Nodal Ninja Ultimate M2 Quick Reference Manual

Nodal Ninja Ultimate M2 is a new addition to the Nodal Ninja Ultimate Modular System. It fills
in the product line for photographers specializing in high resolution panoramas or mosaics.
The M2 supports lenses up to 3kgs. Its friction adjustable and full bearing loaded upper
rotator make it serve as a good gimbal head for smooth rotation of heavy telephoto lenses at
their center of gravity. Both of its upper and lower rotators have a Start and an End tab for
effective composition and shooting. The lower rotator incorporates precise detent click stops
as small as 2 degrees with Rotator D8 II. The upper rotator can be upgraded (optional) with
precise positive stops down to 1.5° intervals.

NodalNinjaUltimateM2
GimbalPanoHead

WithRotatorD8IIorD16II

© 2013 Nodal Ninja

Quick Reference Guide

Support: www.nodalni nj a. co m/ fo ru m
Tutorials: www.youtu be .c om /n od al ni nj a
Store: www.nodalninj a. co m

PackageContentsofNodalNinjaUltimateM2

Depending on resellers, the package may come pre-assembled in a hard case with or without
a lower rotator. A Nodal Ninja Ultimate M2 No Lower Rotator package includes a QRC-65, an
MFR-210, an MFVR-170C with M2 Upper Rotator and QRC-65 installed, and an MFR-210 with
QRC-40A installed. The spare parts also include screws for mounting optional accessories.
The exact content of spare items may vary with time. Note that an Arca Swiss compatible
camera mounting plate (optional) is needed if a lens ring mount is not used.

InstallingQRC-65toRotatorD8IIorD16II

The QRC-65 in the No Lower Rotator Package
has 2 anti-twisting screws installed. Align and
place QRC to the lower rotator in your preferred
orientation. Normally the QR handle should
point to the back to reduce nadir footprint. For
Rotator D8 II, the QR handle should point away
from the detent plunger sockets to avoid
interference of knob and plungers.

SettingUpNodalNinjaUltimateM2

The M2, being a modular design, can be assembled into several different configurations or
combinations apart from the default package. Users can even mix parts and accessories from
third parties. In this guide we will focus on the default package with Rotator D8 II or D16 II and
instruction for building an M2 from individual parts.

Adjustable
End Tab

QRC-65 for Lower Rotator

Vertical Assembly

Lower Rail

Upper Assembly

MFR-210

QRC- 40A

MFR-210

M2 Upper
Rotator

QRC- 65

Precise detent mechanism
with smallest 2° interval in
Rotator D8 II

Friction
Adjustment
Knob

Adjustable
End Tab

Adjustable ring with

2.5° intervals serving
as a Start Tab

Adjustable ring with

2.5° intervals serving
as a Start Tab

Anti-Twist Screws

Spare Parts Qty

QRC 3/8" -1/4"adapter

(dia. 12mm x 9.5mm)

1

Socket round head screw

with undercut (1/4” x 16.3mm)

1

Set Screw for M2 Upper Rotator

(M4 x 12mm)

1

QRC Safety Pin Release Handle

(dia. 8mm x 27.5mm)

1

Socket round head screw

(M3 x 4mm)

8

Socket round head screw

(M3 x 4mm) machined to dia. 4.5mm

2

Socket head cap screw

(M3 x 4mm) machined to dia. 5mm

2

Socket round head screw

with brass insert (M5 x 18mm)

4

QRC Anti-twist Set Screw

(M5 x 5.5mm)

2

Socket flat head screw

(M6 x 18mm)

1

Stainless steel washer

(11mm x 5.5mm x 0.3mm)

3

2mm, 2.5mm, hex key each 1
3mm, 5/32" hex key each 1

1

Image Courtesy of Heinz Busse

Install an M6x18mm flat head screw at the
center socket of the QR clamp. For Rotator
D8 II, install 2 M5x14mm flat head screws
(from RD8 II) at the outside sockets to increase
stability when heavier super telephoto lenses
are used. With the lower rotator installed, your
M2 is now ready for use.

Loosen the set screw on the rotator. Ensure it
is pointing away from side with numerous
notches. Ensure the wave spring is inside its
groove. Otherwise, use a toothpick or the like
to position it inside.

SettingUpanM2UpperRotator

Place the blue End Tab on the rotator. Press it
against the spring. It should be flush with the
rotator surface. Use a long adhesive tape to
bind the End tab and the rotator tightly.
Ensure the tape is not hiding any sockets.

