Official Automotive Rigs - DIY Thread

[jeremycliff]

^^^^ Its sharpie marker :)

[Thameth]

^^^^ Its sharpie marker :)

Yeah but I HIGHLY doubt its on the paint, the car is more than likely covered in vinyl then drawn on with the sharpie.

[KillerBlackbird]

I think I am going to construct a rig soon using Avenger suction cups.

What wall thickness 1" aluminum tubing are you guys using?

[CorzyPhoto]

From today with Thameth:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/3204349507_cdfff0a251_o.jpg

[Thameth]

Great job with the rig removal Corey, I'm amazed how quickly you edited it. Here is a cell photo while taking one of those shots.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/3205290582_b86d119157.jpg?v=0

[sunten1]

Great job with the rig removal Corey, I'm amazed how quickly you edited it. Here is a cell photo while taking one of those shots.



Was the car moving very fast? Or did you guys just roll it?

[CorzyPhoto]

We had to get the car to go exactly 53 mph with me running along the side holding the camera looking through the viewfinder while adjusting the settings. :)

[Thameth]

We had to get the car to go exactly 53 mph with me running along the side holding the camera looking through the viewfinder while adjusting the settings. :)

Otherwise, we rolled it :lol:...... backwards at that because after trying to push this behemoth forwards on a small incline we decided we would get better speed rolling it backwards. Let me just say, as the pusher, that Lambo's do not roll very easily.... UGH! :mad:

Another behind the scene's shot:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/3205113481_fcedbc2a2e_o.jpg

[mellofelow]

Corzy and Thameth... thanks for sharing. Thats an awesome setup. Ummm... the car's not too shabby either. I fixed your post for ya ;)
We had to get the car to go exactly 5.3 mph with me running along the side...

[CorzyPhoto]

Haha, thanks mello.

[Thameth]

Corzy and Thameth... thanks for sharing. Thanks an awesome setup. Ummm... the car's not too shabby either. I fixed your post for ya ;)

Haha... yeah, yeah.... THATS what Corzy MEANT to post..... :p

[CorzyPhoto]

Sure whatever you guys say... :lol:

[ChadAndreo]

Sure whatever you guys say... :lol:
Beautiful as usual.
I have a couple of questions.
Is it possible to mount and dismount you rig without jacking up the car?
If so, is it easy to remove?
How many of These (http://kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MM-D-60) magnets do you use?
also, by any slim chance do you have an under car pic?

[Thameth]

Beautiful as usual.
I have a couple of questions.
Is it possible to mount and dismount you rig without jacking up the car?
If so, is it easy to remove?
How many of These (http://kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MM-D-60) magnets do you use?
also, by any slim chance do you have an under car pic?

With the Lambo we were very lucky that we didn't have to jack up the car, hell it wasn't even an option because we didn't bring a jack hehe.

Also very luckily this Lambo has two pinch welds running down the sides of the undertray. Corzy has the AutomotiveRigs.com Pinch weld kit and it worked perfectly for this application. It was a tight fit though with only about 1/2 an inch clearance from the bottom of the rig to the street. On this Lambo a magnet kit would have not worked because the flat aero undertray seemed to be carbon fiber.

And no, shame we didn't have time to take a pic under the car.....

[ChadAndreo]

With the Lambo we were very lucky that we didn't have to jack up the car, hell it wasn't even an option because we didn't bring a jack hehe.

Also very luckily this Lambo has two pinch welds running down the sides of the undertray. Corzy has the AutomotiveRigs.com Pinch weld kit and it worked perfectly for this application. It was a tight fit though with only about 1/2 an inch clearance from the bottom of the rig to the street. On this Lambo a magnet kit would have not worked because the flat aero undertray seemed to be carbon fiber.

And no, shame we didn't have time to take a pic under the car.....
Thanks for the response.
Im in west palm and im still working on my rig.
Will you guys be in palm beach for the exotic auto weekend?

[s2kologist]

i wish i would have not got the suction cup rig and instead got the automotiverigs.com one.

[FLATOUT]

Great shots on the lambo guys!

Andy Wheeler

[CorzyPhoto]

s2k - Don't regret the suction cup application. It's best to have all options available when rig shooting. We got lucky with the pinch weld clamps. With some cars, magnets work best while others have pinch welds which works best with the clamps. If both of those options fail, you can always use the poles to create a suction cup rig.

[jeremycliff]

Hey Corzy... Nice shot! Would you mind PMing me and explaining the magnetic/clamp rig your using. I just built a suction one and would like to build one like yours as well. Thanks

[saturnin]

has anyone damaged a nice car with suction cups?

[CorzyPhoto]

saturnin - You are more prone to damage any car with a suction cup rig rather than an under car rig.

jeremy - I will later when I get off of work.

[Thameth]

i wish i would have not got the suction cup rig and instead got the automotiverigs.com one.

