Flashpoint Macro Focusing Rail Set, 4 Way, Fine Control, Camera Focusing Rail to Aid in Tripod Mounted Macro Photography.

SKU: MCFRS

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Questions & Answers

LLOYD O : Does anyone have the dimensions of this rail? I'm particularly interested in the height (tripod mounting plane to camera mounting plane.) I'm wanting to modify a Beseler Dual_mode Slide Duplicator to use my AF 105mm/2.8 Nikkor instead of the bellows to get autofocus. The integral bellows height is about 4 and 1/6 inches, so I need something close to or less than this.(I can fab a spacer.)PATRICK M : 3 and 1/8 from tripod mounting plane to camera mounting plane. (I just measured mine)
ALAN K : I like this focus rack a lot but ind it is very awkward to screw the camera to the rail directly. Is there a QR plate that would work between this focus rail and the camera?ROBERT C : Any quick release program you have will attach to the top and bottom of the focus rail. So it can be attached to your tripod and camera as you would attach your camera.STEPHEN B : You'll need both a QR clamp and plate. Many QR clamps accept 1/4" screws in their base and will attach to these rails. I have L-plates on many of my cameras and used either RRS or Kirk QR clamp on this focusing rail. Unfortunately, I felt greater instability with the higher center of gravity once the camera was mounted this way.MATT P : I don't know the answer to that. But I'd guess if there is, it would be more expensive than it's worth. I don't find it very awkward to screw the camera into the rail.FRANCISCO J J : Check with Really Right Stuff. Not cheap, but good productsMERVIN C : Adorama has asked me to answer this question and I realize circumstances must be similar for the answer to be of much value, but here goes anyway. I only use the rail for shooting with the Canon 65mm "true macro" lens, which comes with a mounting ring. I simply leave the lens in the ring, permanently attached to the rail and store/transport it thus. That gives me the option of changing to any SLR in the Canon EF lens family, digital, or film.without removing the lens from the rail. I've found this rail to work quite well and, although this may, or may not be what will work for you I hope you find a reasonable solution. I wish you best of luck,
Ian M : What would I need to mount it on my screw arca clamp that is on my ball head?BRYAN E : Hello Ian, Sorry this is a late answer, but maybe you've already seen that the bottom of the focusing rail has a tripod-sized screw socket just like almost any camera in the world! I use the Manfrotto quick-connect on my cameras, and I mounted a male and a female right on the focusing rail, so it is quickly inserted between a tripod (which also of course has a Manfrotto bracket that stays on it) and the camera. It adds a bit of height and bulk, but I find it quite controllable and useful this way.GEORGE M : If arca ball head plate has a standard 1/4-20 screw that would normally attach to you camera/lens mount, you're good to go. The rail accepts a standard camera mounting thread on its base and has a standard camera mount thread knowb on top that attaches to your camera or len mount. This unit works well; however, consider the total weight of your camera, lens, and rail when mounting the set on you ball head, it can be a measurable amount of wieght to hold motionless if you tripod and ball head are not rather substantial. Recoment your ball head has a weight capacity of at least twice the total weight of your set-up. If you tripod and head can easily handle the weight, considering that the rail extend the camer/len about three inches higher than mounting the camera/lens directly on the ball head adds to the mass force exerted on the ball head. Ian, good photos!STEVE P : Mine came good to go out of the box with my Manfrotto ball head.JEFF K : Save your $ get the FR-2 Kirk rail that Adorama sells.

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2017-01-17T10:40:40

Rated 4 out of 5

An excellent accessory for macro work

An excellent accessory for macro work. The rack and pinion adjustments have essentially no backlash, so adjustment is precise without any fuss. It can be adjusted in two orthogonal directions. Locks for the focusing adjustments work well. Metric scales make adjustment easily repeatable. It has two 1/4inch tripod holes for easy mounting in a variety of situations. It has a large, stable camera platform which helps precision use, but mounting the camera can be a bit fussy for the fumble fingered. Sturdily constructed. A good value even at the relatively high price.

