Camera mounted on extension pole

[alibbyphoto]

I am shooting an event where I need to mount my camera (Canon 5D) on an

extension pole (about 10 feet). I've been looking all over the place for

instructions on how to mount the camera and can't find anything. Suggestions?

[todd peach seattle, washi]

If you need more than a monopod and a ballhead can deliver (I've used these for a 'hail mary' before), then I'd look at Bogen / Manfrotto gaffer/grip gear. If you're in a metro area, you may be able to rent.

[conraderb]

Annie - it ain't hard to do. you could find a monopod and attach it with the proprietary quick release plate.

 

OR just find anything that has a 1/4 inch threaded head and put camera on top. I recommend using gaffer's tape to tape it on and keep it from rotating around.

 

to trigger the camera, buy a remote trigger and tape that along the length of the pole to your hand.

[alibbyphoto]

I probably need to add more information. I am both the photographer and participant to this event (a dinner event) so I was going to mount the camera on the pole and secure it to the wall using a suction cup or maybe a clamp hooked to the molding above the door. The camera will have a TC-80N3 remote timer on it set to interval bracketing (every few minutes or so) so I can join the group. If I can mount the camera just above 10 feet I will okay.

 

I'll look at the Bogen/Manfrotto lineup and see what products they have. Thanks

[stephen hazelton]

I remember seeing ads for a solution in one of the photo mags. The setup they had hoisted the camera on a pole, and had a video camera attached to the still camera for composition (this was film days, perhaps). I'm not sure whot that company was. But doing some googling, I come up with the following links:

 

http://www.elevatedphotos.com/

 

http://www.photo-towers.com/

 

http://www.floatograph.com/

 

http://www.studio1productions.com/skypod.htm

 

http://www.innovisionoptics.com/prod/birds_eye.shtml

 

http://larrylohrman.wordpress.com/tag/aerial-photos/

 

The first three are companies making elevated mast systems. These may be major overkill for what you're doing. The 4th and 5th are mast systems that may be more applicable to video application. (The skypod may be the ad I'm remembering, too). The last link discusses several different systems. (You can also get balloons in action on this.)

[kiva]

Home Grown Method:

 

Stand on chair (or some safe item close by) if possible; camera is on your tripod which is extended as far as possible; manual mode & set exposure; manual focus to your target and use appropriate aperture setting for your situation (zone focus?); set camera to timers' longest period (10 seconds?); lift tripod over your head and lift it as high as needed which should be well over 10 feet off the ground at this point.

 

If you set your camera in a wide angle then you're pretty sure to get your capture. Movement might be a concern so use as fast a shutter speed as possible.

[NK Guy]

I've used window-washing poles, light stands for studio flash gear and other odds and ends

to mount cameras. Works fine - just some fiddling around making custom connectors.

 

In your case, though, I'd probably buy a Manfrotto Super Clamp with a small ballhead and

clamp the camera to the door itself. Stand on a chair to get the camera lined up right, and off

you go. No making of custom fiddly connectors required!

[marcsaint]

Keep safety in mind also -- a couple pounds of camera falling from 10+ feet is enough to wreck someone's day, not to mention the camera. A secondary attachment point (gaffer's tape, chain, bike cable, etc) can be a life saver.

[dave_powell2]

A tad off topic, but I once stumbled across a rather unusual technique on one real-estate photographer's site. He's adapted a model helicopter to carry his camera as high as he wants, for remote aiming and triggering.

 

Dave

[alibbyphoto]

I appreciate everyone's help on this. I decided to ditch the extension pole idea as I don't

have a good way of securing it to anything (remember, I also need to be in the

photograph). What I am going to do is use a c-clamp attached to the large moulding above

the entryway and then attach my camera (on a ball head) with a bogen super clamp

attached to the c-clamp. Why? Well, the moulding is thicker than the super clamp will open

so I need a larger clamp.

 

I'll have to be extra careful not to scuff the buildings moulding as well as be concerned

about safety. The moulding is about 10 feet high and since I have access to the room

before the event I have plenty of time to do test shots. Basically, I need to capture about

15 people around a large table at a distance between 4' to 14'

[jeff_helm]

I think someone eluded to it earlier, but I've got a modified screw on top of a manfrotto light stand that I've used for some older novatron heads. You could do the same with your camera since the light stand is ready for this work (kind-of)