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DIY: reverse-monopod

Started Jul 18, 2018 | Discussions
CheapCameraFan Regular Member • Posts: 136
DIY: reverse-monopod
3

On vacation, I'm going a few places where tripods and monopods are not allowed.  As Murphy's Law would have it, those are the places I'd most like to have a tripod or monopod.

Therefore, I decided to make a reverse-monopod for myself.

  • I bought a 1/4"-20 eye bolt to screw into the bottom of my camera.
  • I bought a 6' leash (for a small dog) to clip to the eye bolt.
  • I then stand on the other end of the leash, pulling the leash taut, and bracing my elbows against my ribcage.

In addition to circumventing the rules, it also fits in my pocket.

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Entropy512 Veteran Member • Posts: 6,016
Re: DIY: reverse-monopod

CheapCameraFan wrote:

On vacation, I'm going a few places where tripods and monopods are not allowed. As Murphy's Law would have it, those are the places I'd most like to have a tripod or monopod.

Therefore, I decided to make a reverse-monopod for myself.

  • I bought a 1/4"-20 eye bolt to screw into the bottom of my camera.
  • I bought a 6' leash (for a small dog) to clip to the eye bolt.
  • I then stand on the other end of the leash, pulling the leash taut, and bracing my elbows against my ribcage.

In addition to circumventing the rules, it also fits in my pocket.

I've seen this trick covered every few years - it works REALLY well!

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E Dinkla Senior Member • Posts: 2,613
Re: DIY: reverse-monopod
1

Entropy512 wrote:

CheapCameraFan wrote:

On vacation, I'm going a few places where tripods and monopods are not allowed. As Murphy's Law would have it, those are the places I'd most like to have a tripod or monopod.

Therefore, I decided to make a reverse-monopod for myself.

  • I bought a 1/4"-20 eye bolt to screw into the bottom of my camera.
  • I bought a 6' leash (for a small dog) to clip to the eye bolt.
  • I then stand on the other end of the leash, pulling the leash taut, and bracing my elbows against my ribcage.

In addition to circumventing the rules, it also fits in my pocket.

I've seen this trick covered every few years - it works REALLY well!

Yup, and it goes back at least a century. Chainpod etc.

http://www.pigment-print.com/Fotografica/Iskra/target0.html

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
No photographer's gear list is complete without the printer mentioned !

OP CheapCameraFan Regular Member • Posts: 136
DIY: reverse-monopod (worked well in the field)

Entropy512 wrote:

I've seen this trick covered every few years - it works REALLY well!

Having now tested it in the aforementioned museums and palaces, I am very happy with the results.  (And as E Dinkla implied, sometimes old solutions are worth revisiting.)

It did cause some security guards and museum docents to do a double-take ... until they realized that it wasn't a monopod.

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E Dinkla Senior Member • Posts: 2,613
Re: DIY: reverse-monopod (worked well in the field)

CheapCameraFan wrote:

Entropy512 wrote:

I've seen this trick covered every few years - it works REALLY well!

Having now tested it in the aforementioned museums and palaces, I am very happy with the results. (And as E Dinkla implied, sometimes old solutions are worth revisiting.)

It did cause some security guards and museum docents to do a double-take ... until they realized that it wasn't a monopod.

I used it all the time for the Iskra 6x6 folder that has no IBIS. Both folder and belt fitted in my coat pockets.

This link points to a 1938 one, there will be older versions; http://www.duto.de/kettenstativ.html

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
No photographer's gear list is complete without the printer mentioned !

HRC2016 Veteran Member • Posts: 6,874
Re: DIY: reverse-monopod (worked well in the field)

I'm going to be doing some traveling soon. Can anyone recommend a good leash to use? Lol

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HRC2016 Veteran Member • Posts: 6,874
Improvement? reverse-monopod (worked well in the field)

On my tripod quick releases I use a bolt that has a foldable d-ring.

When traveling, you could use this d-ring and put it directly into your camera's tripod socket, then clip the leash to the d -ring.

Either take the d-ring from the tripod QR plate or carry a spare.

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I believe in science, evolution and light. All opinions are my own. I'm not compensated for any of my posts. Can you honestly say that?

 HRC2016's gear list:HRC2016's gear list
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 EZ Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm 1:4.8-6.7 II Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 | C Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 +2 more
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