Tripod for "ground level" pix

Garden Railroading
1

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve not been too satisfied about small tripods for that special ground level “eye ball height” photo. The smallest tripod I had found has stiff 3.5 inch legs. Have a look at this one!

It is called “gorillapod” by JOBY.

Lens is now 2 inches off the ground.

!(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/tltrigg/bits and pieces/2010-10-17151336.jpg)

Need to set up on a “unique” location?

!(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/tltrigg/bits and pieces/2010-10-17151445.jpg)!(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/tltrigg/bits and pieces/2010-10-17151157.jpg)

I found it at several places, Sears for $26, K-Mart & Target for $22, Wal-Mart for $19.

2

That’s neat!! I could see uses for that both in taking model photos and in railfanning - wrap it around something a nearby post or stop sign or whatever for some pics of a train going by. Lot less trouble than carrying a full tripod.

3

I got one just like that last year, when I bought my digicam. Very handy little thing. I used it on Sunday to shoot some of the scenes of the Poway Midlands RR.

4

Before I get anymore emails asking if that is my backyard. No it is not. I took the pix when I went up to visit Bonnie’s grave at Riverside National Cemetery.

5

Thanks for the information. I just bought a new one of these from Ebay for about $10. It should be here by the end of the week.

Mark

6

I use a cloth bag half full of unpopped popcorn.

It makes a very stable base on any surface and you can carry it in your pocket.

7

The threaded hole on a camera is a standard 1/4" bolt thread, so you could make a base as short as you wish using a bolt and a plank, the metal lid to a jar, etc. But if you really want the camera to sit low, why do you need a tripod or stand at all? Sit the camera on the ground and shoot. There are tons of tiny tripods out on the market, and because of the standard threading used you can make a base out of almost anything.