Adding suction cup capability to your AutomotiveRig setup is super simple and cheap. You just need two suction cups and a pair of super clamps.

[Thameth]

has anyone damaged a nice car with suction cups?

I only see one way of really damaging a car with suction cups, and that would be if the cups let go and your rig hits the car. First, someone should be with the end of the rig at all times ready to catch the camera for any reason. To minimize possible damage from the rig if it does fall onto the car you can wrap the poles with padding.

Now the question I guess you're really asking is the actual suction cups leaving marks. Honestly I've had suction cups all over my car for video and the small smudges have never been any worse than someone putting their hand on your car which wash off next time you wash the car. At worse it would need a wax. If you can, bring detailer and detail the area you're going to apply the suction cups to. When you're done hit the area with detailer again and you should be fine.

Now one of the best reasons to go under car is to avoid all of this. With the little experience rig shooting I have, I would always try under car first. And when all under car options are not possible then go to suction. There are so many reasons to avoid suction on top of the car including much more difficult cloning in post process.

[sunten1]

I only see one way of really damaging a car with suction cups, and that would be if the cups let go and your rig hits the car. First, someone should be with the end of the rig at all times ready to catch the camera for any reason. To minimize possible damage from the rig if it does fall onto the car you can wrap the poles with padding.

Now the question I guess you're really asking is the actual suction cups leaving marks. Honestly I've had suction cups all over my car for video and the small smudges have never been any worse than someone putting their hand on your car which wash off next time you wash the car. At worse it would need a wax. If you can, bring detailer and detail the area you're going to apply the suction cups to. When you're done hit the area with detailer again and you should be fine.

Now one of the best reasons to go under car is to avoid all of this. With the little experience rig shooting I have, I would always try under car first. And when all under car options are not possible then go to suction. There are so many reasons to avoid suction on top of the car including much more difficult cloning in post process.

Well with the magnets how do you get them off? I mean you would have to apply a decent about of pressure to take the off right?

[ChadAndreo]

Do you think two of these would be sufficient for an under car rig?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=96650

[CorzyPhoto]

Well with the magnets how do you get them off? I mean you would have to apply a decent about of pressure to take the off right?

A magnet cannot withhold twisting, so you just twist the magnet and it comes right off.


bimmer - I would suggest something with more than 300 lbs of pull. I have 250 lb pull magnets now and they hold, just wish they would hold better.

[marcos camargo]

I would suggest something with more than 300 lbs of pull. I have 250 lb pull magnets now and they hold, just wish they would hold better.

corzy, how many these magnetics you use an usual rig? I living in Brazil and a friend mine come visit me... I pretend ask for bring me these magnetics.
How long is your tube for the under rig? (I'm sorry for my poor english).

[Thameth]

corzy, how many these magnetics you use an usual rig? I living in Brazil and a friend mine come visit me... I pretend ask for bring me these magnetics.
How long is your tube for the under rig? (I'm sorry for my poor english).

Hey at least you can type in English x10 better than I can type in Portuguese which is ZERO. I'm also Brazilian, though born in Miami both Parents are from Sao Paulo. Speak fine, just never learned to write....

Corzy's Magnet setup only uses two magnets, but the www.AutomotiveRigs.com uses 3 magnets.

[CorzyPhoto]

I have magnets from kjmagnetics.com

With these magnets, you have to be very very careful around electronic equipment as the magnets can ruin it.

marcos - I have two magnets, but the more you use, the better the rig will hold. The tubes have a total length of 16 feet.

[pkhamre]

What kind of tubes to you use Corzy? I got a long alu tube myself, but I'm looking into getting shorter tubes for a more modular solution.

[marcos camargo]

I have magnets from kjmagnetics.com

With these magnets, you have to be very very careful around electronic equipment as the magnets can ruin it.

marcos - I have two magnets, but the more you use, the better the rig will hold. The tubes have a total length of 16 feet.


ohw, I did not know about it. Could tell me about the real risks of transport it all (camera, lap top and magnetics) together for a photo session? How you do it?

[saturnin]

well.... general rule is to keep magnets and such away.. meaning if u are transporting.. keep the magnets in the trunk and your gear in the front or back seat.. and u'll be fine.

[CorzyPhoto]

saturnin is correct. You just don't want the magnets near anything, so just stick those in the trunk.

[lambocars]

well.... general rule is to keep magnets and such away.. meaning if u are transporting.. keep the magnets in the trunk and your gear in the front or back seat.. and u'll be fine.

Put your camera and lenses inside their bag on the floor, either in front of the back seats or in the front, but never on the seats. If you have to hit the brakes your bag will fly forwards and land heavily on the floor anyway, you could wrap the seat belt around the bag, but I've seen it move anyway.

Just a hint, other than that I've really learned a lot from this thread.

