Car photography rig setup

AndyBakerUK

AndyBakerUK

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Andy
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I know a few people here have dabbled with car rig photography so thought a good as place to ask as anywhere else.

For a long time I’ve wanted to assemble my own rig and I’ve now assembled most parts for what I need (super-clamps, suction mounts, magic-arm, plus various brackets/fixings) and all that remains is the actual pole.

I’ve been looking into carbon options with mixed responses (and widely differing costs) so in the short term I’m going to try a multi section aluminium pole.

So does anyone have any recommendations on sizes (more so diameter and wall thickness), connecting the sections, and bracing lines?

Cheers
Andy
 
Andy, I met you right - guy with the Mustang?

Rig aside.......I managed to get some ok shots on the road to Le Mans, just shooting car-to-car with a wide angle...

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Prob doesnt help much, but let me know if you get a rig sorted or want to do some car snaps again sometime.
 
I know some (gf williams?) use an aerial pole from screwfix. I've also seen other using similar and bracing it with wire over a short piece at 90 degrees to the pole. The wire was just secured using those hooked wire fence screwed adjusters.

I've shot with PistonHeads rig setup, which uses huge suckers, large rigid pole and even that has some bounce on it. It just depends on how smooth the car moves. Also as you walk with the camera (long exposure, slow movement) you can dampen out movement slightly by offering additional support with your hand.
 
shabba said:
Andy, I met you right - guy with the Mustang?

Rig aside.......I managed to get some ok shots on the road to Le Mans, just shooting car-to-car with a wide angle...

Prob doesnt help much, but let me know if you get a rig sorted or want to do some car snaps again sometime.
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Aye yeah it's me with the Mustang, those Le Mans pics look great, can see you have perfected the car to car shots since our last attempt.

Once I get the rig completed I'd be more than up for getting a few cars together to play around with it.

Byker28i said:
I've shot with PistonHeads rig setup, which uses huge suckers, large rigid pole and even that has some bounce on it.
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What I'm aiming for really, a carbon pole would avoid the flex but the cost uplift is massive.

GFWilliams said:
Don't overcomplicate things is my advice. I use a pretty rubbish boom, but with the right technique there isn't an issue.
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Boom quality aside your rig shots are spot on and would be what I'd love to achieve.

Are you using a multi section pole or one single length?
 
Always wanted to try this myself.

A few questions:

Is there any risk or damage the the vehicles painwork/bodywork with the suckers?

What is the recommended focal length?

What suckers are best? I used to work in the broadcast industry so am familiar with most of the manfrotto accessories. I remember their suckers being rather poor. Has anyone consider glaziers (profession not make) suckers?
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Boom quality aside your rig shots are spot on and would be what I'd love to achieve.

Are you using a multi section pole or one single length?
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It's a 3 section pole as I wouldn't be able to fit a 4.5m pole in the back of my MINI :lol:

Ross_Curtis said:
Always wanted to try this myself.

A few questions:

Is there any risk or damage the the vehicles painwork/bodywork with the suckers?

What is the recommended focal length?

What suckers are best? I used to work in the broadcast industry so am familiar with most of the manfrotto accessories. I remember their suckers being rather poor. Has anyone consider glaziers (profession not make) suckers?
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There is risk of damage to the car if not done properly. If you're not sure what you're doing ask someone who does for help. Things like applying the rig to the right pressure points on the car are very important. Also, if there is a sticker or paintshield or a wrap on the car, don't put it on the body of the car. :nono:

As wide as possible is ideal, the less distortion the better though IMO. I use 20mm on full frame and was using a sigma 10-20mm on my old crop body when I had it. I do have a long rig though so can get away with a longer focal length.

Get the Manfrotto or Avenger suction pads. They're good quality. Don't get the glass sucker things that you can get as they WILL damage the paint. Especially if you ever shoot a half decent car as they tend to have softer paint.

HTH
George
 
Certainly at the end but you might be onto something with the handle end.

Thanks George for the info. I certainly am interested in this. Do you have any pics of your rig?
 
In about an hour or so I will be posting exactly how I made my rig and what material I used.

The rig itself is yet to be tested however I do not doubt it reliability or stability.

I'm sick to the back teeth of this secretive automotive rig bull *****! The amount of people I've come across who are all cloak and daggers and its a secret so I'm not telling staggers me. Each to there own, don't get me wrong - you don't want to tell some one thats fine however IMO its just damn right ghey!

I've got snippets of info from others whilst also trawling through this thread...

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=490505&page=14
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Too much flex.
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I doubt it - use the butt sections from a carp pole (two sections is 3m, three sections you're looking at 4.5m) and I reckon there'll be negligible flex; poles are designed to bend under pressure from the tip to somewhere through the middle to utilise the stretch of the elastic. They will bend through to the butt, but you have to be applying a massive amount of pressure. Two sections (13m + 11.5m sections) together will be rock solid....
 
GSXR - I'm well up for doijng some rig car shots if you get anything sorted, love car photography.
 
shabba said:
GSXR - I'm well up for doijng some rig car shots if you get anything sorted, love car photography.
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I've got pretty much everything for the rig setup now just minus the pole which I'm hoping to sort this weekend. So would be more than up for getting together and having a play around with it. Not to mention having a couple of people at hand will make things a lot easier (someone pushing the cars, someone on camera controls etc).

If all goes to plan this weekend I'll update this thread and we can sort out a date/location.
 
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