Install 2 anti-twist screws on QRC-65. Point
the QRC handle in the direction of the set
screw. Align its countersinks to two M5
sockets. Place QRC-65 on the rotator.

Install 2 M5 flat head screws. Tighten them
slightly. Peel the adhesive tape and pull it out
from the rotator. Loosen the screw a bit if the
tape cannot be pulled out. Tighten the screws
fully after removing the tapes.

213

Skip this part if you have a preassembled M2.
The M2 upper rotator has many loose parts and can be difficult to install for unskilled users. It
is therefore taped to keep the loose parts in proper positions in the standalone package. Jump
to Step 3 if the tapes are still in tact.

Keep Wave Spring Inside the Groove

Set Screw

Hold the rotator so that its tightening knob is
pointing downwards. Carefully remove the
knob by turning clockwise. Try best to keep
the plastic ribbon intact. Jump to Step 7 if the
ribbon is intact.

Install the rotator on MFVR-170C vertical rail.
Ensure the triangle reference mark is pointing
to the top of rail. Tighten 4 M4x25mm flat
head screws with 2.5mm hex key.

7

4

If bearing and disc spring washer in the
rotator fall apart, reassemble them. Firstly,
place the disc spring washer on the knob with
concave side facing up. Then place the
bearing on top of the washer.

6

With the screw pointing down, carefully
tighten the knob, while keeping the bearing
in order. Remove the ribbon if there is any.

Spring Washer Bearing

8

Tighten the lower rotator on the tripod.
Tighten the lower rail to QRC. Place the
vertical rail to the lower rail at the end near
the stop screw. Slide it against the stop screw.
Tighten the vertical rail. This ensures the
vertical rail is set in the same position each
time and the lower rail setting is solely
determined by the reading against the lower
rotator QRC.

SettingUpLowerRailandVerticalAssembly

Nodal Ninja Ultimate M2 is fully quick release
enabled with registration stops for quick and
reproducible setup and breakdown. Ensure a
machined round head screw (dia. 4.5mm) is
installed on the MFR-210 lower rail at the end
opposite to the bubble level and at the outer
socket of MFVR-170C vertical rail.

Slide against
the stop

Finally, install the captive screw to finished
the installation. Optionally, install the QRC
3/8”-1 /4” adapter on ce ntral socke t o f
QRC-65 to make it look better.

Captive Screw

9

3/8” Adapter

2

Anti-Twist Screws

5

1

2

Set Screw

Mount the MFR-210 (with QRC-40A installed)
on upper rotator QRC-65. Mount the camera
with camera plate installed on QRC-40A.
Slide the camera along QRC-40A so that the
lens axis is in line with the upper rail. Fanotec
camera plates have markings to make for
easier alignment of camera plate.

SettingtheUpperRailAssembly

SettingUpNPPforLowerRailandUpperRail

Here are a couple helpful tutorials on finding
the NPP of a lens (special thanks to Smooth
and John Houghton for providing these
links):
http://j.mp/19g3m8x
http://www.johnhpanos.com/epcalib.htm

To ensure error free stitching in the final image sets, the lens must be rotated around its
entrance pupil at the upper and lower rotators. This is done by adjusting the lower rail and
upper rail back and forth relative to the rotator QR clamps until parallax between adjoining
images is minimized. The readings of the rails at this point are the NPP (No Parallax Point)
settings of M2. There are many tutorials on the internet describing these procedures in details.

Point the lens to include the leftmost/
rightmost region of interest. Loosen the
set screw at the lower rotator index ring,
rotate to align the 0° mark to the reference
mark. Tighten the set screw. Point the lens
to include the rightmost/ leftmost region
of interest. Grab the End tab ring, rotate to
align its black line to the reference mark.

UsingtheStartandEndTabsofRotators

Point the lens to include the upmost/
bottommost region of interest. Loosen the
set screw at the upper rotator index ring,
rotate to align the 0° mark to the reference
mark. Tighten the set screw. Point the lens
to inc lude the bottomm ost/ upm ost
region of interest. Grab the End tab ring,
rotate to align its top/bottom edge to the
reference mark.

The Start and the End tabs help to compose the multi-row mosaics by setting up their
boundaries before taking the image sequences . This avoids taking any redundant images and
hence minimizes the time of image capture. This is especially important when a large number
of images are to be taken in changing light conditions. Note that the tabs just indicate the
boundaries. One can also begin at “End” tab and stop at “Start” tab.