Mark

[CorzyPhoto]

Same here.. I've learned pretty much all of my rig knowledge with this thread. Very good information in this thread. You just have to figure out what you want and work with what you have.

[siafello]

hi all, i'm new to this forum and this is a really interesting thread. i wish to ask if the same kind of effects can be achieved with a pole that's clamped to the car (with 2 suction clamps) and the other end to be attached to a dolly system(no tracks type) which holds the camera?

just wondering because if it works, much more distance from the car can be achieved...hopefully i can have some comments? thank you!

[civicseth]

Conclusion: 1" square aluminum tubing is not strong enough. We are going to have to up the thickness and/or width to prevent shaking. At full length, the shaking is significant and adds a lot of motion blur on the actual car.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3213905485_d395cc699b_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/3213905379_aa2d0d0668_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3213905077_630c47eb5c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/3213956605_b0ac9af7f5_o.jpg


Setup:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3214752852_266ec500e6_o.jpg

[Thameth]

hi all, i'm new to this forum and this is a really interesting thread. i wish to ask if the same kind of effects can be achieved with a pole that's clamped to the car (with 2 suction clamps) and the other end to be attached to a dolly system(no tracks type) which holds the camera?

just wondering because if it works, much more distance from the car can be achieved...hopefully i can have some comments? thank you!

As long as you have a perfectly smooth and exact match surface to the area where the car is located.

[Thameth]

Conclusion: 1" square aluminum tubing is not strong enough. We are going to have to up the thickness and/or width to prevent shaking. At full length, the shaking is significant and adds a lot of motion blur on the actual car.

Yeah its been mentioned multiple times in this thread to not use Square tubing, round tubes are much stronger.

[siafello]

As long as you have a perfectly smooth and exact match surface to the area where the car is located.

hey do u think normal road tar is smooth enough or even basement car park screed finishing is smooth enough?

[sunten1]

Conclusion: 1" square aluminum tubing is not strong enough. We are going to have to up the thickness and/or width to prevent shaking. At full length, the shaking is significant and adds a lot of motion blur on the actual car.


Setup:



What shutter speed did you use?
What lens did you use?
Where was the rig mounted?
Did you roll the car?

[Thameth]

hey do u think normal road tar is smooth enough or even basement car park screed finishing is smooth enough?

The problem is that they may be smooth enough but that particular spot may not match the are your car is rolling on. It seems like it would restrict the type of shots you're trying to take if you have it rolling on a big dolly

[DonJuanMair]

guys i have a question, im just about to order my rig and everything.
I have a 10 ft aluminum pole i will be using.
My widest lens is my 17-40 and i have a rebel xsi, is that going to be wide enough at 17mm to get the whole car in with a 10 ft pole??

[ChadAndreo]

guys i have a question, im just about to order my rig and everything.
I have a 10 ft aluminum pole i will be using.
My widest lens is my 17-40 and i have a rebel xsi, is that going to be wide enough at 17mm to get the whole car in with a 10 ft pole??
Yes.
I use a 24mm and was able to get the whole car, but I do not like the results. 10-13mm seems to be the best for 10ft rig shots on crop bodies.

[ncat]

What an epic thread! I have just finished looking at all the pictures and reading a lot of every page. I am going to have a look at a local hardware store tonight (bunnings, for aussies) with a friend to see what we can find.

Lots of good suggestions and information in here.

[DonJuanMair]

Yes.
I use a 24mm and was able to get the whole car, but I do not like the results. 10-13mm seems to be the best for 10ft rig shots on crop bodies.

thanks! i plan on getting the Tokina 11-16 real soon so im sure thatll be perfect

[DonJuanMair]

OK, so here as promised, are my 'behind the scenes' pics.

Pretty basic and almost identical to Dean's rig with the exception of the type of pole used and minus the magic arm.

Components:

1 x 10' EMT pole - $8 *** see note bellow ***
2 x Avenger F1000 suction cups - $97
3 x Manfrotto super clamps - $75
1 x Manfrotto 484 Micro ball head - $45

Total Cost: $225 :)


*** the pics bellow show a painter's pole, which I have since returned and replaced with a 10' EMT pipe. The bounce on the painter's pole was too much to my liking. Otherwise, my setup is identical to what you see bellow with the exception of the pole ***

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/aridan/rig1.jpg

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/aridan/rig2.jpg

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/aridan/rig3.jpg

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/aridan/rig4.jpg

i just ordered this set up, thanks for the info!

[-gilly-]

great thread! definitely something to try one day.

[Jbs]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/3108569385_31f18330b7_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbsoxb/3108569385/

[DonJuanMair]

no pics of the rig???

[CorzyPhoto]

Don - It's obvious that it's a suction cup rig. You can see the reflection that he didn't clone out in the headlight. :)

[DonJuanMair]

lol nice pic none the less :)

[RSebaF]

wish it was summer :( and not 2 feet of snow...and counting

[ChadAndreo]

John batte does it again.

