Articulated camera stand/mount - advice please

[superpippo]

Friends of mine wish to catalogue a set of prints varying in size from small to A3, with a few larger than that. They wish to set the print flat on a table and photo from above with either a smartphone or small compact. They have been looking at YouTube and seen this sort of thing

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43FmiRYnwRc


but they are not sure if they have the skills or patience to copy that.

I don't know whether something like this would work https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-...era+stand&qid=1578678317&s=electronics&sr=1-3

but I can't see how it fixes to the table.

There are other cheap things online and as long as they do the job that would be ok - it is not a long term thing.

I have a decent Manfrotto tripod that I could loan to them but it does not have a horizontal arm. Are there boom arms that would fit and extend over a table?

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of equipment to do this sort of thing?

 

[sirch]

Can you reverse the column (or the legs) on your tripod so that you can hang the camera underneath it ?

Could the prints be stood up or attached to a wall?

If you can get enough light (day time by a large window) then you could put the print on the floor and hand-hold the camera or use flash.

 

[superpippo]

Thanks Chris @sirch
Not sure about the first point. Will have a look

I have suggested standing or fixing to wall and using tripod normally but some of the prints are very fragile, being 19th century and they are reluctant to do that.

I think that the last option might work but they seem anxious to use the table to get to the height of the windows in their flat.

 

[sirch]

Given that the camera has to be parallel to the print it could be hard to frame the image with the camera above a desk unless the camera has an articulating screen.

 

[simonbarker]

I don't know whether something like this would work https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-...era+stand&qid=1578678317&s=electronics&sr=1-3

It should work sort of but it's not designed to be freely adjustable, you're supposed to loosen, position then lock while that balanced-arm lamp is designed to be moved freely because of the springs. It's also very short.

but I can't see how it fixes to the table.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-Super-Clamp-without-Stud/dp/B000JLM4XG/

I have a decent Manfrotto tripod that I could loan to them but it does not have a horizontal arm. Are there boom arms that would fit and extend over a table?

Yes a mini telescopic boom would probably work, a million and one different varieties out there: https://www.amazon.co.uk/75-135Cm-Lighting-Holding-Sandbag-Telescopic/dp/B00X7PSDAE/

Fairly clunky solutions to the problem though.

 

[Snapsh0t]

I do exactly this for the local museum and I use their copy stand. I'm lucky that it's a large, solid one but https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rocwing-Co...1_7?keywords=copy+stand&qid=1578687255&sr=8-7 might do for you.
I used to place the stand on the paper-recycling box which put it about 18" off the floor but that's gone so the next session will be more difficult.

 

[swanseamale47]

Many enlargers can be used as copying stands, it should be cheap enough to pick us a used one these days

 

[superpippo]

Thanks everyone.
Some ideas there

 

[Sky]

This is the same as the one in the video isn't it? It's incredibly cheap - I'm not sure I'd trust it to hold anything valuable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FAPPEN-Uni...VSDBVJ7RQQF&psc=1&refRID=S41HEV47MVSDBVJ7RQQF

 

[sphexx]

This is the same as the one in the video isn't it? It's incredibly cheap - I'm not sure I'd trust it to hold anything valuable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FAPPEN-Uni...VSDBVJ7RQQF&psc=1&refRID=S41HEV47MVSDBVJ7RQQF

There are plenty of these sorts of things on Amazon for holding phones or tablets while “reading” them. If they have a smartphone already it would be easy for them to check if it produces a usable result (”cataloging” sounds like quality reproduction is not needed) and if it does then the ‘anglepoise’ type of holder with a Bluetooth shutter release would be an easy way to do it.

 

[superpippo]

@Sky , have passed on that link, thank you
@sphexx , thank you, particularly for the advice about the Bluetooth shutter release, which I did not know even existed

 

[sphexx]

@Sky , have passed on that link, thank you
@sphexx , thank you, particularly for the advice about the Bluetooth shutter release, which I did not know even existed

I’ve used the Camkix BT releases from Amazon, about £5, works well. they are good for phone cams generally if you are trying one handed or at an awkward angle. All those phone/tablet stands will tend to bounce if you try to release by hand .