Who needs to go close ?
If you are going to undertake “close up” work then you will need a sturdy mount and a close up camera rail. Whilst this is not “compulsory” it is advisable, for two reasons.
1. It offers far greater control over movement towards and away from your subject than simply trying to move a tripod nearer and further with a camera mounted and.
2 It is FAR easier to set an accurate focus with this and the camera combined than just the camera.
The problem like everything else is which one to chose.
I had considered both the Velbon Super Mag Slider at £90 and the Manfrotto 454 Micro Positioning Sliding Plate at £85.
However, most are back and forth or with minimal side to side movement, than, by chance I looked on Amazon and found the 4 Way Macro Focusing Rail Slider £40 all but a few pence.
This looked good as it allowed considerable movement side to side and back and forth.
I ordered it from the retailer UK Highland Photography on the Saturday and it arrived on the Tuesday, recorded delivery, for £43.90.
It arrived in a sealed strong mailing plastic bag like the ones you get from Royal Mail, wrapped in substantial bubble wrap inside a strong white box with more, just adequate bubble wrap. All together a very good in fact amazing fast delivery and well wrapped.
I already have a pair of Manfrotto 349s on one of my mounts with a couple of short Giottos centre columns and Manfrotto 496 ball heads so I attached one clamp with a column and the slider to my large table and added the camera.
It was immediately noted that there was too much free play. I have noted on many a forum that people have complained about tripods falling, heard coming off and cameras crashing to the floor, unlike most I never go a month without checking all fastenings.
So I immediately took the heads apart, only one bolt secures the top and bottom half, this when replaced had a “spring washer” fitted for safety.
As can be seen once an end stop held on with two small screws is removed the sliders easily come apart and show four more screws, NONE were tight, in fact whilst they were holding, they each took an additional one to three turns. When both parts were done I used good quality grease on the rack and pinions and they were put back together.
One point to make is that the left to right slider also has a tripod bush to can be used alone, and is in fact available alone for £29.99.
When placed back on the ball head and the camera attached it worked smoothly with only the normal play you would expect between standard parts, and is more than adequate for the job intended.
Looking at the set-up you will see that there is a large and a small knob on both parts, the smaller one being friction adjustment and the larger locking.
These sliders as with many mass produced items are stamped with a particular suppliers name, this one is distributed by ishoot, I have since seen others unmarked on google.
Build quality, very good in fact, especially considering the cost, it is substantial and heavy, and once you have checked the screws, and I suggest for personal satisfaction added loctite then you will have nothing to worry about, it is well rounded and there are no sharp edges.
The unit is very smooth in operation, though I did add quality grease, as, with all such things (most amateur Astronomers) will know, the rack and pinion focuser on the Skywatcher range are gunged up with masses of grease that needs washing off and replacing before use, this done it is 100% better.
If you are into, starting out in or wanting to go further with close up photography this is an ideal piece of kit.
Match the quality of the item, with the amazing speed of delivery, AND the communications you receive from UK Highland Photography (confusingly NOT in the Highlands at all but Woking, Surrey) then I would not hesitate advising any one to buy this.