[FLATOUT]

Some new ones from today!

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/ZOSICK/JohnRigFront.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/ZOSICK/JohnRearRig.jpg

Andy Wheeler:D

[sunten1]

Some new ones from today!



Andy Wheeler:D


How long was your pole?

[FLATOUT]

How long was your pole?

Dude at least take me to dinner first LOL.

Just kidding Today I was shooting with a 10 foot EMT pole. I made a 3 foot extension for it, and then in my rush to get to the shoot forgot the extension.

[PTHONG]

Dude at least take me to dinner first LOL.


:lol::lol::lol:

I need to get started on a rig again, finally got a new body after being without one since august:D

[FLATOUT]

:lol::lol::lol:

I need to get started on a rig again, finally got a new body after being without one since august:D

Awesome Man Get to Work!

[TariQ.E]

guys ,,, yesterday I finalized my rig finally !! and today is my big day

I will take photos for first ZR1 on our region !! so wish to me good lock and I hope it will be successful

I will post them soon

[quickster]

Dude at least take me to dinner first LOL.


:lol::lol:

i was LOL foreal.

[jeremycliff]

Some new ones from today!

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/ZOSICK/JohnRigFront.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/ZOSICK/JohnRearRig.jpg

Andy Wheeler:D

very nice man!

[FLATOUT]

very nice man!

Tanks Jeremy appreciate it!

[jeremycliff]

^^^ NP man. I love the the shots you get!

Here's a couple from a shoot I did yesterday. POSSIBLE a Nissan Sport Magazine article/feature. Not sure. But these aren't being sent any where, just for me :)


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3226507791_a35a8fe945_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3226506509_f586d9247d_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3227620586_bc749122b8_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3227628010_ca2315e5f4_b.jpg

[ChadAndreo]

Under car rig on that Z?

[jeremycliff]

nope, just a regular suction mount.

[DonJuanMair]

Really nice work jeremy!

[RogerAylstock]

Some new ones from today!

Andy Wheeler:D

Andy, very cool shots!

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l90/ramjetvette/smilies/mag_red_smilie.gif

[couleur]

http://fc90.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/019/7/a/Black_Mahogany_by_couleur.jpg

I LUV MY RIG! going to Singapore this week to rig a Lambo!

[ChadAndreo]

http://fc90.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/019/7/a/Black_Mahogany_by_couleur.jpg

I LUV MY RIG! going to Singapore this week to rig a Lambo!
That just took the cake.

[StreamlineGT]

That just took the cake.

Wait, there was cake?

[Thameth]

Holy cow Couleur!!! That is just damned amazing! Better than most brochure work I see!

You have to let us in on some of your equipment....

[FLATOUT]

Thanks Ram Jett, and Thanks Jeremy! Those shots are looking great! I like 3 and the night shot as well they seem to be a bit shaper then the first two.

Great job.

[john owen]

OK, hope you don't all shoot me down - don't tell any body I shot this with a Nikon!

Anyway, this is the best source of info on the net for rigs and style

Here is my shot, done with bastard child of Automotive rig and suction from Manfrotto and a cheap £2.99 glass lifter

I was a pole missing when I took this shot so couldn't get as far of the car as i wanted but proved to myself the suction is fast to put on

Photoshop work takes much longer with a suction rig, the under car stuff is a lot quicker to PS out but it takes a lot longer to attched

Static shot as well for balance!

[couleur]

http://fc54.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/026/e/a/Darker_Than_Black_by_couleur.jpg

Another piece.

[couleur]

It took me quite some time to clone off the rig...

[CorzyPhoto]

I'm not sure what it is... but it takes me seconds to clone out my rig from the shots I take :)

[Thameth]

I'm not sure what it is... but it takes me seconds to clone out my rig from the shots I take :)

You should do a video Corzy showing how you do it.... :D

[Thameth]

It took me quite some time to clone off the rig...

Could you at least explain some of you're rig Couleur? As much as we all LOVE to see amazing rig shots, I think this thread is mainly for sharing how we also got those rig shots and educating each other on getting better at Rig shots.

[couleur]

Oh, my new rig is a 18 feet adjustable with a T setup. And I use super cheap suction cups, like less then 8 USD each, then I hire a fabricator to custom make the mount. Well, the custom made part was the most expensive, cost me about 70-80 USD. I'm paying so mcuh more on the labour cost.

But I havent tried the T setup yet, the Honda Accord doesn't have a T setup, i'll try it soon, maybe on the lamborghini, or 5 series. See how it goes....

[Thameth]

What do you mean by "T" setup?

