How specific are the lens ring clamps?

[Mark Johnston]

I'm contemplating an R1 head, but I'm using a sigma 8mm 3.5 full circular fisheye on a pentax k20d camera

the rings available show the sigma ring for

Lens Ring for Sigma 8mm and Sigma 15mm Nikon Pentax Mount
is it nikon & pentax for both or just the latter?

I'd also appreciate comments on how I'm also considering piecing my order:

I have a manfrotto joystick tripod head, so I'm thinking of going with the pole adapter to the manfrotto plate, then the R1+ring-- no rd4 rotator (saving $120 vs the r1 kit) and wonder if I am being pennywise/pound foolish? if I get the rd4 rotator for the precision of the detent stops, my fear is
I'll end up with either an obscenely long mount from the 322 joystick on end, connected to the rd4 to the r1 to the lens ring, (and the joystick has more play then I like when using it long)
or I'll end up with the 322 horizontal and a huge amount of the spring handle in the shots where the lens is with the even with the handle.

appreciate comments about either issue..

[hindenhaag]

Hi Marc and welcome to the forum,

You can use the lens ring for lenses with Nikon Mount as well as for lenses with Pentax mount.

Your second question: Try to avoid everything that might be visible in your picture: Three way heads and your joystick have long handles that make a lot of work to mask them out. Imaging the time you spend to do this every time you take a pano, will bring back extra money you have spend for a better solution very soon. Plus, using no rotator, you will add more hours to compensate the irregulars. If you like to do this saving $120 dollars, go for it.

Definite click stops with a rotator will save you a lot of time placing manual control points. Taking shots around with the rotator, will show your joystick handle. You loose information below the handle. Any solution to get this area back to life again? Yes, taking extra pictures moving the tripod aside to get the info below your joystick.

Plus may be you get infected from the pano virus: stepping on to pole panos. Then you need an extra rotator. Split the R1 Kit, use R1 on top and the RD4 rotator at the bottom.



My very personal advice based on a lot of experience with NN Equipment:

Skip the joystick, and get an R1 with a Rotator. If you can wait, pre order one of these:

http://store.nodalninja.com/rotator-mini-rm4/

Feel free to ask,
Heinz

[Mark Johnston]

since this MORNING it would appear there is a new addition to the r10/r1 lineup with a smaller rotator.

I went with that.....

[DemonDuck]

Hi Marc and welcome to the forum,

Plus, using no rotator, you will add more hours to compensate the irregulars.
Heinz

I disagree with this. In fact, IMHO, using no rotator gives one even more freedom to shoot between the click stops like for sun flare control or with crowds or other movement where you have to move fast and fluidly. Keeping the pole vertical is the most critical alignment necessary to avoid parallax errors and a rotator does nothing to help keep your pole vertical. I'm only talking about pole and mono-pod panos. A rotator on a tripod is a great help because you usually are shooting subjects that need more precise alignments -- interiors, bracketing for HDR etc.

BTW: those new mini rotators are cute. Too bad they don't fit the NN3/4/5. I hardly ever change the detent rings and usually only change from 6 to 8 and back. Nick, why didn't you include the 8 click detent ring for the mini?

[DennisS]

using no rotator gives one even more freedom to shoot between the click stops

Who says you can only shoot at the click stops? The stops are not so strong that they prevent you from shooting between.

[DemonDuck]

Who says you can only shoot at the click stops? The stops are not so strong that they prevent you from shooting between.

I don't know who said "you can only shoot at click stops?" I didn't... I do think that it's easier to yaw without bumping over click stops when you need to move fast.

[nick fan]

Lens Ring for Sigma 8mm and Sigma 15mm Nikon Pentax Mount
is it nikon & pentax for both or just the latter?

I'd also appreciate comments on how I'm also considering piecing my order:

I have a manfrotto joystick tripod head, so I'm thinking of going with the pole adapter to the manfrotto plate, then the R1+ring-- no rd4 rotator (saving $120 vs the r1 kit) and wonder if I am being pennywise/pound foolish? if I get the rd4 rotator for the precision of the detent stops, my fear is
I'll end up with either an obscenely long mount from the 322 joystick on end, connected to the rd4 to the r1 to the lens ring, (and the joystick has more play then I like when using it long)
or I'll end up with the 322 horizontal and a huge amount of the spring handle in the shots where the lens is with the even with the handle.

appreciate comments about either issue..

Lens in both mounts have same shape. So one ring fits both.
Do not add anything between rotator and Nodal Ninja, which can cause displacement of center or shift of level. It will change the NPP.

