Many photographers, experienced or just starting out, will replace the head you currently have and attach a "ball head" of sorts but to properly answer you're question I'll need more info lol, what is your camera make, longest lens you have now or in the near future?

Ball heads come in a huge variety of styles and costs, with the Arca-Swiss possibly being the more favored (and expensive) kind. You'll be hard pressed to find a better ball head.

The best advice is take your camera, tripod and the heaviest lens you own to the closest thing you have to a "Pro Photo" shop, if you don't own a large/heavy one ask to try one out. Once all connected, "frame" your shot, and while you're looking through the viewfinder let go of the camera/tripod, (make damn sure it's not going to end up on the floor!) and watch to see if you're camera sags down at ALL!

A GOOD ball head will not droop, period, but may cost around $500. Add a strong tripod so it won't move any in any kind of breeze and if you want light (carbon) weight than I'll look up ReallyRightStuff. They have knowledgeable staff and will help you pick the right tripod.

Starting from where you are, with a less expensive tripod, many folks buy newer/better/more expensive equipment.

You could be using the wrong plates! Mosts plates with a pin are designed for video camera's, many come with a small hole to index the pin, keeping them from rotating!

The fact that the pin is spring loaded probably means the company is trying to make "one size fits all" plates, but if they're scratching your camera STOP using them lol, and try to find plates without the extra pin!

Alan

Thanks for the tip on software, I tried it and liked it a while ago, never did buy it.

Seems like PS CS5 does a good job, if I do a good job when taking pics lol.

Thanks, Alan

Thanks, that's exactly what I see in mine ;~(.

I'll follow your advice about figuring DOF, I always use the same ƒ-stop (ƒ-8 - ƒ-11), same ISO and let the shutter adjust as necessary.

Alan

Thanks for the quick reply ;~), I too was surprised by this guys comments but I guess I could try a setup using 2-3 different lenses?

I always use a macro rail (ReallyRightStuff) with fore / aft and side to side micro adjustment provided by the focus rail thread.

Thanks again, Alan

Hi everyone, I've shot some "focus stacked" images in the past but was never real happy with the the results, there's always "gaps" between areas of focus, even when using a Macro focusing rail for fine control.

I just heard from a guy that does a lot of this that I shouldn't be using a Macro lens, I used a Nikkor 200mm ƒ4 Macro (FF) on my D3x, D4 and now the D800. It seems to be the same with each body.

Any suggestions about which lenses would give the best performance ? Or do I just need to practice, practice, ...

Thanks, Alan

I agree completely! My first Macro rail was labeled as the store brand, starts with 'A', it was under $200 and it was worthless ;~(. Darn thing was impossible to lock/hold focus, the heavier the camera (D3, D3x) the worse it preformed! It went back to the store and because I have a RRS carbon tripod I knew their quality would be super, so I bought the two parts that make it a front to back AND side to side slide, doesn't sag a bit and locks position everytime! That configuration also works perfectly as a "Nodal Point" adjuster, making Pano's look good (and stitching) much easier!

Like stated earlier, you get what you pay for, at least in this case, and you'll just LOVE the way the RRS slide works!

Good luck, Alan

I've an old (5 yrs) MacBook Pro 17". I use LR 4 and Photoshop CS 5.1 and I ALWAYS shoot RAW, and I own a D800!
If you move up to the D800 you will need other, non-computer stuff first; a Stout tri-pod, cable release and the best glass you can afford (probably more important than the camera body) IMHO ;~).

On the computer side you've beat me on the processor, I've an Intel dual core, NOT the i5 or i7. I have 8 gigs of RAM because that's ALL my laptop will take! The suggestion about using Crucial.com is perfect, they will scan you're machine and tell you what you can do with the extra 2 slots. If you've only got 4 gigs in 2 slots (2 gigs per slot?) you could just toss them and put bigger memory chips in ALL the slots, up to what the computer will run, hence Crucial for the scan.

I'd disagree that you need RAM to download your images to your computer; RAW or otherwise, that's just a simple transfer of files without editing them.

Opening the 36.3 MB RAW files (205 MB's opened in PS or LR) is where you need the most RAM your machine can hold, and a very fast "Scratch" disc. Photoshop needs a Scratch disc to work at it's best!

