Bogan Long lens support for 135mm+ extension?

Hello. I'm very new to the Pentax 67 world and love it, but I'm trying to figure out a way around this problem. To get 1:1 magnification with my 135mm I need to use all three tubes, this gets to be rather hard to handle. I use mirror lockup and my setup currently is ok, but I've been thinking the Bogan long lens support (the part number escapes me now) that most people purchase to support their older Nikon 80-200 f2.8 (the one without a lens support). I already seem to own more equipment than I'll ever use so I was wondering if this setup is worth investing in.

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Thanks for your input.

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Doug Stemke

Doug, I use a set-up very similar to the Bogen Long Lens Support.

Mine is home fabricated, but it acts the same in keeping a long lens

stable at both ends. I use it mainly for macro with a tele-converter

and/or extension tubes added. I also use it for telephoto pictures

when a converter is added, or when using the 300mm f4 by itself, but

not as much as for macro. It works very well for keeping the camera

and lens mounted solid.

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The Bogen item works well too for horizontals, but that unit is so

tall that when it is flipped sideways for verticals a massive amount

of weight hangs way off to the side of the tripod head, making it

very difficult to lock the head in to a composition; lots of

readjustment is necessary. A heavy 3-way head is much better than a

ball head for this, since you adjust only one movement at a time,

instead of trying to get three movements right at the same time.

This is why I made one of my own; it is much lower, and does not hang

so far out when doing verticals. If I remember, the Bogen unit is

only about $50.00, which is a cheap solution. I do so much macro

that I never go out without it. You're right though, it is one more

piece of equipment to contend with, but for me it is a necessity.

I have used the Bogen support you speak of on the SMC 300 as a solid,

if not slightly awkward support esp for verticals. But a good and

cheap solution for support. Eventually I opted for the 300 EDIF

which has the rotating collar, and coupled with the Gitzo 1548 CF

I've never looked back msmith