How to Suspend Camera Overhead to Film From Above?

I would like to record with Canon Rebel, but I want to be able to film myself as I work at my table. That means

I need to be able to film very clearly from overhead. Does anyone know the best way to suspend my camera from

above so that I'm able to get clear footage of my hands as I work at my table?

<p>There's a variety of clamps that can be bought at any photo supply store. You have to find something above to attach the clamps to. Without something above for attachment, you need a stand and a boom, it will be fairly large and expensive. You may be able to rent the equipment in a major city. If you need to control the shutter remotely, there are Canon products and slave setups from companies like Pocket Wizard.</p>

<p>Agree that a sturdy stand and boom arm is the approach - but we don't have nearly enough to go on, here. How much room do you have to work? How high will the camera need to be, and how much reach will it need to be out and over your set?<br /><br />Here's the thing: even tiny vibrations will be hugely magnified when the camera is out on any sort of boom or pole - that's why hardware that does it right is usually heavy and not particularly cheap. It's a laws of physics thing.<br /><br />But you might also consider home-brewing something ... like mounting the camera on a superclamp clamped onto, say, a piece of heavy horizontal pipe (like you'd get from the plumbing department) mounted across anything from some book shelves to wall brackets. It's really hard to recommend a specific recipe without knowing more about your actual circumstances.</p>

<p>Have you thought about putting a mirror of some sort above you at a 45 degree angle and film/focus the mirror?</p>

<p>Depends how simple you want to keep it. The first thing I would try is some sticky velcro on the ceiling. If that works you're done, if not then let it get more complicated. </p>

<p>Depends on how stout your table is but I've simply used a fully-extended tripod on the table to shoot down at a seated subject at work.</p>

I'd never attach it with velcro, but I'm open to any recommendations regarding a tripod or something similar?

 

My table is a standard desk table. I'd like to be able to film myself, so I would really appreciate any recommendations

that allow me to execute it on my own?

 

Also, I have a bookcase nearby, but that's it - no overhead plumbing or anything. I actually considered using a tripod

placed on the table before, but I worried that the tripod would fall over somehow from the weight. Any ideas on how to

avoid this while using a tripod?

 

Thank you all for your advice, I appreciate it.

<p>You can use a simple home-made sandbag or other weights to weigh down and stabilize the tripod. Could be as simple as a couple of water jugs and bungee cords.</p>

<p>Just for the record, from 3M patents ...</p>

<p>Regular Velcro: 3.6 psi shear strength, 2 psi tensile strength<br />Industrial Velcro: 50.0 psi shear strength, 8 psi tensile strength<br />3M Dual Lock: 27.0 psi shear strength, 14 psi tensile strength.</p>

<p>At my factory we mount a lot of temporary devices to walls and ceilings using mostly the <em>Industrial</em> for wall mounts (shear pulls are impt.) or <em>Dual Lock</em> for ceiling mounts (tensile pulls are impt.) The butyl or other types of adhesives on the backs are many times stronger than the pull strength of the velcro itself.</p>

<p>Good sense obviously says not to mount stuff overhead that may fall onto a person. But having perhaps 4 square inches of Dual Lock installed would result in being able to suspend a design limit of 56 pounds overhead. I'd have no qualms about mounting a 5 pound camera rig.</p>

<p>Now, how would I do this on the cheap? Visit Home Depot, etc...<br /> Get a pipe flange.<br /> Bolt this to the wall:<br /> <img src="http://upload.ecvv.com/upload/Product/20128/China_Threaded_flange201288342087.jpg" alt="" width="839" height="675" /><br /> Get a pipe nipple to fit the flange.<br /> Screw in the appropriate length pipe nipple to suit your needs.<br /> Get this Manfrotto clamp from a camera store:<br /> <img src="http://www.adorama.com/images/300x300/BG2900.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><br /> <a href="http://www.adorama.com/images/300x300/BG2900.jpg">http://www.adorama.com/images/300x300/BG2900.jpg</a></p>

<p>Attach clamp to pipe and camera.</p>

<p>Go to town taking pics/movies/etc.<br /> Jim</p>

<p> </p>

Depending on the room and furniture setup, a pair or so of pipe clamps can be obtained very inexpensively from a

hardware store which together with a Manfrotto clamp can work wonders. Also a ratcheting cargo bar for the back of

pickups can be used to span a wide gap.<div></div>

Ratcheting cargo bar in doorway<div></div>

<p>How directly overhead does it really need to be? If you're seated at a table, just about any tripod would allow the camera to shoot over your shoulder. If you're under a drop ceiling, Lowel makes a scissors clamp that attatches to the metal grid and can be adapted to hold a lighting unit or lightweight camera. The Bogen clamps others have shown can attach to lots of things. If you do hang it from overhead rather than on a tripod, attach the stap around whatever you're hanging it from so it acts as a safety cable. That will save both you and the camera if the clamp slips.</p>

<p>A boom stand is probably your best bet though they are not cheap, not good and sturdy ones at least. You will also need one which can be counterbalanced with weights. The ones that I use for stupdio lights have bags which hang on the end and I fill them with ballast rocks I got on some RR tracks. Mine have threaded tips which enable me to screw in a tripod head if I so chose</p>