[john owen]

I'm not sure what it is... but it takes me seconds to clone out my rig from the shots I take :)


Under car rig is soooo much easier to clone as your normally only dealing with the road

With the rig on top it tends to reflect in to the car a lot so there is a lot more work with reflections etc

[ChadAndreo]

Oh, my new rig is a 18 feet adjustable with a T setup. And I use super cheap suction cups, like less then 8 USD each, then I hire a fabricator to custom make the mount. Well, the custom made part was the most expensive, cost me about 70-80 USD. I'm paying so mcuh more on the labour cost.

But I havent tried the T setup yet, the Honda Accord doesn't have a T setup, i'll try it soon, maybe on the lamborghini, or 5 series. See how it goes....
you should post a pic.

[RSebaF]

What do you mean by "T" setup?

I assume he has a "sail" formed rig..? A vertical pole at around 3/4th of the rig poiting upwards, and a wire from one end to the other passing over the top of the vertical pole that holds up the camera end and to make it more stabil. forming a upside down T. Am I close, couleur?

[Thameth]

Ahhh yes, I've seen people post those in this thread before....

[gonças]

http://fc54.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/026/e/a/Darker_Than_Black_by_couleur.jpg

Another piece.


WOW!!! the sharpness!!! :eek::eek::eek:

[couleur]

I assume he has a "sail" formed rig..? A vertical pole at around 3/4th of the rig poiting upwards, and a wire from one end to the other passing over the top of the vertical pole that holds up the camera end and to make it more stabil. forming a upside down T. Am I close, couleur?

Exactly. It is like the one with the Corvette, 16ft. I forgotten who posted that image, but I made a reference and copied it.

[hunghimself]

OFF TOPIC:

anyone looking for a WOODS power suction cups / grip ? i never got around to finishing my rig and looking to get rid of it to someone who is looking for one. i have a pair on hand.

[RSebaF]

Exactly.

I'll join that club in a few days =) mine is like a 90-year old alcoholics private parts right now....slack. If I only had the time...

[Mike Bowen]

Well, I'm trying to improve my rig. Before I just had the 10' EMT pole with the 2 avenger cups. I'm trying to transform it into the T type rig, for a little more support and stability. I didn't have time to take it out and get some real shots tonight so i just tested on my fiances corolla. I have to say it seems that the car does seem to stay more in focus and the camera seems to move around a lot less. This was with me driving the car, so extra vibes from the engine and stuff that wouldn't normally be there.

Sorry too lazy to clone everything out on a shot that is just for test. :)

http://imgtree.net/files/t8zury0ra1u2u3zaoiol.jpg

http://imgtree.net/files/2hngdgblalqcy7sssq7u.jpg

You can see with the rig the pole has a slight upward bend in it with the cables attached. So it is pretty sturdy that way now. Left and right though, still a lot of play. But i think most of my problems were coming from up and down movement.

Anyone with this type of setup have any tips for me?

[DonJuanMair]

PROBLEM

Guys i have a problem and i wonder if anyone can help, i have a 10ft pole which is great for shots off the hood, but id love a longer pole to take some off the roof of the car. However i own an rx8 and i cant even fit my 10ft pole in it. Can someone recommend an expandable pole maybe?? or any other solution

[Mark1]

Just make the rig so you can put the cups anywhere you want on the pole. Then, when transporting it it has its own roof rack. Just add some thing to tie it down just in case.

[DonJuanMair]

Just make the rig so you can put the cups anywhere you want on the pole. Then, when transporting it it has its own roof rack. Just add some thing to tie it down just in case.

thats what i was thinking of doing but was wondering if it was safe, thanks Mark

[CorzyPhoto]

Obviously dont put it in a shooting position or else you could hit something going pretty fast with the pole. I would put the two suction cups on the roof. One by the windsheild, the other by the back window (both directly in the center of the car). Then attach the pole and open the windows, tie a string or rope around the pole and then through the car inside and out.

[DonJuanMair]

i actually managed to get the pole to fit in my car!

this was my first time shooting with my rig, i know the location is boring but i had to make do as it was dark and i was excited to use my rig :)

for me the rig part is the easiest! its cloning out the rig that is the hardest!! does anyone have any tips??

here is a pic of my rig, excuse the quality it was off my G1

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/1233290705603.jpg

and here are 2 shots....

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/_MG_0819.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/_MG_0823.jpg

im not 100% happy with the cloning out of the rig. Also the rig wobbled a lot while i was shooting, i will eventually like to make that more stable

[Mike Bowen]

great start!!!

[RSebaF]

REALLY great start, anthony! looks like theres no expense spared on the clamps and cups =) and it shows in the final product! very sharp. good job.



now. get another of them poles and make it twice as long ;) btw, sweet rx!

[DonJuanMair]

thanks guys, im really hoping with a more complex background cloning out will actually be easier, also i remembered a way to get rid of reflections on cars on photoshop so im thinking that can be the same for suctions too

[Asad_A203]

DonJuanMair; great shots! Was that with your 17-40L on your Canon 450D? I am hoping I can get enough reach with my 17-50 f2.8 on my Canon 350D at 8 feet; but am not sure... Might need a wide lens adapter.