NORMAN W.

2016-11-22T05:20:06

Rated 5 out of 5

I have owned one of these for years, so many I can't remember when I acquired it

I have owned one of these for years, so many I can't remember when I acquired it. My macro photography is evolving and I have recently begun shooting clear, opaque and translucent minerals back light as well as top lit. I must place them on a Logan slide sorting light box for the back light. This requires a vertical setup. The rail finds that setup too heavy to operate properly. I bought a new one thinking my old one had died. It turned out that the new one would not lift it either. so I had to return it. Regards, Larry

LARRY E.

2016-09-27T16:06:45

Rated 5 out of 5

Great product

The macro focusing rail set has opened a new area of photography for me. Focusing and rail movement is excellent and smooth. I am still going through the learning curve but to date have some excellent results. Great product

John C.

2016-05-23T09:45:15

Rated 5 out of 5

Great bang for the buck

I have been shooting macro for years and like to do focus stacking for the best results. I finally decided to spring for a focusing rail and am delighted with the performance of the Flashpoint macro focusing rail. I'm not really sure what benefit I would get from spending lots more money on higher priced models.

WALLACE D.

2016-03-30T15:21:44

Rated 5 out of 5

The missing link

The perfect compliment for my Nikon 105mm macro lens! Should help me unleash it's full potential!

PATRICK M.

2015-05-11T21:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Precise but awkward to handle.

Have only started using. Very fine focusing enabled. Awkward to set up. Heavy and sharp edges to handle. Will suit my purposes for occasional macro work. No regrets.

Peter W.

2014-03-26T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Fantastic Rail

The Adorama Macro Focusing Rail is great. Thanks to Jimmyn who assisted me with getting the Monfrotto tripod adoptor for my tripod. Just had to go from 3/8" to 1/4". The rail is just what I needed to get in closer without having to move the tripod closer especially where there is room to move it.

joyce

2014-03-04T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Exactly what I wanted

I was looking for a rail to help with fine positioning and to experiment with focus stacking. Spending big bucks for a high end rail is total overkill for my needs at this point. This rail is exactly what I was looking for. It is all metal (except knobs), sturdy, doesn't slip, and decent fine grain control. When I opened the box there was a little wobble in the top rail which was concerning until I realize the two rails can be seperated with a standard mount plate screw. Tighting that screw took out all the play. You could possibly disconnect the two rails and use one or the other if you need. With the tension screws tightened I couldn't move the rails by hand with a high amount of force. In use the rail has been rock solid with a Canon 60D and 100mm macro even when at high angles. The weak link in my setup is definitely the tripod and not the rail. With the right tension I was easily able to make fine adjustments to focus stack at 1:1. Mounting the camera is the only tricky part using this rail as the thumb screw for the camera body is in an awkward location. I've found setting the camera upside down on a table makes it far easier to get the screw threaded. The one I recieved is stamped as made in Japan. Pros: - Good value for the price - Solid build - all metal - Good control over positioning - No slipping even when vertical Cons: - Heavy - all metal! - Tall - it adds several inches in height

ROSS B.

2013-06-24T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Adorama Macro Focusing Rail

I'm using this with a Canon 7d with Canon 100L macro lens and a light tent. I'm new to the macro and so far have taken pictures of caterpillars, plant leaves and butterflies. When I magnify the subject in Live View, I can get razor-sharp focusing and positioning with the focusing rail. I haven't been able to do that without the rail. I knew within five minutes of setting it up that purchasing this rail was an excellent decision. I'd give it 4.5 stars if possible. The reason for taking away from 5 stars is because it's not 100 percent smooth in the adjustments and it's hard to get it to not slip with vertical shots. Both of those things are not that hard to deal with. Some have complained that it's hard to get to the knob that holds the camera. I simply removed the little knob that locks the side-to-side rail and had plenty of room to attach the camera. Replacing that little knob only involved screwing it back on. For the reasonable price and benefit gained, I'm very happy with my purchase.

