for everyday shooting. I have yet to find a rail that I would completely comfortable with at steps of less that 25 microns - but even if I did, I probably wouldn't use it very often - not with a Stackshot on hand!
Hi Allan
thanks for answering!
I see it the same way, manually movings have their limits. The more you go into bigger magnification the more it gets complicated and one thing leads to the other. Focusing rails to automated stepmotors, Photoshop to helicon or Zerene, macrolenses to microscopylenses and so on. But it´s fascinating.....
My next step is probabilly Helicon Focus before I think about automated stepping.....
The issue with the legs I believe can be less of an issue, if you loosen the knob that is right under the plate; it tightens or loosens the force needed to apply to move the Thumb-screw knob; I tried it and the focusing rail doesn't move at all; mine, also has the little rubber feet under each leg, to make it less slippery. Great review; I'm subscribed to your channel now.
Excellent in depth review, thank you very much. Now how about those Scottish breakfasts? Last time I stayed at the Marriott Hotel out near Edinburgh Airport the Scottish breakfast was superb, but that was before the STEMI ha ha.
You must be talking about the hotel at the roundabout on the way in to the airport? That is my first and last stop every time I visit - the best full Scottish breakfast anywhere. I think of it as exercise for my statins.
I got this rail over others based mostly on this review (plus other positive ones). I’m really loving it for indoor photography I wouldn’t dream of trying to take it outdoors because that’s just too much fussing around for me LOL. The scale on the side does appear to be painted on in my example but I only turn the knobs a set amount each time so it won’t be the end of the world if they rub off in time. I haven’t found any quick stops rotating the camera yet; the mechanism in that regard appears extremely stiff but perhaps some adjusting of the knobs or screws would help? Anyway, great review thank you so much for the recommendation your appreciation of this rail is certainly warranted!
Hi John, I'm glad the rail is working out for you, and I don't think you have to worry about the numbers rubbing off completely. I have been using mine for over a year and a half without any such issue.If you look on the face of the carriage that points back towards the handle of the rail, you will see a small hole. At the bottom of this hole is a 2.5 mm setscrew that tightens the carriage on the rail. A very slight loosening of that setscrew will significantly decrease the resistance to travel of the rail. If it introduces any sideways wobble you have loosened it too much. It is also possible that the screws on the underside of the carriage have been overly tightened and that might be worth checking as well. I have only lubricated the rail one time since I have had it and that was only a very light coating. I wish you continued success with the device for years to come.
Allan Walls Photography Thank you, Allan! Not seen any backlash at all yet, so I’m OK with some tightness so far. This thing is really well made! It does just what I need it to do, and I set the shutter on a two second timer to wait out any vibrations. I turn the larger crank handle 1/4 turn for each exposure, which seems to cover everything pretty well in a 2x macro lens with a Reynox 2.5 😁
With your earlier videos, I was able to build a macro focusing system using bellows and a focusing rail. As for mounting the NiSi Rail, I would think the four threaded leg holes would be used to anchor the rail to plywood.
Hi Dan - I though about that, but they are very small, M2, I think and it will be a task to accurately place the screw holes in the base. See Paul's recommendation (above) - I think that will be the most practical way to do it.
Looks like an upgrade of the MFR-150 and a very good upgrade at that
Agreed!
Doppo aver visto questo tutorial ho comprato una NISI NM-200S che a un sistema di avanzo molto meglio di questa, grazie mille per i suoi video. After watching this tutorial I bought a NISI NM-200S which is a much better advanced system than this one, thanks for your videos.
I've got an idea. What if you attach a longer peace of tube to the nob with the little lever. If this part is sticking out of the table you may have even smaller incremental movement over the distance on this. A little bit like with the clock - the outer parts of the hand of a clock move faster (long distance) and inner slower (smaller distance), so that we have more control over the movement without electronics ;)
Thanks for the review, I was looking for some good focusing rail, and now I might consider this one ;)
Cheers from Australia.
Excellent job. Perhaps, Sir, if you mill a metal plate that incorporates the theads from the screws you removed as well as providing any threading for the mounting option you seek.
