Vertical Fixed Pitch Camera Mount

adrianday

adrianday

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I really struggled to think of a thread title for this one...

I'm in the process of shooting some composite portraits on Instax film. Head to toe with five images per subject. I know it's been done to death but, hey it's keeping me amused.

The first few have highlighted a problem in as much as I'm not getting consistency - I think the set would look better if each composite were the same height (or thereabouts). Currently trying to do this handheld and it's playing havoc with my knees. There has to be an easier way.

Asides from jerry-rigging some ball head super clamps to a broom handle at specific heights, can anyone point me in the direction of a more 'elegant' solution. Struggling for the correct search words to use in a Google search.
 
Camera stand/studio stand.
I think that's the word you're looking for, but camera stands are big, heavy and expensive pro items, so hopefully there's another way.
 
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Garry Edwards said:
Camera stand
I think that's the word you're looking for, but camera stands are big, heavy and expensive pro items, so hopefully there's another way.
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I knew there'd be a proper name. Mouthwateringly expensive.

A 'camera slider' may also be an option - but again, they don't look cheap.

Thank you nevertheless.
 
Well, I did say....

I don't know where you are, but you're welcome to use the one in my own studio if it helps. I'm in Bradford.
 
A tripod with reversible (or double headed) central column would let you get all the way up from floor level to head without moving the tripod, just switching from end to end of the column. You'd have to have an independent measure to set the heights.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Well, I did say....

I don't know where you are, but you're welcome to use the one in my own studio if it helps. I'm in Bradford.
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Thanks for the offer. Unfortunately, you're a bit too far away. (I'm in Bedford.)

The engineer in me is screaming, "DIY!" I would. Only I suspect my wife would rather I did some decorating or something else incredibly boring instead.
 
chris malcolm said:
A tripod with reversible (or double headed) central column would let you get all the way up from floor level to head without moving the tripod, just switching from end to end of the column. You'd have to have an independent measure to set the heights.
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I'd originally thought about using a tripod. Dismissed it because of the length of time it'd take to adjust the tripod each time (you can reverse the column in mine but it takes an age to do, I'd also probably end up having to adjust the leg length at some stage).
 
A spring loaded pole, you can get from a builders merchants rather than the 'background pole' and add some 3rd party 'super clamps'
 
Phil V said:
A spring loaded pole, you can get from a builders merchants rather than the 'background pole' and add some 3rd party 'super clamps'
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Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure I'd get the range of extension I'm looking for. Need to go from 0.3m to about 1.6m.
 
adrianday said:
Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure I'd get the range of extension I'm looking for. Need to go from 0.3m to about 1.6m.
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Of course you could, they're floor to ceiling.
 
Phil V said:
Of course you could, they're floor to ceiling.
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Ah, now I understand. Excellent idea! Will investigate further.

Was heading off down the path of using 5 lengths of plastic pipe and a monopod head. That'd require an adaptor to be turned (not a big deal for me getting that done).

Thank you for the clarification.
 
adrianday said:
Ah, now I understand. Excellent idea! Will investigate further.

Was heading off down the path of using 5 lengths of plastic pipe and a monopod head. That'd require an adaptor to be turned (not a big deal for me getting that done).

Thank you for the clarification.
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I can't remember what they're called, so I couldn't find one to link
 
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Acrows are a lot cheaper than Manfrotto floor to ceiling post supports, although they are much heavier and more 'industrial', obviously.

Just make sure that you get ones with a suitable max height for your needs. Usually in a house, a ceiling is between 2-3metres in height dependent upon age and grandeur of the building; modern ceilings are usually around 2.2m - 2.4m

If you don't need them on a regular basis, most Tool Hire places do these for a quid or two a day.
 
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Acrows are a bit overkill for a temp camera support. The support I linked is capable of marking a ceiling, I'd hate to use an acrow in a domestic setting that I wasn't ready to redecorate.
 
Phil V said:
Acrows are a bit overkill for a temp camera support. The support I linked is capable of marking a ceiling, I'd hate to use an acrow in a domestic setting that I wasn't ready to redecorate.
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You just use a piece of wood and some cardboard to stop any damage.
Though I agree, it is a bit of overkill!
Cost is good and you can use it again if your house is falling down :)
 
I'd be tempted by a 2 metre vertically mounted glide track, as used and loved by DSLR videographers. Mark the track with a permanent market at the required heights and use the clamp on the track head to hold it at the marks. Not a cheap solution but accurate and provides repeatability between shoots, just needs some temorary support, maybe a Workmate bench or weighted light stand.
 
Just wanted to say thanks for all of the suggestions. Even though I've seen Acrow props and telescopic rods used countless times for building work, it didn't even cross my mind to consider them. I was fixated on a sturdy version of a light stand. And to think, I used to call myself an engineer :eek:

Unfortunately, my plan isn't going to work out. Played around yesterday with a light stand with predefined marks on to set a consistent height and quickly discovered that not all people are created equal. Short people (you know who you are) mess everything up. After several wasted packs of film, I've settled on framing around the subject. Hand holding also allows for slight angular and horizontal displacement - I think this may add to the overall aesthetic.

I'll post the finished results to the forum when I'm done just in case you're curious.
 
adrianday said:
Just wanted to say thanks for all of the suggestions. Even though I've seen Acrow props and telescopic rods used countless times for building work, it didn't even cross my mind to consider them. I was fixated on a sturdy version of a light stand. And to think, I used to call myself an engineer :eek:

Unfortunately, my plan isn't going to work out. Played around yesterday with a light stand with predefined marks on to set a consistent height and quickly discovered that not all people are created equal. Short people (you know who you are) mess everything up. After several wasted packs of film, I've settled on framing around the subject. Hand holding also allows for slight angular and horizontal displacement - I think this may add to the overall aesthetic.

I'll post the finished results to the forum when I'm done just in case you're curious.
Click to expand...

The obvious solution is to move the person and fix the camera in place.
 
kendo1 said:
The obvious solution is to move the person and fix the camera in place.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know where I can get a small hydraulic scissor platform, about 0.5m square with a minimum lift height of about 2m and capacity of at least 100kg? Oh, yes, and five tea chests for me to stand on. ;)
 
adrianday said:
Does anyone know where I can get a small hydraulic scissor platform, about 0.5m square with a minimum lift height of about 2m and capacity of at least 100kg? Oh, yes, and five tea chests for me to stand on. ;)
Click to expand...
HSS


:)
 
Manfrotto produces a light-stand with a long centre column on a wheel-base. The mount is pistol-grip operated, as mini-mini-boom. 231 is the number, iirc.
 
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