Tall Tripod in-do-it-yourself
As before, I still have the dream of an aerial photograph. An airplane, I can not afford, not rent. So had to serve other substitutes. Recording with a dragon, I soon rejected (or provisional). Too much depends on the wind and a suspension of the camera (Picardsysten) and a remote control would be quite costly. One use of helium balloons, I also pursued no further, because too many disadvantages of this technique. First, it requires an absolute calm, the helium gas is very expensive and carry the balloon in the full or half empty state is hardly possible. Remained so for the first time only with the use of a tall tripod. This was for me to start with not even so bad. I gained experience and had an introduction to this technology at a reasonable price.
On probing of the market, I quickly realized that professional equipment were located far in a high four-digit range, so a purchase was eliminated by reason of price. I had to do manually. The solutions offered on the Internet to an enthusiastic self'm not particularly, it was all - occur without the person too close - too much at home in a Tinker-solution. Yo-yo or roulette, I finally wanted not to play with my high quality camera!
My basis was to build a tall tripod reliable, stable and robust, it should be as well. As the material I chose aluminum. In fiberglass, plastic or plastic, I saw not one given to high robustness over. Although this material by weight is very light, but a robust and sturdy construction ensures it is not, at least not for the height of about 8 meters, which I aspired.
As clear as height and material, I was also clear the system and it should be a telescope system. The main difficulty here, however, was to build the system so that individual elements were locked in their end stop so that an inadvertent slip out was impossible. NO, this was done completely in any case, not even once Imagine: you have already extended the system to six meters high and the last item you tube slips out of the bottom end stop for lack of a tube out ....., was for the camera `s that then well and she now lives in the realm of Nirvana.
It was quickly clear to me that such a locking of aluminium tubes is very complicated and expensive. For a long time I had no idea how this could be best achieved. Finally I solved the problem using one inside the pipes running through 3-mm polyester rope, which in each case at the lowest point, was linked as well at the highest point of the individual tubular elements. But be careful: you must secure each tube separately, otherwise we might not fully extended above a tube element eventually happen but the fatal.
Securing the best to do that by inserting each one stop short with central hole in the individual tubes and pinned them firmly with the individual tubular elements. The nodes are then very close regarding lock applied to the stop short. The safe sliding the tube towards the end, up or down is ensured no matter how far the tube elements are moved out.
Enough of the introduction and preface, now to the individual parts.
Tall tripod
Fully extended to reach a height of about 7.8 meters.
Aluminum tubes
Needed are aluminum tubes, in ascending sizes from 20 to 50 mm in diameter or larger, depending on what level you seek. You should from the outset also be aware that your height rutted tall tripod later to once have. 1-meter pipes may, for a later shipment to be sent and handy, but remember you lose, for a secure grip of tubular element to element, you tube about 20 cm in length! So you have only 80 cm available. To reach 8 m, so you need 10 pipe elements and since the story has a bit shaky. I bet on stability and robustness and handiness of transport stand back and used a length of 150 cm per tube element. I can recommend this only!
Do not go out into the enormous height of the tripod. 8 meter height of the tripod are already huge and barely controllable. Even higher for me was never an intention, because I'd rather give myself satisfied with a lower level and it can also control the amount still good. At even higher altitudes, I see danger for a secure footing with straps I want to work no more. I think you will agree with the latest, if you have worked even once with a tall tripod.
However, I must say that I have received, the illustrated clamp already slotted pipes ready. Ground and cause were that I found a dealer who would sell me such a small amount of tubes. I also noticed that the price was almost the same as if I would have bought the pipes raw. On the processing of the slotted pipes but I was a bit disappointed. The included star grips for clamping the tube elements were designed to operate in practice is simply too weak and incompetent, so I replaced them with stronger and more handy thumb screws. http://www.ganter-griff.de/?cmd=normblatt&guid=c99c979a-0bfc-44be-a7ba-919600b8a46d&LCID=1031&pageID=14
Aluminum tubes with thumbscrews
Belt tensioner
A tall tripod should already be very stable. The "conventional normal" outstretched tripods stand types like this in order to be sure, but with a tall tripod fully extended, I have my doubts on this already. To further my resolve to remain faithful to robustness and stability, I chose the form of means of anchor straps.