I just finished helping a friend beef up his Mac Pro to 32 GB of RAM, and 4 x 2 Terabyte internal drives (7200 rpm), AND 6 Terabytes of External backup drives (2 x 3 terabytes). He's NOT a pro either but he sure takes a lot of RAW images.

If you get the D800 you'll be getting what is considered the very BEST Sensor's ever developed! Better than many "medium format" camera's that cost $30 - $40 thousand dollars. Please, dont' waste the camera shooting JPG's EVER!!!

If you own a Mac Pro you can put 4 drive's inside the machine, with an iMac it's more difficult so FAST (7200 rpm's, 10,000 rpm's or SSD (flash drives, the fastest and the most expensive).

Best of luck, Alan

Thank you for the comment but money is always an issue lol, if it wasn't I wouldn't have posted this question ;~)

Thanks, Alan

I've currently own a Nikon D4 and a D800.

The D4 fills a need for speed but is very heavy, short on mega-pixels, but the D800 seems to require more effort in stabilizing to get the full benefit of 36.3 mps (using a tripod all the time, mirror lockup, even delay the shutter release).

So, I'm thinking of trading my D4 for a D800e as a backup body. Does this sound crazy to anyone besides my wife lol.

Thanks, Alan

Jerry, a guy after my own heart ;~). I've got one son and all I plan to leave him is 2 home mortgage's and several maxed out credit cards lol. And lots of camera gear!!

Alan

On the older MBPro's you can swap out the hard drive pretty cheaply and it'll make a big difference. My 17" is from 2009 (unibody design, can't easily remove the battery) with a 350 GB 5,200 rpm hard drive. I pulled it out and installed a 750GB "hybrid" drive, uses some SSD tech and it's also running at 7,200 rpm and both make a difference. Cost about $175 for the kit from OWC.

I always go for the fastest processor, the most ram and the biggest hard drive, even if I can't afford them LOL.

My RAW files open in PS at over 200 MB each, without any layers, and these take time to process. I use LR 4.1 & PS CS5 Extended, external SATA Scratch for PS.

Alan

Jerry, there really is only one choice if you plan to edit photo's on the laptop, that's the 15" MBPro with Retina display! This is the ONLY laptop Apple sells that will take 16 GB of RAM, and that extra RAM is supposedly a real chore to install later - get it with the the computer. Also get the i7 processor.

If you shoot RAW with lots of megapixels you will want the fastest processor, full load of RAM, SSD drives & the external CD/DVD drive! Now you're looking at spending around $4,000, Mac's are NOT cheap but they seem to last!

My wife's 17" MBPro's built in video chip fried the main logic board last Wednesday. Took it to the Apple Store, they have a "one price" repair, $310 to fix ANYTHING and give a 90 warranty. Apple replaced the logic board, video chip and the wifi antenna in TWO, yes 2, days for $310! And we live in rural No Calif., 2 1/2 hours north of SF.

I have a newer 17" MBP with 8 GB Ram and a "hybrid" 750 GB hard drive (part SSD, part 7200 rpm drive), and it will process my images from my D800 (slowly ;~).

I know I'm bummed they've dropped their 17" line, talked with Apple rep and he said they didn't sell enough 17" to keep the line going, and we'd definitely NOT see a Retina display in 17"... That a lot of lost real estate, and a loss of a sale, maybe!
Alan

Hey, a brother in arms lol.

Seriously, Strobe flashing is very hard on the flash tube, I've a Nikon SB-900 w/battery belt pack and the manual states that I should NOT "strobe" multiple times without letting the flash cool off (the 900 is prone to overheating). I've also found that the SB-900 (maybe the 910 too, same output?) just can't punch enough light to get far from the subject, like a bike riding by me at speed.

So, I use my "OLD" Metz CT-60 w/battery pack OR the Quantum Q series, also with external battery.

I don't think you'll find the Metz new but the Quantum will cost you twice what the SB-910 costs.

Best of luck, Alan

Ken, those two lenses Capt mentioned are 2/3 of what's called the Nikon "Trinity" of lenses. It starts with the 14-24mm ƒ2.8 = $2k, 24-70mm ƒ2.8 = $2k and the 70-200 ƒ2.8 VRII = over $2k.

As mentioned before here and on other lists, really good glass is a life long investment, where you may/probably will replace your camera's as things change/improve.

It's a GREAT hobby but it can get pretty darn expensive!

Alan