Looking for a vertical tripod adapter to shoot vertical footage. at DVinfo.net

Jeff Carrion · December 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM

We have some shoots coming up in the near future that require us to shoot vertically with our EX-1. We've been scouring the internet looking for some sort of "L" bracket or "elbow" mount tripod adapter that will allow us to flip the camera on its side and shoot vertically but haven't been able to find anything.

Any suggestions?

We have a EX-1 and Sachtler FSB-6 tripod.

Paul Kellett · December 17th, 2008, 12:57 PM

Can't be that hard to make a "L" bracket.
Put the tripod/camera plate on it so that you can attach it to the tripod then screw the bracket to the camera.

Paul.

Bill Ward · December 17th, 2008, 01:00 PM

Look for what is called a "dutch" head...it's basically two fluid heads mounted at right angles to each other. They are pretty pricey, though...

If you are doing something like a greenscreen shoot, where you need to get a full body shot of the person in a vertical format, and there's not a ton of movement, you might look at buying or renting a beefy still photography tripod that lets you tip over to full vertical.

Probably wouldn't work for a full sized camcorder, but a good medium-format still tripod would likely support an EX-1 just fine.

Greg Laves · December 17th, 2008, 01:56 PM

I think all "photo" heads have that ability. It couldn't be too hard to buy a cheaper photo head and bolt it to your video head. The photo head doesn't have to be fluid since you will be using your existing video head to control pan and tilt.

Jason Davenport · December 17th, 2008, 04:27 PM

Here's a right angle cheese plate form Filmtools for 29.95.
Mini L Cheese Plate

Or you can just go rent a Weaver Steadman 3 axis head.

Malcolm Hamilton · December 17th, 2008, 05:54 PM

I just googled "dutch" head (wasn't quite sure what I'd get), and found this Cartoni head, for cameras up to 12 lbs:

Cartoni | APDH Digi-Dutch Head | APDH | B&H Photo Video

What do people think of it? All the other dutch heads seem to be for heavier cameras, and they're much much more expensive. This one is around $500.
Cheers, Malcolm

Giroud Francois · December 17th, 2008, 06:31 PM

for less you can get the NODAL NINJA made for panoramic photography, I think you should be able to use it for that purpose
Panoramic Tripod Heads, Universal Brackets, QTVR Heads, Compact Lightweight for Amatuers and Professionals

Martin Drew · December 18th, 2008, 05:02 AM

Check out Really Right Stuff ... Your Camera Support Experts They do a lot of L-brackets for stills cameras. Some of the larger ones might work with the Ex1

M

Terje Rian · December 18th, 2008, 08:43 AM

During a recent chroma key shoot I used my Manfrotto 303 panorama head. It´s not the most suitable solution, but it did get the job done. Let me know if you find a more permanent solution. I´ll be doing more vertical chroma keying in the time to come...

-terje

Chris Li · December 18th, 2008, 11:42 AM

Jeff,
Not sure about your camera weight, but this might work:

Bogen / Manfrotto | 155 Double Ball Joint Head with 2933 Camera

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/attachmen...1&d=1229622042

Just clamp it onto a C-stand or something firm.

Chip Curry · December 19th, 2008, 06:12 PM

Just curious. What are you doing the vertical shots for? I have always though that would be a very cool way to shoot a doc or something, then mount a projector sideways.

Chris Leong · December 20th, 2008, 05:25 PM

Or if you're not adjusting your angle then any of the bigger Bogen or Gitzo stills camera heads will also work...

Jon Bickford · December 20th, 2008, 06:33 PM

the ex-1 is a light weight camera, just buy a cheap head like a bogen 501 and mount it to your plate from your other head, done. i regularly mount a 501 to my 516 with an xl-h1 which is a good bit heavier than an ex-1 and you'll also have something like fluid motion on that axis

Ed Kukla · December 22nd, 2008, 05:57 AM

you can buy a piece of angle aluminum at any yard that stocks aluminum stock. They will cut a piece to size and you can drill holes to mount.

Or just turn the camera 90 degrees on the tripod and tilt over that way. I've done that many a time for lock-off shots. With a small camera you shouldn't have too much weight problem but you might want to put a shotbag on the opposite leg for safety.

Alex Raskin · December 23rd, 2008, 01:42 AM

This is what you are looking for: L-bracket

Way overpriced... but built like a tank, very versatile, and super sturdy. I own it and I use it sometimes, and every time it performs great, whatever I throw at it. (And sometimes I do crazy custom stuff...) This is one case when I shelled out top dollars for a seemingly silly piece of gear, yet it paid off.

When you get this piece, you'll understand why other L-brackets don't work as well: this one does not flex, at all.