Set ScrewSet ScrewSet Screw

Install a 3/8”-1/4” adapter on QRC-40A.
Install an anti-twist screw on the socket
indicated.

3/8”-1/4” Adapter

Place a stainless steel washer on the 1/4”
screw. Ensure its face with smoother edge will
be facing the rail. Install the screw on the
MFR-210 rail. Slide it to the end opposite to
the bubble level.

Anti-Twist Screw

Install QRC-40A to MFR-210. Ensure the anti­twist screw is aligned to the groove of the rail.
Tighten the screw slightly. Slide the QRC-40A
to the end of rail to ensure consistent
positioning. Tighten the screw fully.

Slide to End of Rail

Now, the composition of the mosaic is set. The mosaics are most quickly taken row by row in a
zig zag manner. Point the lens to one of the four corners set by the tabs. Take a row of images
based on a predetermined interval until the lower rotator reaches the boundary set by the tab.
Point the lens up/down by one row based on predetermined interval. Reverse the rotation of
lower rotator to take another row. Repeat the procedure until the upper rotator reaches its
boundary set by the tab. Take the last row to complete the image capture

If a Fanotec lens ring or a lens with collar and
compatible plate is used, the lens (and
camera) can be mounted to the upper rotator
QRC-65 directly.

MountingaLensRingorLensPlatetotheVerticalAssembly

1

2

3

4

Loosen the upper rotator tension knob
slightly so that the rotator can be rotated
easily. Mount the lens (with camera attached)
in the rotator clamp via the collar. Slide the
lens back and forth to distribute the weight
evenly. The lens will feel balanced when the
load is evenly distributed. Lock the QR clamp.
Tighten the rotator tension knob.

UsingM2asaGimbalHead

Setup M2 as a pano head. Ignore the rail
settings. Upper rail is not needed if the lens is
collared. Install a lens plate on the collar.
Fanotec MFR-160/170/210 can also be used
as l ens p lat e. An ti- twi sti n g ba r (so l d
separately) is needed if the collar only has one
socket for mounting.

For fluid and effortless rotation of heavy lenses, the lens and camera must be rotated about
their center of gravity. For this reason, these lenses generally have lens collar tripod mount
near the center of gravity for direct mounting on tripod. M2 allows mounting lens via the
collar with an Arca Swiss compatible lens plate installed. M2 allows full adjustment of the
position of lens and camera relative to the axes of rotation. Its smooth upper rotator
movement with adjustable friction control makes it a great gimbal head.

While supporting the lens with one hand,
loosen the lower rotator clamp. Slide the
lower rail left or right so that the lens axis is
directly above the lower rotator. Lock the
clamp. Now the camera and lens will be
rotating about their center of gravity. The
rotation will be smooth and effortless. Use
upper rotator tension knob to adjust the
friction of upper rotator.

Slide to Balance the Weight

Slide to Balance
the Weight

AddingVerticalRailExtenderorNadirAdapter

The vertical rail is kept short to enhance stability of the setup for heavy lens and camera, and to
allow for using the nadir adapter. For some big lenses with entrance pupil far away from
camera, full rotation of camera on the upper rotator may not be possible. A optional vertical
extender is needed to overcome this limitation. This can be the light weight extender for M1/2
or the more versatile nadir adapter. Note that if the lens has a wide enough angle of view, it is
still possible to cover the full view of a spherical panorama without using the extender.

Both the extender and nadir adapter add
40mm to the vertical clearance, allowing full
rotation of most lenses used for making
spherical panoramas. See their (coming)
reference guides for installation.

SlidingCameraandLensonUpperRail

The camera is mounted to QRC-40A at the
end of upper rail. When a fisheye lens is
used, the upper rail may block significant
amo un t o f angle of view of l ens. To
overcome this issue, a lens ring mount,
which is mounted on the upper rotator QR
clamp directly, can be used. Alternatively a
spacer can be mounted to the QRC-40A to
allow it slide along the upper rail.

Nadir adapter allows user to quickly swing
out the lens and camera for an unobstructed
nadi r view. See its (coming) reference
guides for instruction.

Upper Rail Too Long
for Fisheye Lenses

A Q RC -40B m ou nted t o QR C- 40A. A
convenient way to slide the QRC back and
forth on the rail. See its (coming) reference
guide for installation.

A 6mm thick spacer mounted to QRC-40A.
A low cost solution to slide the QRC on the
rail. See its (coming) reference guide for
installation.

QRC-40B

6mm Spacer

1

2

3