View Full Version : Credit Card Tripod = less than half an ounce
Just thought up this credit-card modification for a tripod for a point-and-shoot camera. It would need modification based on the weight/type of camera, including where the lens is on the camera body. Thought it might be a neat idea.
Cost = Old hotel door keys.
Weight = 0.3 ozs. (8 grams)
Time = about 20 minutes. YMMV.
Anyone know of any commercial versions of this?
What does it buy you? A proper tripod lets you aim the camera in a chosen direction. Even that little 2 oz. Jobo will do that.
Probably wont work on less-than-level surfaces... like the woods... but good thinking!
What does it buy you? A proper tripod lets you aim the camera in a chosen direction. Even that little 2 oz. Jobo will do that.
Gee, Terrapin, you didn't get up on the right side of bed or something? I put out an idea, and the first thing you can do is criticize it? Or maybe that is just the "tone" of your e-mail, and you are just being critical without criticizing?
This is the Ultra-Light hiking forum! What this buys you is a way to shave ounces on the off-occasion that you might want a tripod for a self-portrait or self-timer group shot, say like at McAfee Knob, etc. without having to buy someone else's tripod. It's cheap, it's clever, it's incredibly small in pack-size so you could carry it in a wallet, it is almost weightless, plus anyone with a pair of scissors could make one and re-use some "junk" for something more useful. Not unlike a Pepsi-can or Super-cat alky stove....
An because it is a tripod, with 3 points of contact, it will work on uneven ground, so long as it is not too uneven.
It is an idea that may need some refinement, but it is usable now.
Just thought up this credit-card modification for a tripod for a point-and-shoot camera. It would need modification based on the weight/type of camera, including where the lens is on the camera body. Thought it might be a neat idea.
Cost = Old hotel door keys.
Weight = 0.3 ozs. (8 grams)
Time = about 20 minutes. YMMV.
Anyone know of any commercial versions of this?
very clever idea, it looks a lot like the pot stand/windscreen I built for my Pepsi can stove
Gee, Terrapin, you didn't get up on the right side of bed or something? I put out an idea, and the first thing you can do is criticize it? Or maybe that is just the "tone" of your e-mail, and you are just being critical without criticizing?
I'm asking what purpose it serves. But if purpose is irrelevant, it's very clever, I suppose. ;) From the photo, your widget gets the base of the camera 1/2" or so off the ground.... but what else? I don't see where it helps to aim or stabilize the camera, which I consider to be the primary purpose of a tripod.
River Runner
02-06-2008, 17:57
I see the same sort of problems Terrapin does. Most of the small backpacking tripods have a way to attach them to a tree or fencepost or something of the sort. I've been using the Joby Gorillapod & it's really good for that. I don't see a lot of advantage over the credit card one to just balancing the camera on top of a rock or a pack or something similar.
Sorry. Nothing personal, it just doesn't seem to do what would be most useful. :(
johnny quest
02-06-2008, 18:46
br360
im the same way, always coming up with this or that gadget made out of this and that piece of junk. neat idea.
i have a question. what is the white plastic piece on the front of your camera?
fiddlehead
02-06-2008, 22:09
thanks for a great idea. It's one of the reasons i come to whiteblaze. Finding innovated hiking ideas by creative minds. YOu must have seen Lynn Wheldens' lightweight hiking video.
Obviously terrapin did not.!
Critterman
02-06-2008, 22:22
Very clever, thanks.
Gee, Terrapin, you didn't get up on the right side of bed or something? I put out an idea, and the first thing you can do is criticize it? Or maybe that is just the "tone" of your e-mail, and you are just being critical without criticizing?
This is the Ultra-Light hiking forum! What this buys you is a way to shave ounces on the off-occasion that you might want a tripod for a self-portrait or self-timer group shot, say like at McAfee Knob, etc. without having to buy someone else's tripod. It's cheap, it's clever, it's incredibly small in pack-size so you could carry it in a wallet, it is almost weightless, plus anyone with a pair of scissors could make one and re-use some "junk" for something more useful. Not unlike a Pepsi-can or Super-cat alky stove....
