no tripod needed! [Cheap image stabilizer]
 

Nice idea for those who are thinking of taking a tripod but don't know where to put it or have to skimp on wheight !
Don't know about the results but keep us informed.

found thru Make.com and Metacafe.com

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/1041...the_tripod.swf

Brilliant!
 

and I can improve on it! (just)

Make a BIG loop on the base instead of a washer and step into the loop... that way you get the same effect and save even MORE weight. ( washer not needed then)

Just remember that you have to pull UP on the Camera slightly!

Thanks for posting that, its a good, Money & Weight saving Idea :thumbup1:

Martyn

Excellent tips, thanks for sharing.:thumbup1:

Hi Bart,

what a simple and effective idea!

Thanks for posting.

And for those without a tripod screw on the bottom of their cameras you can do much the same with a wrist strap at the top end (round your wrist of course).

I've got a not quite as cheap and not quite as small solution to the tripod dilemma, it's one of those colapsible walking poles, but the handle unscrews to reveal a screw for your camera.

sorry but...
 

what a load of tosh. All very well if you are looking at slowish shutter speeds but I can hand hold without support to a 1/15th on some cameras without shake and blur. IMHO pointless and useless. Better to spend time learning the techniques that reduce camera shake, like gently taking in a breath and then holding, keeping elbows in etc etc.
The whole point of a tripod is to take long exposures that are steady and useable - anything up to minutes and even hours. If those are the kind of pictures you want, then there's no substitute for a tripod and a solid head.

I can't think of any situation in the last 20 years where I'd have used this. Sorry, and I know I'm pouring cold water on this but somebody had to.

I can use a tripod to put me and the bike in the photo .. with on one else around! Sometimes you cannot find a spot to put the cammera .. nor any other person.

Mornin' Chaps & Chapesses,

I always take my tripod with me, when expecting to take slow exposure shots, and also have a minature one for self portraits. A monopod is invaluable at airshows etc.

A mate of mine has had trouble in taking freehand panning shots, for some time, as he has a muscle condition that causes his hands to shake. He experimented with this string trick and it worked! I was surprised when I saw his shots.

I reckon any experienced 'tog would find the idea not to be of use but for a beginner, on a budget, it can't do any harm but to try it.

I agree that with practise most people can take handheld shots easily, and the use of pausing your breath (as when shooting a rifle), transforms results.

Has anyone else actually tried it?

Agreed,
I wouldn't burn my wooden manfrotto for this but it's a quick aid for those who are just able to carry (or operate)a small digicam (photo or film). It can help making the difference between a-nice-try-snapshot and a good holiday impression.
Not everybody is carrying a complete photostudio on their travels for various reasons (space, cash, skills) but I agree a nice telescopic monopod and a small flexible tabletop-tripod would be a bare minimum if you want to be a bit more flexible in using your equipment to the best.

BTW I once replied on another thread on this forum with some more DIY camera fixations.

The DIY plastic bottle cap tripod
put some water/sand/cola in the bottle and presto!
http://www.jakeludington.com/images/...ounted.v15.jpg


based on a gadget on this japanese site
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...nc_1983_552987
Which btw has some more easy to reproduce gadgets


cheers

Ultrapod II
 

If weight and cost prohibit a full-sized tripod have a look at one of these:
Campmor: Ultrapod II

I've taken over 6000 photos in the last 4 yerars of traveling giving this a good workout.

It weigh's only 120 Grams!!!!!! the great thing about it is you can very quicly strap it to a fence post, stick, bike whatever to get a higher vantage. it's not flimsy like a lot of other mini tripods. I've used mine with a 35mm slr with 300mm lense no problem. Some good sized outdoor shops and photo shops in the Uk for less than a tenner

Worth a look

easy cowboys !

No offence taken.
Maybe I should have used a different title like "when no tripod at hand" to grab your attention and trigger your imagination with a simple solution and some creative thinking.

