my rig shots - updated rig

Dal said:
Dean, when you say these damage the paint, do you just mean this type of suction cup or suction cups in general.

I don't know why everyone is worried about hanging the camera off the rig as the camera is never left on its own anyway, if the rig did drop you should be holding the neck strap anyway.
Click to expand...


I mean those cups, ie: the ones designed for lifting glass/floor tiles.

I always leave the camera on it's own as I quite often have the cars to myself to shoot so I'm normally sat in the drivers seat rolling along with camera dangling 10ft out!

I had my D3 6ft above my bonnet stuck on a tripod, with 3 manfrotto suction cups chasing a Porsche Cayman at 30mph. You wouldn't catch me doing that with those cups above!!!!
 
DeanPhoto said:
I mean those cups, ie: the ones designed for lifting glass/floor tiles.


I had my D3 6ft above my bonnet stuck on a tripod, with 3 manfrotto suction cups chasing a Porsche Cayman at 30mph. You wouldn't catch me doing that with those cups above!!!!
Click to expand...

granted, but i wasnt moving fast.

also, how do they damage paint.

i think the manfrotto ones are jsut a big scam, these grip hard and will hold a tesco bag with bags of rice and sugar in, on a 8ft pole for 5+ hours.
 
love your work saxk,

im definately going to follow your lead on this project. i would be really grateful if you could keep us up to date on your search for the perfect homemade rig. i'll do a bit of researching with a few phone calls to friends who work on car bodywork and see if they can shed any light on suction cups that do damage to paintwork.
 
burrachaga said:
love your work saxk,

im definately going to follow your lead on this project. i would be really grateful if you could keep us up to date on your search for the perfect homemade rig. i'll do a bit of researching with a few phone calls to friends who work on car bodywork and see if they can shed any light on suction cups that do damage to paintwork.
Click to expand...

thanks dude, and i will.



made an improvement last night.

where the bolt sits on the bottom part of the handle, i filled this round hole into a mopre slot shape, with a round file, now i can twist/rotate the cup from side to side, so now i can have it on more varied places, like on a bonnet that dips at teh front, i jsut loosen the bolt, place them on then tighten them back up.

ill take some pics later, mabe even a vid :nuts:
 
The POTN thread uses mostly off the shelf products with their own method of assembly.

This isn't hugely different to your rig being made up off off the shelf components being assembled in a manner of your choosing.
 
yer i know jsut there stuff using dedicated photographic equipment, which is expensive is what i meant.

this is a bodge DIY :D
 
saxk said:
i think the manfrotto ones are jsut a big scam
Click to expand...

You generally get what you pay for, especially with manfrotto. I'm rigging supercars left right and centre. I wouldn't trust what you're using, nor I doubt would the owners of such cars when seeing the suction cups!

The suction cups you are using are designed specifically for flat surfaces and therefore, the rubber is a lot harder than that of the manfrotto's. This produces 2 problems..

1. You have a to find a flat surface or, risk bending/denting body panels
2. As the rubber is harder it can leave nasty marks in soft paint which only a proper machine polish will remove. If the car is a classic, or has been sprayed (ie: not from the factory) then the chances of damaging the paint permanently, are far greater.


I'm not trying to wee on your rice crispies, I'm just advising you that you should not use those cups. I wouldn't want to be you when you end up damaging some beefcakes Pride and Joy, that's for sure! :bat:
 
ok i see your point about the quality of the cup and the materials they are made from.

but ive tested these on a few paint surface, mainly my works van, my old banger etc and have really given it some jerking and sliding etc. and its been fine.

if i was shooting these photos all day long and making money from it, id invest in some proper kit, i love to buy products for all my hobbies, but the fact im shooting mates cars, none of which are that amazing, i cant justify it right now, which im sure alot of people can understand

but i see you point about not wanting to put them on either something freshly painted or a proper nice super car etc.

my previous statement was some what childish and ignorant, ill admint, jsut fed up with everyone turning there nose up at the products im using, also they way people get suckered into buying "proper" kit.

i see it alot with boating, chandlers sell stuff that caravan shops do but at 5x the price. it makes me angry lol

anyway i have an update

3266467085_6a8213f57a.jpg


3267288914_64683c0881.jpg


3266461005_78393028e1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nice little update that fella.

Surely if you're fastening those suction cups to glass ie. a rear window, you wont have any problems at all, as that's what they're designed for?

I've got a couple coming tomorrow morning, I dont intend to fasten them to car bodywork, it's mainly just to have a play from the rear windows/side windows/front window.
 
Little Man said:
Nice little update that fella.

Surely if you're fastening those suction cups to glass ie. a rear window, you wont have any problems at all, as that's what they're designed for?

I've got a couple coming tomorrow morning, I dont intend to fasten them to car bodywork, it's mainly just to have a play from the rear windows/side windows/front window.
Click to expand...

chers LM

well yer, keep them on the glass and they will be fine, but said that i can get them to stick hourse lol, so besides the possible dammage to paint, they ahve enough suck for lots of surfaces.
 
Saxk, i cant suss out how the horizonal clamps are held on to the vertical one, are they welded???? Great rig, not too dissimilar to the one im working on, Though at the moment mine uses a Uniloc tripod as this has a right angle hinge on the centre column allowing the camera to go real low.
Dean:)
 
Love that rig, its exaclty what i've looking to make.
 
hi guys, cheers for the comments

its welded yes dino. my plan is not to use a tripod part, im getting a small ali tube 500mm long for the upright, so the clamps dont damage my tripod centre comlum

also im looking at getting a one piece 3m 2" ali pole, for more redigity at length, jsut waiting for a cheap/free bit to come along.

im going to do some shots my my missus's saxo on sunday so should have some shots on it on the car and with new pole.
 
well i'm all up for giving it a go.. haha

them pics are realy good and i've been a big fan of this style for a long time but now i have my own camera i'll be setting ym own rig up but i will(like you say) be doing all the tests to make sure they aint going to fall off or anything first haha
 
i have another update, today when i was thinking of where to get a new pole from, i thought id check my old stuff at my place of work, i stored loads of junk there when i moved.

what do i find, but my old Browning Ballistic Carp pole, that was damaged and left to ro, it has no second section as it broke, and no tops, but it does have the middle 4, just over 1m each, and its carbon fibre.

so im going to have a play with it tonight and see how i can mounted it, ive tested the strength and with about 1kg on the end there is about 1" in drop :D:D
 
Good shots and a good set up.
Might have to visit B&Q myself now!
 
after testing this carbon pole, i dont trust it, not at 3m anyway, think ill use it at 2m

what i might try is using my girlfriends PnS at 4m, to reduce the weight
 
Any updates yet Saxk? I like your ingenuity, and the shots.
Cheers
Ian.
 
hi ian, no none of yet, i was getting worried at the weight of my setup.

looking at buying a G10 wiich i can use on my 4m carbon pole as it will be ALOT lighter and i can still set manual priorities.

jsut gota buy the camera first :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top