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Nodal Slide for DPM2

neilvan

Well-known member
That should work just fine, it barely needs much 'slide' at all. I got the RRS 192 Precision Plus slide package which is overkill but offers up some other possibilities as well.
 

Kirk Candlish

New member
i found the shift was about 27mm for the Dp2
I measured 30mm. I've seen a couple of users post 32mm. A range of 5mm is negligible and you're bound to have useable images anywhere in that range.

So any rail that'll allow you 1" to 1.25" will do the trick.

That sunwayfoto does have the advantage of a spirit level which is not common in very short rails.
 

kuau

Workshop Member
Thanks everyone.
Looks like I am going to save some money and get the Sunway foto rail.

newbie alert..
So this is the first time I am using a nodal plate.
I am using a RRS Pano head. If I use 30mm I assume if I have the slider at 0 right in the center of the Pano head then slide it back 30mm I am good to go?
 

jlm

Workshop Member
how I do it:

center the lens in the clamp on the slide
frame a shot by moving tripod so a near vertical (15') and a far vertical (100') align and are in the center of the frame.
pan to one side so the verticals are near an edge. move the slide in the pano clamp until they align.
pano back to center and verify alignment. quite easy with live view

when the camera is set on the lens nodal, you can pan back and forth and the vertials, near and far, will stay aligned
 

Kirk Candlish

New member
Thanks everyone.
Looks like I am going to save some money and get the Sunway foto rail.

newbie alert..
So this is the first time I am using a nodal plate.
I am using a RRS Pano head. If I use 30mm I assume if I have the slider at 0 right in the center of the Pano head then slide it back 30mm I am good to go?
You've got it.
 
Kirk, thanks for that tutorial link - it is well written. Really Right Stuff also has a tutorial on their web site for use with their pano gear.
 

pophoto

New member
Yes, the tutorials posted are essentially it, however, if you are in a rush, depending on the software you use, the outcome can be very different. I use the RRS kit myself.

Ultimately PTGui Pro, I have found to give the best results, and approximate positioning (close but not perfect). This was much better than the results I achieved with Photoshop CS5. Just thought I'd add this in here!
 

Kirk Candlish

New member
It's hard to understand why Adobe has such a poor implementation of pano stitching but that's certainly the case. I've also been using PTGui for the last year and it's definitely worth the investment in my opinion.
 
N

nick

Guest
I would be interested in the vertical arm being offset for the nodal point. Would the value be different between the lenses of the DP1M and DP2M, or are they essentially the same?

Thanks,

Nick
 

jlm

Workshop Member
value will most likely be different, but you have to test to be sure. nodal is a property of the optical construction of the lens
 
N

nick

Guest
So would you offer separate plates for the DP1M and DP2M or is it really only commercially viable to offer it for the DP2M?
 

jlm

Workshop Member
that would have to be the case.

the adjustable slide in the first post looks like a very good option
 
N

nick

Guest
To the OP (and anyone else that might have an answer!) - the nodal slide you linked to in the original post - since the DP2M lens sits on the left end of the camera, and since this end is the end with the "L" bracket to attach the camera in vertical orientation, will the end of the slide not be in the bottom of the photo since the lens is so close to the slide? Or is the angle such that it is out of view?

Just curious as despite this being the shortest nodal rail, I am wondering whether it might be too long. If that is the case, a multi-purpose rail (Multi-Purpose Rails DPG-210 - Products - Sunwayphoto-a superior photography accessories manufacturer in Shenzhen China) and a bi-directional clamp (Bidirectional Clamp DDB-53 - Products - Sunwayphoto-a superior photography accessories manufacturer in Shenzhen China) may be the required set-up.

Thanks

Nick
 
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