An because it is a tripod, with 3 points of contact, it will work on uneven ground, so long as it is not too uneven.
It is an idea that may need some refinement, but it is usable now.Bravo and thanks for sharing. Don't let a wet blanket get you down. It trips me out that someone who is not interested in a new idea wishes to become part of the discussion of it.
I'm assuming, by the shape of the cutout, That this cradle allows you to adjust the camera's pitch, ie. point it up or down, and obviously allows you to turn the camera from side to side. Therefore it does allow for some adjustment of camera angle without having to find the correct size stick or stone to prop it up if you just placed the camera directly on a rock. Not as functional as an actual tripod, but better than no tripod, and much lighter and more compact. To say it has no function would be inaccurate.
Hikerhead
02-06-2008, 22:37
Nicely done but I wouldn't bother with it. If there's a flat table to use why go thru the trouble, just sit your camera on the table. I just don't see this as being of much use out in the woods.
Bulldawg
02-06-2008, 22:38
Terrapin is soon headed to my ignore list. It grows here everyday.
Bulldawg
02-06-2008, 22:40
Just thought up this credit-card modification for a tripod for a point-and-shoot camera. It would need modification based on the weight/type of camera, including where the lens is on the camera body. Thought it might be a neat idea.
Cost = Old hotel door keys.
Weight = 0.3 ozs. (8 grams)
Time = about 20 minutes. YMMV.
Anyone know of any commercial versions of this?
I think it is a great idea. Finally something to do with all those credit card offers I get in the mail every week with a little fake card in the envelope!
Terrapin is soon headed to my ignore list. It grows here everyday.
Knock yourself out. ;)
Bulldawg
02-06-2008, 23:04
Knock yourself out. ;)
You gonna hijack this thread too terp?
Bravo and thanks for sharing. Don't let a wet blanket get you down. It trips me out that someone who is not interested in a new idea wishes to become part of the discussion of it.
Let us all Praise the Wondrous Credit Card Camera Raiser!
*%&$^#$@!+. Credit where it's due. And honest criticism where it's not. Otherwise, what the f is a "forum" for?
Let us all Praise the Wondrous Credit Card Camera Raiser!
*%&$^#$@!+. Credit where it's due. And honest criticism where it's not. Otherwise, what the f is a "forum" for?Just saying. Most seem to like it. You are right, *** is a forum for? Don't over-react. You are a big time photo buff. You would NEVER worry about trying to improvise anything with your photography set up. No problem.
I don’t see any problem with an idea being cross examined even harshly. It’s what leads to new or improved ideas.
It’s easy for an inventor to fall in love with his ideas or inventions. An injection of reality may bring him back to looking at what he has made from the outside rather then just from his point of view.
And as was pointed out, this BBS is an arena of ideas and with that concept comes debate of those ideas. This is good.
Just saying. Most seem to like it. You are right, *** is a forum for? Don't over-react. You are a big time photo buff. You would NEVER worry about trying to improvise anything with your photography set up. No problem.
I'm not much of an improviser when it comes to hiking gear or camera gear. I'd rather spend my time hiking (or taking photos) than building alky stoves and sewing Ray-way quilts.
I don't want to denigrate the many minutes of painstaking research, computer modeling, testing and refinement invested by the OP... but I'll stick with my little Jobo mini-pod for a bit longer until I hear a few field reports. ;)
You gonna hijack this thread too terp?
Put me on ignore, already. What are you waiting for?
br360
im the same way, always coming up with this or that gadget made out of this and that piece of junk. neat idea.
i have a question. what is the white plastic piece on the front of your camera?
The little white piece of plastic is the remains of a strip of silicon that had tear-out "feet" for an external hard-drive. It is backed with double-sided tape. The surface of this Canon camera is more slippery than i desire, so I affixed this strip so that I would could get a better grip on the camera, particularly when using only my right hand, such as in a self-portrait. I tried a velcro strip, but it stuck to the inside of my LowePro camera case (not altogether a bad thing, because it increased the chances my cam would stay in their if I didn't zip it shut). But I did not like the noise of "ripping" it out of the case when trying to photograph a bird or animal, so I began looking for other options. The silicon strip appeared serendipitously so I made immediate experimental use of it. I have been quite pleased.