LINDA A.

2013-05-15T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

very helpful for macro

I photograph bugs,rain drops, all kinds of different macro. This really helped with tiny adjustments with out having to move my tripod. Frustration level very much decreased =)

Susan P.

2012-03-02T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Product at a Great Price

Well built macro focusing rail for most photo enthusiasts. Is a great product for a very reasonable price. Works well with macro shots up to around 3x life size, once you go beyond that range (ie 4 to 5 times life size) the gearing not quite fine enough (and you would need to buy a focusing rail that is geometrically more expensive).

pharmer182

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Very well made

Very affordable pice of kit. Well made, and handles the job well. What more can one ask for?

PETER H.

2011-02-21T19:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Decent product

I've only used this macro focusing rail a couple of times in the studio for tight macro shots. It is a little bulky/tall for my liking and I think that contributed to what I observed i.e. once a shot is framed and you tighten the ball head and let go of the camera the focusing rail tends to allow the camera to shift off frame especially noticeable if the camera/lens is at any kind of an angle. In honesty, I did add a QR plate to the bottom and a QR clamp to the top as I found the top and bottom attachments to be a bit cumbersome and these may have contributed some to what I observed. Otherwise my standard set up is a DSLR w/100mm macro lens mounted on a very sturdy and creep-free ball head (yes, I tested). It's not a bad product for the money, but sorry to say that in the configuration in which it was used I found it to be unsuitable for my needs.

Stephen B.

2011-01-21T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

works as described

I bought it to use specifically at home, doing some macro. At first I found very difficult to screw the camera on the rail, so now I reverse the camera, and screw the rail in the camera. And after that I install the whole thing on my ball head.But I suppose this kind of things are personal. I have not used it very much, but did some shots, and it worked fine. I have not tried to do some stacking shots with it, may be the precision won't be good enough for that. But right now I have no complaint about this product.

JACQUELINE B.

2011-01-11T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

NICE-Wright

Macro Photography Stable Need a pouch to hang in yhe belt

mpc

2010-01-09T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Just What I Needed

Nice piece of kit. Took its first test drive at -25C and had no problems. Knobs are big enough to use with gloves on. Mounted a Canon 5DII with 50mm macro and 64mm of extensions and adjusted like a piece of cake.

Swamp R.

2009-08-18T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Precise Focus

This is the instrument I have been looking for for precise macro photography. With live view able to photograph what I want to. Easy to adjust. Slightly heavy to carry but that adds to stability.

RAYMOND M.

2009-08-09T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

I MOSTLY USE THE FOCUSING RAIL FOR OLD COINS

I MOSTLY USE THE FOCUSING RAIL FOR OLD COINS, STAMPS AND OLD CONFEDERATE REUNION MEDALS. I DO SOME CRITTER WORK OUT IN OUR STATE PARKS, AND THE RAIL IS A GREAT TIME SAVER. I AM USING THE CANON MP 65 LENSE, AND WITHOUT THE ADJUSTMENT ABILITY OF THE ADORAMA DEVICE,I WOULD BE VERY IRRITATED.

STAN

2009-08-08T21:00:00

Rated 1 out of 5

Too cheap and useless

This unit designed for one and only use precise positioning a camera (only light one) as it is the name of it - microfocusing. But because poor fit and lack of manufacturing precision the unit totally useless. I cannot recomend it anybody, too cheap and useless.

Dad

2009-06-23T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

4 way Focusing Rail

Great service, great control of movement, solid & well built, good price... did I leave anything out?

BigOldFart

2009-06-10T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

a macro necessity

a must have for macro photography. the only bad thing is ~ it's not easy to connect to your camera.

krista

2009-05-12T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Adorama Rail Set ideal with Canon MPE-65

Just what i needed for those macro shots with Canon Macro lens MPE-65

Buzzards 1.

2009-05-03T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Excellent product...

Excellent product for producing pin-point focus in macro photography.

Simon M.