Some of the replies on the makezine.com: MAKE: Technology on Your Time are about the use(fullness) of this trick and some backgroud info.
cheers

im no photographer, so please dont give me a hard time either!!

my friend is though, and he has a tilt/pan wotsit from the top of an old tripod screwed to a RAM mount ball and put on his bike. when the scenery gets too much for him he stops for a few pics. with the engine off and bike on the stand, its solid as a rock. a quarter ton tripod, if you like.
also the RAM ball goes in the top of his hiking stick to make a handy monopod.

blimey
 

You've turned what I considered to be a reasonable response to what i thought was a slightly naff idea, into your own rant! Unlike you I'm not bragging, just explaining what is possible if you want to use and practice a technique or two. I also said that for long exposures there is no substitute for a tripod, however you care to describe it - you can use bean bags, the bonnet of your car or whatever. But not a piece of string. It happens to be true.

Can't believe the anger flying around, bad for the blood pressure.

jljones.

We all agree the technique is not a replacement for a tripod, and that it's application/usefullnes is limited, but still it's a techneique, and something than can be used if little/nothing else is available. To say that it's "IMHO pointless and useless." perhaps a bit strong, (to credit you, you did say "IMHO") and i think that's where Martyn was coming from, yeah?

maybe...
 

I was careful to preface my 'pointless and useless' with IMHO. My opinion, not his, yours or anyone else's, just mine, based on years of making films and taking pictures. Not too sure that this is grounds for references to my shit not smelling and the rest of it.

Chacun a son gout...

now whos bragging?
 

And thats NOT bragging then? :confused1:

Stevesawol, Yes, you were spot on!:thumbup1:

Martyn

where's the bragging?
 

Just for your information, this is just one dictionary definition of opinion:

'a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.'

So what I said is my personal view. Based on my experience clearly as that is what an opinion is.

Enough already

Hi Chaps & Chapesses,

it looks like some of our friends replies haven't been as polite as usual. Come on guys just go with the flow and chill out and allow everyone to have an opinion.

Happy tog's take great photo's!

FAO jljones
 

jljones.... sorry I attacked you Dude. Your entitled to your Opinion, as am I.

Had a bad day. :innocent:


Martyn

i love a good rant,

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

if you children have calmed down.......
i thought this could could be one of those bizarre ideas that fall into the "look like a knob, but it works" categories. so i gave it a go, after all, its a bit of string and a screw so whats stopping you?
as i said before, im no photographer, ive only got a compact 7MP snapper not a massive SLR. when taking ordinary pics there wasnt much difference because its quite easy to stand still and snap away.
there was an improvement when using the zoom because these little cameras these days have big zooms, and they are impossible to hold still.
the best improvement was in video, or MP4. the camera was much steadier and i didnt get that annoying 'youve been framed' shake, much clearer picture.

so yes, it does work a bit, its not a daft idea and well worth remembering if you do forget your tripod one day.

now, for the important thing- where can i buy a pair of those fantastic spangly gold photography shoes? haven't seen them down jessops lately.......

i know it works.........
 

\
I know it works because...........
Because within 1 minute of Sophie posting that I had got some string & tried it! ( my camera is on the desk next to the computer, with screw in bottom as it has just been removed from my 'on bike' mount) I was suprised at how steady it made it as you say, better in video than in Pics, but i didnt find the video out till next days experiments.

Martyn

slight delay...
 

in replying as I'm still enjoying my football club's win last night. Lines have been drawn, time to move on and in the interests of science, I've tried the 'string-driven-thing' and unlike previous posters didn't get on with it. But then again I've just supplemented my film gear with a new Nikon D3. Just before Christmas I took pictures of English folk singer Kate Rusby on an 80-200mm f2,8 sometimes at 12,800 asa equivalent, shooting at f4, 200th of a sec. hand held - wouldn't have been possible with another camera IMHO. Please, I'm not bragging :) and happy to post examples

Has the squabbling now stopped?, Sophie, where can I obtain a piece of that stiff string to stand my camera on. Thanks.

try...
 

the Manfrotto shop, or better still, the Gitzo shop - they make the best carbon fibre string I've used and what's more you can stuff them into small nooks and crannies in the car - and they do smaller string for bikes too. :)

Ahh, see there is a use to it after all, and then when shooting handheld video... after all you may not be able to hold your breath for that long.