December 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM	#1
Jeff Carrion New Boot Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 19	Looking for a vertical tripod adapter to shoot vertical footage. We have some shoots coming up in the near future that require us to shoot vertically with our EX-1. We've been scouring the internet looking for some sort of "L" bracket or "elbow" mount tripod adapter that will allow us to flip the camera on its side and shoot vertically but haven't been able to find anything. Any suggestions? We have a EX-1 and Sachtler FSB-6 tripod. __________________ Jeff Carrion Director/Editor Midwest Outdoors Television "TV said that? Then it must be true." -Homer Simpson

December 17th, 2008, 12:57 PM	#2
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	Can't be that hard to make a "L" bracket. Put the tripod/camera plate on it so that you can attach it to the tripod then screw the bracket to the camera. Paul. __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

December 17th, 2008, 04:27 PM	#5
Jason Davenport Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 131	Here's a right angle cheese plate form Filmtools for 29.95. Mini L Cheese Plate Or you can just go rent a Weaver Steadman 3 axis head. Attached Images

December 18th, 2008, 08:43 AM	#9
Terje Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 105	During a recent chroma key shoot I used my Manfrotto 303 panorama head. It´s not the most suitable solution, but it did get the job done. Let me know if you find a more permanent solution. I´ll be doing more vertical chroma keying in the time to come... -terje __________________ Terje Rian, Creative Director www.notene.no

December 18th, 2008, 11:42 AM	#10
Chris Li Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Wash. DC area Posts: 154	Jeff, Not sure about your camera weight, but this might work: Bogen / Manfrotto \| 155 Double Ball Joint Head with 2933 Camera http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/attachmen...1&d=1229622042 Just clamp it onto a C-stand or something firm. Attached Thumbnails

December 17th, 2008, 01:00 PM	#3
Bill Ward Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 580	Look for what is called a "dutch" head...it's basically two fluid heads mounted at right angles to each other. They are pretty pricey, though... If you are doing something like a greenscreen shoot, where you need to get a full body shot of the person in a vertical format, and there's not a ton of movement, you might look at buying or renting a beefy still photography tripod that lets you tip over to full vertical. Probably wouldn't work for a full sized camcorder, but a good medium-format still tripod would likely support an EX-1 just fine.

December 17th, 2008, 01:56 PM	#4
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	I think all "photo" heads have that ability. It couldn't be too hard to buy a cheaper photo head and bolt it to your video head. The photo head doesn't have to be fluid since you will be using your existing video head to control pan and tilt.

December 17th, 2008, 05:54 PM	#6
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	I just googled "dutch" head (wasn't quite sure what I'd get), and found this Cartoni head, for cameras up to 12 lbs: Cartoni \| APDH Digi-Dutch Head \| APDH \| B&H Photo Video What do people think of it? All the other dutch heads seem to be for heavier cameras, and they're much much more expensive. This one is around $500. Cheers, Malcolm

December 17th, 2008, 06:31 PM	#7
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	for less you can get the NODAL NINJA made for panoramic photography, I think you should be able to use it for that purpose Panoramic Tripod Heads, Universal Brackets, QTVR Heads, Compact Lightweight for Amatuers and Professionals

December 18th, 2008, 05:02 AM	#8
Martin Drew Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Surrey Posts: 77	Check out Really Right Stuff ... Your Camera Support Experts They do a lot of L-brackets for stills cameras. Some of the larger ones might work with the Ex1 M

December 19th, 2008, 06:12 PM	#11
Chip Curry Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 54	Just curious. What are you doing the vertical shots for? I have always though that would be a very cool way to shoot a doc or something, then mount a projector sideways.

December 20th, 2008, 05:25 PM	#12
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Or if you're not adjusting your angle then any of the bigger Bogen or Gitzo stills camera heads will also work... __________________ "The content, not the container."

December 20th, 2008, 06:33 PM	#13
Jon Bickford Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV., Los Angeles, CA, Posts: 220	the ex-1 is a light weight camera, just buy a cheap head like a bogen 501 and mount it to your plate from your other head, done. i regularly mount a 501 to my 516 with an xl-h1 which is a good bit heavier than an ex-1 and you'll also have something like fluid motion on that axis __________________ Jon Bickford, Trepany Films San Pedro, CA Trephine001@aol.com

December 22nd, 2008, 05:57 AM	#14
Ed Kukla Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: All over, USA Posts: 512	angle aluminum you can buy a piece of angle aluminum at any yard that stocks aluminum stock. They will cut a piece to size and you can drill holes to mount. Or just turn the camera 90 degrees on the tripod and tilt over that way. I've done that many a time for lock-off shots. With a small camera you shouldn't have too much weight problem but you might want to put a shotbag on the opposite leg for safety.

December 23rd, 2008, 01:42 AM	#15
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	This is what you are looking for: L-bracket Way overpriced... but built like a tank, very versatile, and super sturdy. I own it and I use it sometimes, and every time it performs great, whatever I throw at it. (And sometimes I do crazy custom stuff...) This is one case when I shelled out top dollars for a seemingly silly piece of gear, yet it paid off. When you get this piece, you'll understand why other L-brackets don't work as well: this one does not flex, at all.