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Chain Tripods? Someone explain!


lynnwood42

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Hi, I have heard a few people mention using a small chain attached to

the bottom of your camera 'as a tripod' by standing on it to keep the

camera from moving. How EXACTLY do I make one??? Like...what are

all the materials I would need,...what size chain? Also...is there

something that would take up less space in my bag that I could use

instead of a 'chain' ........would some kind of rope or something

work instead?? Thanks for any help.

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Just a 1/4/20 bolt or eye and a bit of chain. Rope doesn't work so well as it stretches.

Light chain doesn't. Be sure you don't tighten the bolt too far, particularly if your

camera has a plastic tripod socket, or you might damage the socket or the camera's

internal components.

 

A chainpod helps a bit with constraining vertical motion but only helps a bit with

horizontal and forward and back motion, of course.

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FYI: These definitely don't work very well with front heavy lenses (ones that when attached will cause your camera to point down when the camera held by a neck strap). They are more of a training aid to unlearn the tendency to let the camera pitch downward when you depress the shutter by giving you something to pull up against.

 

It is hard to image something that would take less space and weigh less than the small brass chain designed for use on some double hung window counter weights (links are about 1/2 inch long and about 3/16 wide with a 1/16x3/8 slot made out of folded thin stock stampings). 12 feet of it piles up into something smaller than my fist and you don't need 12 feet for this application. The only properties of the chain that matter is it strong enough to not break or stretch when you pull up on it and is it smooth enough not to catch on everything.

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The bolt attatches to the chain much like the plug in your bath is fixed to the chain, you'll need a custom-made or modified link to fit into holes drilled in the bolt-head ... if you drill right through the bolt-head you could probably use a twist of strong wire. We're not talking civil engineering here, just something strong enough for the job ;-)
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this maybe out of your original question,but , lynn , guess u don't wanna carry a tripod huh?

 

instead of this chain thing, i would suggest a monopod ,it will be safer and more comfortable IMO.moreso, with big heavy telephotos.(if and when you use them)of course a stable tripod is still the best bet.. good luck ,,pc

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Unfortuately mine comes in a little leather pouch fitted with a tripod screw internally, so the fastening isn't visible to be photographed. As I mentioned above, if you can imagine the screw-head to be the plug on a chain in a bath or washhand basin, the chain needs to fit just like that.
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