May I add that I don't usually have problems with my hands shaking under normal conditions, however if you have ridden a motorcycle for a few hours (or days) in freezing or near freezing temps, you know your entire body shakes. THIS has affected the quality of some of my shots.

Now excuse me, I am going to go get some string. And a little screw.

Jeff

This is a great idea for us non-pro's out there, especially for taking video. Jeff makes a great point about shaking hands after being exposed for long periods of time to cold, rain snow or a KTM's handel bars ;)
Nice response there JLJones...i'm sure you make lots of friends everywhere you go. Keep up the good work.

currently making an ad in Mexico
 

and so far made lots of friends with some truly wonderful people.

Back to Blighty tomorrow.

I cant believe this tread has gone on for so long.. it is a simple trick (and yes works for pros in a pinch (or up a tree) too... ). But it is not worth this kinda passion or post count????

My Motopod
 

Here is my version of that rig. I set this up for a trip from Colorado to Banff and got some great photos using this "motopod." YMMV.

RAM ball mount attached to Hepco & Becker Top Box. RAM 1/4-20 ball attached to bottom of DSLR. Take the DSLR out of the top box, place on the RAM mount and you've got an instant "ball head" style of tripod, that you can level, no matter the angle of the bike or top box. Put the camera on self timer and you can get yourself in the photo. With wide angle lens, you can also get the motorcycle into the picture, to "tell a story" with your photos, as Grant always recommends.

http://f-rider.smugmug.com/photos/93285795_TVhdE-M.jpg http://f-rider.smugmug.com/photos/93286024_2vFnR-S.jpg http://f-rider.smugmug.com/photos/93286287_Lm3ZU-S.jpg

May I suggest a cheap, light-weight tripod with a hook to hang a weight onto - a daypack, a large water bottle, a carrier bag with some stones in, etc? It will give access to ALL of a cameras features, unlike the string and breath control techniques. After all, you paid for them.:(

Just found this, which explains it perfectly! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...raveller-32905

Just found this thread - sad to read about the vulgarity of some :( (never a mod around when you need one!)

Here is a light weight and relatively cheap solution which has not, as yet, been mentioned.
The Gorillapod

weighs very little and clamps on just about anything it can get its legs around. (:nono:smutty comments please)

Here is a full review i did on this
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...slr-zoom-33868

gorillapods
 

we all had a laugh at work when we saw the gorillapod in a photomag, not because its no good, on the contrary, its a top idea, but because of what its made of!

i can imagine it now, some guy is beavering away at work mulling over his tripod problem and suddenly, eureka! its been staring (and squirting) him in the face all the time!
do you realise this segmented tube is the stuff you get on lathes to pump coolant onto the cutting tool?

Cromwell Industrial Tools UK: Kennedy Industrial : TUBE SEGMENT GREY 2x5.1/2"x1/4" BORE : KEN-447-1210K

i bet the factory had a few lengths go 'walkabout' while it was being developed!
well done that man, many a homer has been made with stuff liberated from work

I have no doubt that that is how it started that or a rubik's snake... the actual commercial version is a bit better then the lathe tube (and the zoom version is much bigger too).. But yeah.. thinking ou tof the box made some one rich!

Tripod type thingie!
 

7dayshop.com - Online Store

Fits on most screens too!

Just another idea................

Fill a small plastic bag with rice. Make it feel like those bean bags you played with at school....I am 50 and still remember, so you should. Tie a knot in the neck to keep the rice in.

I then put the plastic bag in a small fabric bag.

The bag can sit on posts, rocks, fences, any uneven surface and you can use the self timer to take pics of yourself or anything else.

When you get desparate...eat the rice.

Everything you carry must have at least 2 uses...it is the bikers rule.

Steve