Camera Labs

I’m getting interested in macro photography, and am really enjoying my little extension tube. As recommended a few months ago, I did buy the Arca Swiss Z1 ballhead, so obviously I’ll be looking for all Arca-compatible products.

Since I’m mostly playing around with this, I’m not interested in spending several hundred dollars on an expensive macro-rail. As a gift, I’m going to be getting a Kirk Universal L bracket, which comes with a 3” quick release clamp. I remember reading of people taking a really long Arca plate and adding a quick release clamp to make their own macro rail. I figure I could move the quick release mechanism over onto a long plate to make my own macro rail on the cheap. (I see no-name brand 6.6”/169mm plates for $35.)

I was also looking at the very affordable Jobu Design SF-CP1 Surefoot Clamp Plate, but it looks like there is no way to connect something going the other direction. What I mean is that the camera orientation with a long lens+ tripod collar is 90 degrees from the camera orientation with just the camera plate... and I don’t see anything with the Jobu that moves to let the user change this. I don’t see a lot of reviews of the product itself. Everything seems to just restate the manufacturer’s specs.

It seems like the disadvantage of both the DIY and the cheap Jobu would be that I would have to loosen the long plate to fine-tune the focus, and with a heavy set-up that might be difficult. What are the other drawbacks that I might be missing? Does it sound like either the DIY or the Jobu would be a workable solution?

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Still nursing along my Canon XTi/400D with EF 100-400L IS, EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, EF 50 f/1.4, EF-S 18-200, EF 75-300, EF-S 18-55.