Nick

[nick fan]

Nick, why didn't you include the 8 click detent ring for the mini?

Not fun to keep lots of unselling inventory in today's economy. Use 10 stop if you like better overlap and image quality.

Nick

[Mark Johnston]

You can use the lens ring for lenses with Nikon Mount as well as for lenses with Pentax mount.

Turns out this is not correct according to NN staff. I'm using a sigma full circular fisheye lens, which is linked here on a pentax camera.

although there is a lens ring for sigma 4.5 nikon I'm told it is not compatible with my lens + pentax k20d

I really want a simple 4 shots & done single row head.

I'm shooting rooms at a motel mostly.. the folks at nodal ninja are suggesting I get a NN4 which looks like massive overkill for me.. I'm wanting simplicity...

would anyone like to provide their views on if I should get the NN4, or that one of the rings for the r1 ought to work- or should I switch my desires and get the atome which is camera agnostic?

[badders]

Hi Mark,

If you don't want to ever use any other lens than the Sigma 4.5mm, then yes the NN4 is really a little overkill for your needs. However, I suspect you will soon find the limitations of the Sigma 4.5mm lens not to your liking and will start to want to try taking panoramas with slightly longer focal lengths and then that is where the NN4 will prove to be the best option for you as you will be able to use a number of different lenses with the same pano head. Something you can't do with the Atome.

Badders

[DemonDuck]

Turns out this is not correct according to NN staff. I'm using a sigma full circular fisheye lens, which is linked here on a pentax camera.

although there is a lens ring for sigma 4.5 nikon I'm told it is not compatible with my lens + pentax k20d

I really want a simple 4 shots & done single row head.

I'm shooting rooms at a motel mostly.. the folks at nodal ninja are suggesting I get a NN4 which looks like massive overkill for me.. I'm wanting simplicity...

would anyone like to provide their views on if I should get the NN4, or that one of the rings for the r1 ought to work- or should I switch my desires and get the atome which is camera agnostic?

My two cents worth: the full circle fisheye will capture part of the NN4 to the side and bottom. I call it the shoulder print of the pano head. Which sort of diminishes slightly the advantage of a full circle fisheye. You will be able to do 4 around but the shoulder print will have to be masked in each shot.


The lens ring and R10 are cheap enough and can be sold later on eBay if it doesn't work out. I don't know why it isn't compatible with your Pentax since it is lens specific and not camera specific.

Like badders says, using a longer lens like the Sigma 8 or something like that will give you better quality with about the same number of shots and the NN3/4/5 will not give a shoulder print with a longer lens

[nick fan]

Turns out this is not correct according to NN staff. I'm using a sigma full circular fisheye lens, which is linked here on a pentax camera.

although there is a lens ring for sigma 4.5 nikon I'm told it is not compatible with my lens + pentax k20d

I really want a simple 4 shots & done single row head.

I'm shooting rooms at a motel mostly.. the folks at nodal ninja are suggesting I get a NN4 which looks like massive overkill for me.. I'm wanting simplicity...

would anyone like to provide their views on if I should get the NN4, or that one of the rings for the r1 ought to work- or should I switch my desires and get the atome which is camera agnostic?

Hi Mark,

Do you have the lens in hand? Sigma does not use mount specific image for the website. I am not sure the lens shown is in Pentax mount. If you have the lens and send me a picture like the one shown, I can do a comparison and offer you a suggestion.

Nick

[hindenhaag]

Hi,

I've been searching the net for a real picture of pentax mount. It is always the same picture for canon, nikon, or pentax. Does not matter resellers, amazon or sigma. Plus it is always the same design. Though the pics on NN guide show different designs. http://www.nodalninja.com/Manuals/R1_QRG.pdf

Heinz

[Mark Johnston]

I'd be thrilled with opinion, it is a bit different
http://www.ocean7hotel.com/NN/index.htm
The switch is turned 90 degrees, and guessing from the online sigma photos where the switch is right under the window (and therefore at the top of the lens for others)
on mine it's down to the bottom side

(I already have a gigapan 100, I use it for fun arty panoramas, but I couldn't make the workflow efficient enough for me at work, shot time + stitch time + weak battery life was too much for the volume I want to do, and I don't need that level of ginourmus- that's why I was going for the 4 & done simplicity)

[hindenhaag]

Mark,

This looks pretty similar to Nikon lens ring. Does not matter where the switch is positioned, the Nikon Inner Ring stops before it will touch any switch. Canon looks a bit longer. I would dare to try the lens ring with Nikon connection and ask to send it back if it does no fit.

Heinz