So I need your guy's opinion. I have researched a bit more and here is my list for my car rig. Please let me know if anything will not be sufficient:

Pole: 4-8 FT Fiberglass with inner aluminum painter pole (http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=932193&Ntt=932193&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=118598&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber)
Clamps: Impact Superclamps * 2 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/371927-REG/Impact_KCP700B26_Super_Clamp_with_Standard.html)
Ballhead: Manfrotto 484 Mini Ballhead (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272987-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_484_484_Mini_Ball_Head. html)
Suction pump: F1000 Avenger Pump Suction Cup with a 5/8" Baby Swivel (http://www.adorama.com/AEF1000.html)
Suction pump: Budget one from Harbour Freight that was posted here earlier (will serve as one in between the camera and the Avenger pump as a backup incase Avenger fails and to prevent swaying)

How exactly do I get Avenger to stick to the pole to the super clamp? Do I just lock in that spigot with the superclamp? Is 8FT and a 17mm on a crop body enough to get a decent shot? Thanks in advance.

Edit* This suction pump. How do you guys recommend to mount it to my pole?

[Asad_A203]

DonJuanMair; great shots! Was that with your 17-40L on your Canon 450D? I am hoping I can get enough reach with my 17-50 f2.8 on my Canon 350D at 8 feet; but am not sure... Might need a wide lens adapter.

So I need your guy's opinion. I have researched a bit more and here is my list for my car rig. Please let me know if anything will not be sufficient:

Pole: 4-8 FT Fiberglass with inner aluminum painter pole (http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=932193&Ntt=932193&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=118598&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber)
Clamps: Impact Superclamps * 2 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/371927-REG/Impact_KCP700B26_Super_Clamp_with_Standard.html)
Ballhead: Manfrotto 484 Mini Ballhead (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272987-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_484_484_Mini_Ball_Head. html)
Suction pump: F1000 Avenger Pump Suction Cup with a 5/8" Baby Swivel (http://www.adorama.com/AEF1000.html)
Suction pump: Budget one from Harbour Freight that was posted here earlier (will serve as one in between the camera and the Avenger pump as a backup incase Avenger fails and to prevent swaying)

How exactly do I get Avenger to stick to the pole to the super clamp? Do I just lock in that spigot with the superclamp? Do I need more than one superclamp to mount the Avenger to the pole? Is 8FT and a 17mm on a crop body enough to get a decent shot? Thanks in advance.

[DonJuanMair]

Asad yeah that was with the 17-40, its about tight but i still wish i had a wider lens for these shots, i want just that much more room, i think the pole would be sturdier and i could have the pole more balanced with a wider lens.

My pole is 10ft btw and i just got the car in in the top shot.

I dont think 8ft is long enough tbh, the super clamp screws in easy to the suction cups

[Asad_A203]

Asad yeah that was with the 17-40, its about tight but i still wish i had a wider lens for these shots, i want just that much more room, i think the pole would be sturdier and i could have the pole more balanced with a wider lens.

My pole is 10ft btw and i just got the car in in the top shot.

I dont think 8ft is long enough tbh, the super clamp screws in easy to the suction cups

Thanks for updating me; making me reconsider a few things here. What kind of pole are you using for your rig? I hope the local hardware stores have aluminum poles in that length (I am not sure if it will even fit in my car though; I have a G35 Coupe :oops:).

Hmm; an UWA or a Canon 70-200L f/4... Hard choice; haha. I believe someone here put a Wide Angle converter on their lens; might give that a try and see how it turns out. Thanks again.

[DonJuanMair]

my pole situation was lucky, i know a guy who works in the boiler industry and i asked on the rx8 forum if anyone knew where i could get a 10ft aluminum pole from, he happened to have one he was getting rid of so i took it!

i didnt think i was gonna fit the pole in my car either but it worked!

[JurekB]

I have at last got all the bits for my rig and have encountered an unforeseen problem, unforseen in that I got to page 70 of this thread with no mention of it so here goes.

My kit list is:

2 Avenger pump cups
3 Super clamps
1 Magic arm
2 metre aluminium pole
30d with no extras such as a grip as obviously lightness is the key here.

My problem is that everything clamps into place very nicely but as soon as I mount the 30d onto the magic arm then the extra weight makes the magic arm start to sink very quickly. The movement is coming from the superclamp which isn't gripping the pole hard enough despite my best efforts to clamp it as securely as possible.

Clearly the pole is too slippy for the clamp to grip when all the weight is on so I've tried both insulation tape and rubber self amalg tape to give the clamp something extra to bite but to no avail.

I'm now thinking of some kind of thick self adhesive rubber or perhaps going at the pole with a sander to rough up the surface. Is it possible that my pole is simple not thick enough, it's diameter is 20mm?