Hello Allan,
Thank you for taking the time to make such a helpful in depth review! The Nisi rail seems excellent and you answered most of the questions I had. I noticed you also have a Manfrotto 454. Oddly enough I am debating between those two rails - the Nisi nm-180 and the Manfrotto 454. I plan to use the rail on a tripod out in the field. Additionally, I will be using the rail to support a 4x5 field camera. The heaviest field camera I will be using, with a lens, weighs in around 8.5lbs. I realize that's pretty heavy for a rail with an 11lb weight limit, the manfrotto having a 17lb capacity. What are your thoughts on which rail could better support that type of weight? Being field macro work, the camera will not always be parallel to the ground. Do either of those two rails lock up solid, and if in a downward pointed position, do they confidently bear the weight? Thank you again, and thank you for reading this lengthily comment!
- Kyle
Good Review - Looks Promising.
I cant wait to find out how those NISI close up filters compare to the Nikon and Canon ones...
Hi Roy - I can't speak for the Canon filters, but these NiSi lenses were a lot sharper than either of my Nikons. I feel another video coming on!
@@AllanWallsPhotography Are we talking about the Nikon 0 1 2 3 or the good 4 5 6 close up filters?
@@roybixby6135 Sorry - should have been specific - I have the 5T and 6T. Both are pretty old, not in great shape, and too small for any of the telephoto lenses I would use them on. The 1.5 diopter 5T is a lot sharper than the 2.9 diopter 6T on the lenses I have tried it on. I had a size 2 at one time, a single element thing for starter lenses. Useless. To give you a proper answer I would need to do some side by side testing, which I have not had a chance to do since the NiSi's came out.
"shorter lenses"... not starter lenses
@Allan Walls Photography
*Solution to the nob problems*
First I thank you for your wonderful review and your hacks to go fix the problems. They are great.
That being said, what if you removed the small nob and had a machinist mill some indexing markings and numbers on the end of it.?
Also I was thinking about the cranking nob. That's quite a blunder if that got by quality control. So maybe the cranking nob is for fast adjustments or getting it close, then you use the small nob for fine work.?
I also thought maybe it's for returning your camera back to battery after completing your shot stacks.?
It was just a guess.
I look forward to seeing some of your work, this is the first time I've seen one of of shows and I think it was very helpful.
Thank you and Have a good day.
Nice detailed review. Just a thought - - since those "legs" screw into threaded holes, could you use those holes to table mount the rail
Hi James... good idea, but the screw holes are really tiny so I'm not sure they would give the kind of support I would want. I'll give it a try though.
Does not help when the problem is a rail rocking back and forth when screwed forward. Bought one according to Allan's recommendations, but returned it after a week of testing. Conclusion: Useless.
I received my Novoflex rail and fine focus adapter today Allan. It's about £60 dearer than the Nisi rail but to my mind it's probably worth it. It's heavy and machined from extrusion and anodised. The rack and pinion adjusting mechanism has no backlash whatsoever. There's no verttical or horizontal movement when adjusting the position of the camera at all. The fine adjustment is accurate and has graduated marking allowing 0.25mm movement but you could half that by eye quite easily should you want to. There is a friction based locking system that can hold the camera in position or damp the adjustment knob. My only gripe is the position of the arca swiss locking screw makes it a bit of a pain to tighten the camera plate to the rail. I've not used it in anger yet just tested it's fit, finish and mechanical functionality. Hopefully some macro stacking is on the cards for tomorrow. www.speedgraphic.co.uk/focusing_racks/novoflex_castelq_focusing_rack/8417_p.html
Rack and pinion is fine for coarse positioning or lower magnification. rack and pinion is used on the Canon and Nikon bellows. I use a Canon bellows and the rack to wuickly adjust position and then a hajnar rail for stacking pics. The Novaflex, way overpriced like many, rails, have the knobs to tighten the the Arca-Swiss too close to the rail and have not enough room to grip and tighten the knob. This Nisi unit with the raised carriage makes tightening much easier,