March 10, 2012

New Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal / Macro Rail

Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal / Macro Rail + F61b QR Clamp overview

After the recent release of the new 5/8" thick G15 and G16 series of 6 and 8 inch rails, Hejnar PHOTO has also released an 5/8" thick alternative for the E034 8" Nodal /Macro Rail, following the G15/16 design pattern.
The new E050 rail although based on the E034 principle has been redesigned to great extend with some added features.

The Rail

Manufacturer Specification:
Model:E50 Nodal Slide
Length:8.0" (20.32 cm)
Width:1,5" (03.81 cm)
Thickness:5/8" (1.6 cm)
Weight:6.5 oz (185 gr)
Material:6061-T6 Aluminium
Safety Stop Screws:2 x M3
Front holes:1 x 1/4"-20 and 2 x 5mm
Laser Engraved Scales:Metric mm
Hardware:Stainless Steel
Color:Black hard coat anodized
Made in:USA

Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal Rail + tools - top
The Hejnar Photo E050 Rail is accompanied by one 1/4"-20 captive screw, ½" (1,27 cm) long, Two M3 screws attached at the bottom of the plate, two dowel pins and two Allen hex keys, one for the M3 screws and one for the 1/4"-20 screw.
As all Hejnar Photo products it is CNC machined from 6061-T6 Aluminium and is black hard coat anodized. There is a captive style slot 10cm long in the front, next to it an 1/4"-20 tapped hole permits it to be mount directly on a tripod or attach any other gear. Another 1/4"-20 tapped hole further back, which is for mounting Arca-Swiss® compatible clamps, is surrounded by 5 small 5mm holes which accommodate dowel pins for the clamp alignment.
The 5/8" rail thickness permits the engraving of metric scales in mm along both sides of the rail as in the G15/16 rail series. The scales range from 0 to 17 cm starting from the center of the 1/4"-20 tapped hole intended for clamp attachment, therefore the middle of the clamp.
Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal Rail + tools - bottom
On the bottom side we can see the two M3 screws that act as safety stops at each rail end.
Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal / Macro Rail drawing
Hejnar PHOTO E50 Nodal slide drawing with exact dimensions (click to enlarge)

Combined with F61b quick release clamp

Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal Rail + F61b QR Clamp + tools
First choice between the Hejnar PHOTO clamps is the F061 1.5" clamp, for its lower weigh and compactness. F61b quick release clamp is an updated version of the older F012 clamp, for which you can find more information in my Hejnar Photo F010 & F012 Clamps Review.
Hejnar PHOTO F61b QR Clamp on E050 Nodal Rail
The F61b clamp is secured on the rail, with an 1/4"-20 screw (which is provided with the clamp).
Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal Rail with F61b QR Clamp full
The E050 + F061b combination is a perfect choice when the rail is going to be used as a Nodal slide for heavier long lenses.
Hejnar PHOTO E050 Nodal Rail with F61b QR Clamp 90o orientation
By simply unscrewing, relocating the pins and screwing it at the new position, any clamp can very easily be re-oriented on the rail.


Added Features
Hejnar PHOTO E50 - front 1/4 and 5mm dowel pin holes
Except for the standard now to Hejnar PHOTO rails, bubble spirit level, the new E050 rail is also equipped with one 1/4"-20 tapped hole and two 5mm dowel pin holes in the front.
Hejnar PHOTO E50 Nodal Rail - dowel pin detail
These front holes permit the mount and perfect alignment, by the use of the dowel pins, of a quick release clamp on rail front.
Hejnar PHOTO E50 Nodal Rail + F62b + F61b QR clamps full
Pictured above is the E050 8" rail with the F061a 1.5" (3,8cm) quick release clamp (with small black knob) attached in the front end threaded hole and the F062b 2.375" (6cm) quick release clamp (with long black knob) mounted on the back.
Adding an extra Long Lens Support in the front clamp, this can be an excellent choice of a support bracket for a camera with a long telephoto lens which does not have a collar foot like the Pentax Beercans.

I hope you found the article and ideas useful, thank you for viewing.
All Photos used by permission: © 2012 Chris Hejnar / Hejnar Photo

Price and Availability:
Estimated prices are US$ 55.00 for the E050 Nodal / Macro Rail and US$ 100.00 for the E050 Rail with the F61a quick release clamp (+ shipping where applicable).
The E50 Nodal Rail is available from Hejnar Photo online Store

If you are interested in the product, do check the Recommended Sellers page for a valid Hejnar Photo discount coupon before ordering.

Referenced Articles:
Hejnar PHOTO F010A and F012 Quick Release Clamps
Hejnar PHOTO F62A Quick Release Clamp Review
Ideas for a Long Lens Support Bracket (Part 1)

Relevant Articles:
New Hejnar PHOTO E051 Nodal / Macro Rail
Hejnar PHOTO E032 Nodal/Macro Rail Review
Hejnar PHOTO E034 Nodal /Macro Rail Update
Create a Heavy Duty Multi Row Panorama Head

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