Vertical focusing rail?

[ptakeuchi]

I'm wondering if anybody has seen an arca-swiss compatible tripod head with fine adjustment to the vertical axis? That or something like one of Really Right Stuff's macro focusing rails but in the vertical axis (see image below). I know I could use one of RRS's panorama-type brackets with additional hardware and slide my camera on an L-bracket up and down. But that would not allow me fine adjustments, just like moving the tripod column up and down is a bit coarse. Ideally I'd like to be able to move 2-3 cm up  and down via some kind of thumbscrew so I can perfectly frame my subject (in this case, artwork). Basically what I'm trying to mimic is the fine control one gets from a shift lens on the vertical axis. In a few words, a precision car tire jack for a tripod head. Any ideas?

[tokengirl]

How about maybe a center column with a crank for your tripod?

[vandevanterSH]

I would e-mail or call RRS customer service and discuss your needs.  The RRS parts set is multi-use and versatile.

Steve

[ptakeuchi]

How about maybe a center column with a crank for your tripod?

tokengirl, I've thought about that, but I don't think I can get one for my gitzo carbon fiber tripod and my experience with the geared columns, at least on my giant bogen, is that the column wiggles around and any fine adjustments made on the other axis are lost and have to be redone. So I'd really like more precise control.

I would e-mail or call RRS customer service and discuss your needs.  The RRS parts set is multi-use and versatile.

Steve, in fact I just did that and they are thinking about what might work for me. I'll probably just get a vertical rail and slide the camera up and down manually.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Paul

[wolfnowl]

How about maybe a center column with a crank for your tripod?

Personally I think center columns should be removed from tripods.  Raising the column turns your tripod into a monopod.  My $0.02.

Mike.

[elf]

Use the bottom half of a microscope for the z-axis. 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Basically what I'm trying to mimic is the fine control one gets from a shift lens on the vertical axis.

Why not lift the subject stage, instead of the camera?
http://www.velmex.com/manual_elevating_tables.html

If you need a low budget solution, it shouldn't be too difficult to build a wedge lift or a scissor lift to the size needed.

Cheers,
Bart

[ptakeuchi]

Thanks for all the replies. I've seen people use microscope bottoms to move the subject up and down rather than moving the lens. Unfortunately my subject--artwork--is usually against a wall, so I usually shoot in landscape orientation.

I think I'm most likely going to use a panorama adapter vertical bar and just slide the camera up and down--seems to be the easiest and cheapest reliable solution.

[elf]

One of these can be found on ebay:
http://www.lightglassoptics.com/Newport-280-High-Load-Lab-Jack_p_82.html

[nazdravanul]

http://www.hartblei.de/en/supportstand.htm

See if this helps. Build quality is excellent with everything these guys make.

[franta]

Not sure it would work, as I am not familiar with macro rails. What about a macro rail on a tripod head titled 90 degrees with the camera rotated so it faces forward instead of down ?
An 'L' bracket would maintain portrait orientation. Probably not the most stable of setups.

good luck

[vandevanterSH]

A copy stand such as this example might be your best bet.  If millimeter precision is needed, the RRS rail could be used in  addition to the course adjustments of the copy stand.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/197255-REG/Beseler_4211_02_CS_Digital_Photo_Video_Copy_Stand.html

Steve