To obtain a secure clamping point, I then made a flange on the lathe, I could put up on the bottom standpipe. The straps are fitted with a ratchet, so that a steady tension is possible without the strain could solve by themselves. To avoid a possible slipping of the lower pipe element on the ground, is located at the bottom of the front of the bottom tube a screw-plate stand (ground clamp) with four embedded 40 mm thorns of V2A steel. When tightening the straps is then expressed the spike plate in the ground and really is a pillar of the tripod in addition to a proper footing slip.
Belt tensioner with ratchet
Ground clamp
Ground anchor
Simple tent pegs for driving - even wider range and more robust - I concluded immediately. Ultimately, the stand was supposed to be stable and sturdy. Too easily, a fully turned on belt tension tent hooks slip out again from the ground and the risk that one of the curious onlookers stumbling over the guy belts is also quite large, because the view is mostly directed at the top only to the camera.
At a trade fair on the Tourism exhibition CMT I saw ground anchor from aluminum in a kind of coarse screw, about 30 cm long and fitted with a hexagonal top. I was immediately clear that this form fully to my concerns and desired application best corresponded and decided to make a purchase. Today I can say that this solution has proven highly effective.
If it still happens that I should work with the tall tripod in a larger hall or a building, so I still have an old very robust Gitzo-tripod where I can take out the middle plate. As a new replacement part I have adjusted the tripod, then a flange produced, capable of seating tightened the lower column of the tall tripod and tripod. The legs of the Gitzo-tripod I then fully outstretched, and I drive the tall tripod are not making full stops. As additional security, I'm still hung up a heavy weight in the center of the Gitzo-tripod.
Ground anchor
The massive anchors are screwed in using a wrench into the ground.
Ground anchor
The painted in red anchors (screw heads) are used to the screw anchor rapidly in soil and grass to be found again.
Stand base
I wanted to be dependent not only on the possibility of using anchor straps and ground anchors, and built me a rack device, where I could pollute the foot pipes with the weight of my car. On the stand is not much to say. On a welded one piece of flat material is the mounted on which the mounting tube is attached to the tall tripod. Thus, the intake pipe is tightly it is locked down at the tail with three thumbscrews.
It's best to have a look at the picture shown here.
Stand base
Due to the weight of the car, the tall tripod is very stable.
Tilting head for tripod
Here I decided to make a complete system in the swivel range of 360 degrees (price about 189, - €). A building by means of a remote control, as it is available in the model would be with server control motors of the costs have become as expensive, even were the work involved in the construction of the two pivot axes have been very costly. Although located at my selected pan and tilt system no control over radio, but this is not absolutely essential, it is controlled by cable. The camera itself I solve out by radio. If you have no radio triggers, so you can still make the release on cable. A wireless trigger is a bit delicate, but also succeed shots where you want to get yourself on the picture!
I know your question is you long on the tongue: I see what I shoot when the camera is in such high altitude, the viewfinder I can see there is no longer up. In fact, this is a very important point in photography with a tall tripod.
The most widely used technology is a wireless camera. I decided on a mini-camera with a separate LCD monitor. You have probably still the objection that you see in the image transmitted to the wireless camera and the same as in the later generated image. Hmm all a question of adjustment of the wireless camera, for sure, the angle of the digital camera does not quite match the picture shown, the mini camera on the monitor! You can even make matching masks and put them in front of the lens then the wireless camera. Even if the picture is not completely the same, if you target the wireless camera centered on the imaging center of their digital camera, so the center of the viewfinder of the digital camera is concerned, it is sufficient that completely. At least you know where you avoid taking pictures and random results.
All in all, I have an absolutely robust system usable with my tall tripod that can easily compete with professional solutions, solid, stable and sturdy.
Remote Control
The mounted eletric Remote Control Basic can swivel around 360 degrees and plus / minus 15 degrees tilt. This will not always enough when you tilt eg 45 °, so the mech. tripod still running for something in between 'inclination to give.
Demonstration image with and without tall tripod
with tall tripod = mit Hochstativ ;without tall tripod = ohne Hochstativ