"Cautious predictability is the hobgoblin of infertile minds." __Albert Einstein
I don’t see any problem with an idea being cross examined even harshly. It’s what leads to new or improved ideas.
It’s easy for an inventor to fall in love with his ideas or inventions. An injection of reality may bring him back to looking at what he has made from the outside rather then just from his point of view.
And as was pointed out, this BBS is an arena of ideas and with that concept comes debate of those ideas. This is good.
Bob makes a good point. Can we just talk about what to do to refine this idea, rather than get into all the flak about whether someone likes it or not. If you have something constructive to say, please contribute. If you do not like it, say why.
Creative conflict is healthy. Things improve from constructive debate, rather than doing the easy thing and being a sideline critic. How about stretching a few of those under-used neurons and make some suggestions about how it could be improved, not just voicing criticisms without conceptualizing potential uses.
Please remember that one person's useful gadget is another person's dead weight.
Furthermore, this is not something for my Nikon D70. I have a tripod for that, for when I am serious about pictures. This icredit-card tripod is something that I plan on experimenting with when I am going ultralight, and carry my point-and-shoot. And I have a small tabletop tripod affixed to my hiking pole. (I'll put in pictures tomorrow.)
Here's the Credit Card Tripod on rocks. I will point out that it took me 2-3 seconds to get this balance point. This could not be achieved with just the camera alone. Further, getting it to balance by piling rocks, placing sticks under it, etc. could be quite time-consuming.
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The third picture is the camera on "flat land, but uneven surface," in this case, in the grass. The setup could not have been simpler. Want a quick picture of you and friends in camp? Pull this out of your small camera-pouch, position your shot, place it on the ground, push self-timer, smile. Done.
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It is not perfect. When angled sideways, the camera would slip. I taped a small piece of duct tape to each of the supports, and this increased the gription quotient.
As promised, here are pics of my mini-tripod.
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This setup allows me to use the hiking pole as a mono-pod for extra stability in low-light situations. I've also extended the pole out from me for hand-held self-portraits, as Les Stroud sometimes does on Survivorman when walking and talking.
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Of course, the tripod can be removed from the pole, and the legs spread out and used like a regular tripod. It is sturdy enough to hold my Nikon D70 and a 70-30mm lens, but that is pushing it. It works great with my point and shoot.
The credit card tripod does not replace the utility of a small tripod like this, much less the rock-solid functionality of a regular tripod. However, for those who are not that "into" photography but want to have an incredibly lightweight and convenient way to temporarily set up their camera, it is a worthwhile gadget that is easily made and transported.
Dances with Mice
02-07-2008, 09:45
As promised, here are pics of my mini-tripod.
I have that gizmo too and really like it. I replaced the velcro strips with a longer piece of parachute cord so I can lash it around larger supports, like tree branches, when I want to.
johnny quest
02-07-2008, 10:11
your new pics of the credit card stand go alot further to explaining it. i like it. we called such things "field-expedient" in the Marines.
here is a pic of my walking staff's monopod-head. i jb-welded the threaded nut from an old broken tripod to the top. i cap it with a rubber chair leg when walking.
Previously I liked the idea but like some was unsure of the utility of it. The pics of it in field use really showed how well it would work. Good work, good idea, and nicely done.
Neat idea, JQ. Is that orange cord on your walking staff? I can't tell from the picture, but is it wrapped or woven onto the shaft? If it is woven, what pattern?
That would be a great way to carry some additional cordage.
johnny quest
02-07-2008, 10:50
its orange paracord. not woven, im not smart enough. its wrapped tight then tied at the bottom. in a pinch its about 20 feet of extra line.
Alligator
02-07-2008, 11:10
You could experiment with adding different length slots. This might allow better corrections for angled terrain.
johnny quest
02-07-2008, 12:02
what about this?
the dotted rectangles represent 2.5, 10 and 20 degree angles. it would be cut for the particular camera body width.
The problem arises of viewing the preview (LCD or optical, same issue) with the camera so low to the ground. Some of the Canons have tilt/swing LCDs, but most of the small, light P&S cameras don't.
