How are you mounting the camera on DIY stuff?

[omar_]

Hi guys, sorry. I've tried searching but I'm not understanding how everyone is actually mounting the camera on their DIY stuff like fig rigs and shoulder mounts. Everyone leaves those instructions out.

I guess you need to mount it on some type of tripod head but then how are you getting the tripod head attached to your DIY item?

Thanks!!!

 

[Forrest Schultz]

all the mount is on your camera is a hole with a specific thread size for a bolt to screw in. thats it. not too complicated. im guessing most the mounts are just a flat peice of material with a bolt that slides through and threads into your camera to hold it down tight. you dont need anything fancy.

 

[omar_]

I see what you mean but I know with the tripod head you have that separate piece from the tripod head that locks into the bottom of the camera using the screw and then you manually place the camera on the head and lock it again.

So how would yo actually get the screw into the camera if you just have a screw sticking out of a DIY item. You wouldn't twist the camera around right

 

[snodart]

It all depends on the DIY item, but all you really need is a bolt and maybe some washers. Just tighten the bolt into the camera (don't need to spin camera). My DIY equipment pages show some pics of the bolt in use http://snodart.com/hbe.php. Most fluid heads also have a threaded hole in the bottom that works the same way (might need a larger bolt though).

The top of my custom heavy duty tripod.

The camera end of my jib/crane.

 

[Drinkstoremember]

On one of the threads in here somewhere, I can't it now but when I do i'll link it. But, it was all the quick release assemblies that manfrotto sells. there are also some real cheap quick release assemblies you can get. However, I'm probobaly going with something like this for my DIY rigs,

the Manfrotto 577


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=3&mnp=0.0&mxp=0.0&shs=&ci=4926&ac=&Submit.x=25&Submit.y=7&Submit=Go

 

[twocik23]

Snodart what is this housing you used around the bearing in this pic.

 

[kevlar]

Omar, I have built several DIY jibs, steadycam and dollys. I attach the camera to a wooden plate with a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of it. Place a 1/4" bolt with a wingnut in reverse on it through that hole and carfully thread your camera on the bolt. When it gets a little bit threaded, finish tightening the whole thing by bringing up the wingnut snug to the underside of the plate. Presto. This assumes of course that your plate is attached to some kind of DIY device, heh.

Sorry about the picture quality but here is a picture of one of my bolts with reverse wingnuts. The camera would thread onto this "plate."

 

[MattinSTL]

The cheapest adapter plate is the Manfrotto 3273. It's $40

The 577 is better, but it's $10 more for a total of $50... but the 577 plate fits the 501-503 series heads.

I have both, they both work... for the solution it's cheap. Especially on things like figrigs the ability to slide the camera back and forth over a sweep of a couple inches is very beneficial.