By Elliott Swanson

I built a few more macro Realist clones, and the photographer that bought the last one wanted the ability to go around a ring flash (I've modified all the recent camera Copal shutters with permanent step up rings to 46mm so common filters and ring flash units can be used).

So this is what I came up with. It's made from a Radio Shack soldering station "extra hands" gadget that sells for $12. I replaced all the screws with higher quality hardware, and replaced the "hands" alligator clips with aluminum rods. The photographer also wanted the ability to still have a tripod mount, so I added an extra one. These photos still show the original positioning prongs in place, but the new one are fully adjustable on any axis. Additionally, the prongs will go around a ring flash.

It could be used on just about any macro camera where one needed to get around a ring flash.

The probes are aluminum, inserted into thin brass sleeves to tighten the fit inside the probe holder. I didn't glue the probes-- they're held in place by compression via the screw, so if anyone wanted to install plus or minus diopter lenses, new probes could be easily installed that matched the new sharp focus area.