Of course I also accept that I may be asking too much of the clamp and have no option other than to hang the arm vertically down but I am sure I've seen shots in this thread of the arm in a horizontal plane.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[ARphotographs]

My first post,

i've been watching this thread for a while and made a very basic rig from the £5 tile lifters, a painters pole and cable ties, did one shot of my car with it and it was too bouncy.

so today, i have gone and bought all the parts i need and even found a place in the UK to get a decent pole, i followed all your examples and got a 10ft one, with thick walls.

the shop didn't have any suction cups so i ordered them online and saved £20 anyway.

once its all here and built i'll post up the list of parts and costs for other Uk people to follow.

but this thread is brilliant and thanks for all the advice.

Adam

[JurekB]

Where in the UK did you get your pole? I suspect I may well need one with a thicker wall aswell.

I've resolved my earlier problem with further experimentation and will simply keep the magic arm in a vertical position as I don't really see a need now for having it horizontal.

[ARphotographs]

i used a place called, Metal supermarket.

search for them in google and see if one is near you, but be advised their website is based in canadian and american sizing, so you need to just go visit a place.

Adam

[DonJuanMair]

i have had this rig just 2 days and i love it

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/Mikes%20bad%20ass%20pics/Mikes1.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/Mikes%20bad%20ass%20pics/Mike2.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/Mikes%20bad%20ass%20pics/Mikes3.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/Mikes%20bad%20ass%20pics/Mikes4.jpg

[Sonic Infidel]

Those look great! I think I'm going to do this as soon as it gets warm out.

[illuzioo]

http://www.illuzioo.extra.hu/foto/rigcorolla/corolla.jpg

very bad weather... :S

www.illuzioo.extra.hu/foto/rigcorolla/

[couleur]

The RX8 doesn't look sharp and there is much shaking.

http://fc51.deviantart.com/fs40/f/2009/032/2/c/Bird_of_Prey_by_couleur.jpg

Went down to Singapore for supercars a few days ago. I'm glad my parents allowed me... theres more to come. Especially the Gallardo SE... hehe

[DonJuanMair]

well i was happy with how the first one turned out, the rest i know are not the sharpest. how am i going to make my pole sturdier and still easy to transport.
do you have any pics of your rig?
yours does look a little over sharpened for my tastes though

[endlessdream]

coleur, that is amazing shot! I love it!

[ARphotographs]

well i have been told that the pump cups i ordered are out of stock,

anyone know where in the UK has some in stock? and wont take months to post or deliver them?

Adam

[john owen]

well i have been told that the pump cups i ordered are out of stock,

anyone know where in the UK has some in stock? and wont take months to post or deliver them?

Adam


What pump are you ordering Adam?

Is it Manfrotto if its out of stock?

[z3speed4me]

I am also in the group of where to put the pole during transport... I have an M Coupe... aka not too big inside

Is there any pole that can be put into sections that screw together or something? I like the roof idea, but going down the parkway to a shooting location out of town doesn't seem like the smartest idea to me... So I really was wondering if there is another way to do the pole, like I said, in pieces or attachable sections since my hauling space is pretty limited :(

[zincozinco]

Has anyone tried putting the 1d series cameras on the rigs or is it better to try and get a rebel series camera because of the weight?

[ChadAndreo]

I am also in the group of where to put the pole during transport... I have an M Coupe... aka not too big inside

Is there any pole that can be put into sections that screw together or something? I like the roof idea, but going down the parkway to a shooting location out of town doesn't seem like the smartest idea to me... So I really was wondering if there is another way to do the pole, like I said, in pieces or attachable sections since my hauling space is pretty limited :(
look at my post a couple of pages back.

[StreamlineGT]

Picking up my aluminum IMC this week!!! I can't friggen wait to start fabricating!

[ARphotographs]

What pump are you ordering Adam?

Is it Manfrotto if its out of stock?

Its the manfrotto 241 pump cup as i can't seem to find the avenger f1000 over in the uk.

its this one

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/images/manfrotto/241.jpg

i have found a place that seem to have the only supply of them after ringing round.

so should be here tomorrow :D

Adam

[JurekB]

I believe the Avengers are sold under a different name here in the UK. I ordered the LF.10000. I got mine from http://www.karlu.com/index.php however it turns out they only had 1 cup in stock and I am waiting for them to send me another one.

Where did you order from? If they have some in stock then I may cancel this last cup and get one from there instead. It's very frustrating, my rig is built and ready to go but is short of one pump cup so I feel like a kid on Christmas day with loads of cool presents but no batteries!

Thanks for the tip regarding Metal Supermarket, they have a branch 5minutes from where I work so that's proved very useful.

[RSebaF]

thinking about ordering two manfrotto 1100 suckers and two 035 superclamps from http://www.teamworkphoto.com/ .... has anyone dealt with them before? just hope the shipping costs to Finland arent to expensive.

