Slider for adjusting focal distance to subject

[Dornfield]

Hi,

Still assembling the toys I think I need for basic macro work, and I'm looking to buy a slider next to mount my reversed lens on a D7000 body on a sturdy tripod and then adjust the distance to the subject stepwise to allow assembly of the images captured in Photoshop or similar (is there a dedicated program that does this better?). I'm looking at the Velbon Super Mag Slider, which gets very positive reviews on Amazon, but it does not appear that the movement of the slider adjust mat wheels is graduated against a printed scale. Am I wrong? Other cheaper versions of this type of equipment do appear to sport graduated wheels. Are these an advantage, and does anybody have experience or relying on such graduations, or are they lily gilding?

Thanks

 

[GardenersHelper]

... to allow assembly of the images captured in Photoshop or similar (is there a dedicated program that does this better?).

Zerene Stacker seems quite popular with people who do some really amazing work stacking multiple (sometimes 100+) images. I only use it for small stacks captured somewhat roughly/accidentally out in the field rather than the highly controlled studio conditions and equipment used for big stacks, but I have found it easy to use and with nice facilities for editing output images by painting in arbitrarily small areas from a chosen image in the stack. There is a full-function 30-day trial available.

 

[Oddshapedoctopus]

I have the cheaper slider and find it great. I haven't compared it against the more expensive ones but it does the job.

 

[PeteGreg]

I use a Velbon Super Mag Slider and I use Zerene, and I think they are both very good, my macro images of the flies on my Flickr are done with both of these. Good look with your stacking. The Velbon I have has no scale, however I still find it easy to judge small movements just by the shape of the turning wheel.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I have a 'Fotomate' branded single-axis one which I bought on here for £5, it's not great quality but does the job well.
They also do a two-axis one.
Oh, and another vote for Zerene!