# Miniature tripod



## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Done_Fishin's thread 'You don't need a tripod to take night pictures' is so true. If you are caught out at night with a camera and no tripod is available, then with some ingenuity, you can still take night photos.

Using walls, benches, dustbins, car roofs or anything that will support the camera. You may have to pack some coins, pebbles, scrunched up paper, or 'what have you', under the camera to frame the shot.

For many years I did that. On a trip to Germany, my wife bought me a miniature tripod that I now carry in my pocket when ever I have a camera with me. It only cost £4.









This one from Kupe (uk) is the type.

You still have to look around for a suitable 'platform' on which to set it up. (walls, benches, dustbins, car roofs etc)

These are a couple of shots I did with the tripod:









Norton-sub-Hamden, Somerset
I used bench to set up the camera. (30 second exposure)









St Francis Basilica, Assisi, Italy.
This was easy - I just placed the camera & tripod on the ground! (long exposure)

The tripod is cpable of holdin small pocket cameras through to a heavy weight like my 'walk-about' jobby. 

Showing some ideas for supports:


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

I have had something similar to this for god knows how many years .. 










I am sure that it was a gift with Amateur Photographer or one of the other Photo mags back in the early 70's .. I remember using it up on the Eiffel Tower back in 74 or 75 to take Night shots using a Seagull SLR (not the best of cameras as I found out later)

Mine had a corkscrew for use on trees/wood (never used) and three legs that screwed into the base when not using the C-clamp. I still have it but it had an accident and I am looking for ways to fix it .. the top broke off


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

I managed to pick up one of those for 1 euro at a German car boot sale! Not used it though. (EDIT: I just unscrewed the base off mine and sure enough, it has the corkscrew attachment. :grin

I also got an unused, mint condition focusing rail for Macro/Micro photography for 10 euros - when I looked it up on the net, a new one was over £100! :grin:

I have just ordered a Manfrotto mono support that converts a monopod into a supported/self supporting device. I hope to get it in a couple of days...


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Saw a bunch of somewhat wacky mini-tripods on gearlog the other day.
http://www.gearlog.com/2009/08/hold_it_steady_with_digidudes.php


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## TheAtheist (May 20, 2006)

Donald, I got that tripod with my Camera and i've got to say i didn't rate it all that highly. It worked alright for a bit, but i thought the build quality wasn't brilliant. I much prefer my GorrillaPod because it can work as a minature tripod as well as being versatile and useful in aqward positions. But i guess thats personal choice, i often don't use a tripod at all, prefering handheld for its speed and convenience!


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Hi

I must admit that the miniature tripods are not intended as heavy duty type. It is OK with my canon 20D & standard lens, but I do have to be very careful when I set up my Canon 5DII & the 28mm~300mm zoom lens (6.5Lb (3Kg))!

I always use a monopod for general walk-about stuff & keep the mini tripod for when I need to do longer exposures & don't have access to anything better.

I have thought about a Gorrillapod but as yet not tried one. 

I am looking forward to getting the monopod adaptor - It can be used as the image above, to get the low level shots but it can also be used with the monopod upright and the adaptor leaning against a wall/tree/car/policeman etc.


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