Verical arm extention ??

[mhc1]

Hello @ all.

I use a NN3 and a recently installed MKIII rotator with a Canon 40D with Sigma 8mm and Tokina 10-17 Fisheye.

All fine - BUT:
the vertical arm is much to short.
The camera crashes against the central knob when I try to shoot the Zenith shot.
I turned the camera already so the remote-control shows up and not toward the tripod: no way.

I use the Tokina @ 98mm horizontal setting - as written in the list.
NPP ist not a problem at all.
The MKIII is not that much flater the the original one- unfortunately.

So I want to know:
-Is there a vertical extension available ??
-Will the new rotators be flat enough to turn to the Zenith ?? Altough: this would not solve the Problem, the cam woukd crash against the rail then. So only an extension must be suitable.

Ciao
Mike
www.360de.de

[Bill Bailey]

Hi Mike,
If doing full 360x180 spherical panos, the Tokina lens only allows for partial tilt up as you noted. To shoot the zenith (up shot) with this lens you will either need to move the camera/lens forward on the upper rail to allow for full rotation or simply shoot manually (as most do). You could also shoot two rows - one row to catch the zenith (top) and one row to catch the nadir (floor). For many this is not a big deal. There is not a vertical arm extension, some have used a T-30 but this isn't recommended from a design standpoint. NN5L does not have this limitation.

[mhc1]

Yes Bill,
I tried 6@levelled, 1 N and 2 @ maxUp (ab 32¬?) that did fill the Zenith.
Maybe this is also more advicable because you find CPs much easier.

I thought there would be a mechanicak solution tgough.
Ok- thanks.

[1991Syclone]

I had this issue with a D50/10.5 on an older SPH01i and just end up shooting two zenith shots 180 degrees apart. PTGui doesn't seem to have any problems stitching them together. It's only 1 extra shot so it doesn't take much longer to do.

[mhc1]

Yes 1991Syclone ,
this I did too with no problem.
The max. setting up is ab. 32¬? (USB-plug/Remote Ctrl UP) which does not fill the Zenith.
This is with the remote comtrol connected to a computer.

When you could tilt up to 60¬? - that would be perfect - but no chance with USB cables connected, you hit the rail.

There shoul be a distance washer or s. th . to increase the distance by a couple of mm or 2 cm- that would be it.
I triead it with distance cylinder , works good but very instable and the whole vertical arm was turning easily on the mount.
So that´s no solution - unfortunately.

There are vertical arms from Roundabout or Panomaxx - I´ll see if they will do.
Maybe I have to get the complete adapter though.

[mhc1]

Oh- I just tried it with another - older- plate mount 0,3mm --> at least I can turn to 60¬?

Thanks for this great idea !

[emess]

Hello Mike,

I think there are two main ways to increase the clearance of the vertical arm. However increase of clearance is limited by the general stability of the NN3.

One possible solution is the use of a spacer block between the horizontal and the vertical arm. In my example the increase of usable height is app. 18mm. The block is milled on top so that the vertical arm is placed theere without any slack. The lower part of the bloch has the size of the original vertical arm foot. So one can use the stops with both, the original arm and the extension block. This keeps handling easy.

My second - more brutal - solution is the replacement of the horizontal arm. Instead of the rotator the new arm has only the 3/8" thread cut into the aluminium bar. A slim rotator similar to a design shown by Michel Thoby is placed under the new arm. This solution gives some 20 + mms increase in usable heigt.

For my personal use I have modified my NN3 according to the second idea. Some of the advantages of the original NN3 get lost (e.g. variable detents), but on the other hand I use my NN together with only one lens. And when I use it on a pole, the reduced weight is positive. But for testing future pieces of equipment I´ll keep the original parts, of course.

Regards, Martin