Yes, JQ, that is a good idea. I tried it, and found that the camera slipped out of them, as it was difficult to get sufficient contact area on the "steps" to keep the camera from slipping out. Additionally, I found it difficult to cut the angles easily with a pair of scissors. As I was going for an expedient fix for this beta, I did not pull out my exacto knife to try and work it out.
What I was going to try was to use different lengths of slots for the front brace, as you can see in this picture. Compare the sizes of the slots on the left vs. the one slot on the right. These slots would allow angle adjustments, while still having only one simple slot for the camera body itself. I have not made those cuts and tried it because (1) I have to get some work done besides WB posts, and (2) I have some concerns that this work weaken the plastic more than is acceptable. Only an experiment will tell. About the weakness, not the work :D.
Care to try it and see how it works for you?
(all my thumbnails are clickable)
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The problem arises of viewing the preview (LCD or optical, same issue) with the camera so low to the ground. Some of the Canons have tilt/swing LCDs, but most of the small, light P&S cameras don't.
This is a good point, and it is important to understand that this is one of the sacrifices of this design. The only safeguard to this is that with a digital, one can immediately review the image to verify correct angle, etc. Of course it is possible to miss that "special moment" due to a bad angle, but that can happen anyway if one doesn't press the shutter at the opportune moment anyway.
Alligator
02-07-2008, 12:37
The problem arises of viewing the preview (LCD or optical, same issue) with the camera so low to the ground. Some of the Canons have tilt/swing LCDs, but most of the small, light P&S cameras don't.Hit the delete button and try again:-?? It's digital:).
Just to be clear, my suggestion was for side to side camera tilt though. I'm not sure if the comments following were addressing my suggestion.
well, i thought it would be a cool hack... but its really a camera raiser.
not sure i'd bother with it.
i could make my pot stand do the same thing.
what would work well is a bolt that fits into the camera fitting, attached to a length of velcro or strapping. tree, hiking poles, etc. strap would then be useful for other things.. maybe lashing the fridge to your pack? or your sleeping pad...
but i'll stick with my ultrapod. yes, its heavy by UL standards - but so am i.
OK, last one before I sign off. Rigged up Version 3. Made the part that the camera leans against more vertical, as the use of the different slots on the front brace-area allows for choosing a preferred angle. (See pics.)
The problem arises of viewing the preview (LCD or optical, same issue) with the camera so low to the ground. Some of the Canons have tilt/swing LCDs, but most of the small, light P&S cameras don't.
Here's the view from the back on version 3. You can see well enough for a snapshot.
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Here's a view of it on uneven surface. Notice the different slots that allow different angles. This turned out to be an advantage, and allowed the placement to work on this awkward location. 3294
In the end, I would use this when I am going Super UL, and DON'T plan on wanting anything more than a quick excuse for a tripod for self-portraits or long-exposure shots that is small/compact, easily used, and is virtually weightless (9 grams).
In the end, I would use this when I am going Super UL, and DON'T plan on wanting anything more than a quick excuse for a tripod for self-portraits or long-exposure shots that is small/compact, easily used, and is virtually weightless (9 grams).
leave the camera at home and you'll save even more weight. :D
leave only footprints, take only memories? or something.
cheers. have fun and put up a field test.
River Runner
02-07-2008, 18:53
The extra photos of the camera in the Tripod and the various angles it can be seated in the tripod do help visualize that it could be more helpful than a rock or backpack.
Interesting concept anyway, and good thinking.
FYI: Since my experiment with the credit-card tripod, I found the following two "mini-tripods" online.
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/16411
Of the two, the Manfrotto obviously has the most adjustability, but it weighs just under 2 ozs (50 grams).
http://www.klikk.it/
The Klikk is more suited to tabletop/flat surface use, and would not be appropriate for backcountry use. But thought you might find it of at least minimal interest.
I use one of these (http://www.rei.com/product/752027). 3 oz., $13.95 at REI. The Velcro strap is very handy.
johnny quest
02-22-2008, 08:51
i picked up a little three legged thing at the container store that broke almost immediately. dont remember the brand...european. stay away from it.