2009-03-15T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Better than expected

I admit, when I ordered this rail I expected the old adage "you get what you pay for" to apply. I was pleasantly surprised and felt more like the item was mis-priced. The mechanism is stable and precise with clear calibration markings on the forward and side rails. Two mounting points on the base allow more flexibility when attaching to your tripod. And lastly, the unit is STURDY. My only complaint is the access to the camera mount thumb screw is a little ackward but maybe because of my oversized sausage fingers. Other than that, this baby's a gem. I never expected this quality from a focus rail priced about 60% less than the big boys. The only reason I didn't give five stars is that those big boys must represent the epitome of the industry. Nice work Adorama!!

Patrick R.

2009-03-05T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Neat Tool

Obserservation based on limited usasge because of recall of Canon 5d. Small amount of "lost motion" in the tracks even when tightened is minor minus.

Barton M.

2009-01-14T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

very well made product

this is a very stable well made product. It is heavy but I beleive it has to be to support the weight of some lens ex., 65mm macro from canon. Its adjustments are precise and smooth. Overall a must have for macro shooting.

JAMES W.

2008-11-03T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Beauty

I use this for macro photography of inanimate objects. I haven't tried it on insects yet, I suspect it will work if the insect will hold still long enough. I like the the fact the tightening screws have long handles which allow me to find them without taking my eye off the viewfinder. Also the tightening screws can be partially tightened and still allow advancement/retraction of the rail slowly even if the entire ball head and rail/camera are inclined vertically.

tbob

2008-07-11T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Product

It is a needed product for Macro photography. It saves a lot of time getting the camera in the right position without moving the camera.

joyce

2008-06-12T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Works as advertised

Great product for the price. Works well for home/studio use, but kind of heavy/awkward to carry in the field.

XLTimbo

2008-05-07T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Very good product by Adorama!

I used this product for product photography, fine jewelery to be exact. Because I'm new to macro photography, I did a lot of research on macro focusing rails and was hesitant to buy this Adorama focusing rail at first. It seemed really generic to me. Then I took the chance after reading good reviews and boy am I satisfied. I was afraid the unit would be flimsy and made of plastic. But I was surprised to see that it's constructed really well and mostly made of metal. It works great for my needs. And for the price, you can't beat it. I use this focusing rail with a Canon 5D and Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro lens.

John R.

About Adorama Macro Focusing Rail Set, 4 Way, Fine Control

FEATURED REVIEWS

Very good product by Adorama!

By John R.

I used this product for product photography, fine jewelery to be exact. Because I'm new to macro photography, I did a lot of research on macro focusing rails and was hesitant to buy this Adorama focusing rail at first. It seemed really generic to me. Then I took the chance after reading good reviews and boy am I satisfied. I was afraid the unit would be flimsy and made of plastic. But I was surprised to see that it's constructed really well and mostly made of metal. It works great for ...

View full Review

Great Product at a Great Price

By pharmer182

Well built macro focusing rail for most photo enthusiasts. Is a great product for a very reasonable price. Works well with macro shots up to around 3x life size, once you go beyond that range (ie 4 to 5 times life size) the gearing not quite fine enough (and you would need to buy a focusing rail that is geometrically more expensive).

The Adorama Macro Focusing Rail helps fine tune your focus when shooting Macro photography. Taking close-up pictures will at times leave you with depth of field of around one millimeter for precise macro work, camera positioning and focus become critical. Even with a good tripod and head, you'll find that you have at least 10 controls to adjust. Each of them will move the camera. None of them will move the camera along the axis that you care about.

Adorama Macro Focusing Rail, with its smooth rack and pinion movement capable of moving the entire camera/lens assembly forward and back. You use the tripod to roughly position the camera/lens and then the macro rail to do fine positioning.

The Macro Focusing Rail offers four way fine tune adjustments and will work with all digital and film cameras.

Key Features

  • Locking knobs assure rock-steady focus once a shooting position has been attained.
  • Compatible with most cameras, both film and digital, point & shoot and SLR.