[ARphotographs]

Teamworkphoto is where i ordered from this morning,

great friendly service, would happily buy from them again.

i ordered at about 12 and he said to me i should have it by 2moro.

Adam

[ARphotographs]

I know this question keeps coming up but there doesn't seem to have been a real answer,

what damage is a rig likely to do,

worst and best case scenarios?

as i have someone who is interested in a rig shoot once i have mine built but said to me
"i'm a bit cautious of the rig as the paint on my zed is thin, will it possibly damage it?"

it is a 350z fairlady, which i have heard have thin paint. but is it likely to damage the paint?

Adam

[Deanphoto]

I know this question keeps coming up but there doesn't seem to have been a real answer,

what damage is a rig likely to do,

worst and best case scenarios?

as i have someone who is interested in a rig shoot once i have mine built but said to me
"i'm a bit cautious of the rig as the paint on my zed is thin, will it possibly damage it?"

it is a 350z fairlady, which i have heard have thin paint. but is it likely to damage the paint?

Adam

Suction cups designed for this usage will not damage paint. Using suction cups made for other things such as glass etc will damage the paint.

In either scenario, be sure that the surface of the cup and the paint is clean. The cups will leave rings but they will wipe off, usually. If not, a little polish will get rid of the mark. Don't place suction cups on protective film.

Be carefull in taking the suction cups off cars, my friend used too much force and then it fell out of his hand scratching his lovely 1970 Porsche 911T.

[RSebaF]

another thing is not to place the cups on rear or front windsheeld if the rig is heavy, may form tention and crack the glass (very unlikely but not entirely impossible). and dont twist the cup if it dont want to come loose! try "peeling" it of instead, as soon as the suction breaks at some part of the cup, it should come of with ease. and dont bang the pole to the car =)

[RSebaF]

Teamworkphoto is where i ordered from this morning,

great friendly service, would happily buy from them again.

i ordered at about 12 and he said to me i should have it by 2moro.

Adam
ok cheers! what you pay for the delivery if you dont mind me asking? £22-ich?
so I guess Finland should be below 40...gotta give them a call! their prices beat our local shops hands down even with shipping costs :)

Edit: You might want to re-write your DA link, AR. Remove the "www." part :)

[john owen]

Teamworkphoto is where i ordered from this morning,

great friendly service, would happily buy from them again.

i ordered at about 12 and he said to me i should have it by 2moro.

Adam

I've got a manfrotto with just the stud end, it was a wrong order from karlu (http://www.karlu.com/index.php) i did ask for the pump with adjustable attachment. There is 1 digit difference between the two items.

Been waiting for 2 weeks for replacement, if any body wants one with just stud adaptor let me know

[rigshots]

Suction cups designed for this usage will not damage paint. Using suction cups made for other things such as glass etc will damage the paint.

If you know of any suction cups specifically designed for use on car paint surfaces then I'd love to know about them (aside from the dent puller cups which are not designed for any other application other than pulling dents). To the best of my knowledge all the commonly used cups, Woods, Manfrotto/Avenger are either designed specifically for glass or in the case of Manfrotto/Avenger as a general purpose cup (any non porous surface).

Thanks in advance.

Some info on vacuum cups and panel damage here. (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels)

JJ

[john owen]

If you know of any suction cups specifically designed for use on car paint surfaces then I'd love to know about them (aside from the dent puller cups which are not designed for any other application other than pulling dents). To the best of my knowledge all the commonly used cups, Woods, Manfrotto/Avenger are either designed specifically for glass or in the case of Manfrotto/Avenger as a general purpose cup (any non porous surface).

Thanks in advance.

Some info on vacuum cups and panel damage here. (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels)

JJ

Rigshot have you actually damaged a paint surface with the Manfrottos?

I agree with the idea larger surface should equal less stress on the paint etc.

The manfrottos are nice as the come with a protective cup and an indicator of the suction strength

When you say 'older screens' what sort of year are we talking about?

[ARphotographs]

ok cheers! what you pay for the delivery if you dont mind me asking? £22-ich?
so I guess Finland should be below 40...gotta give them a call! their prices beat our local shops hands down even with shipping costs :)

Edit: You might want to re-write your DA link, AR. Remove the "www." part :)

Thanks for the heads up about my link being broken, that should be it fixed now.

i only paid around £6 for postage of 2 suction cups.

so not sure what it would be to Finland, but should be under £40

Thanks Dean for the advice, been watching your stuff on PH forum, big fan.

Adam

[DonJuanMair]

can someone help me out, i seem to getting the car sharp at the front but then the rear of the car is not sharp, is this because of the bounce??

[saturnin]

that depends.... what fstop are u shootin @?

[DonJuanMair]

well i was shooting at f20. So i could get a decent shutter speed, i got 1/2 second shutter speed with that, that was with a cp and a nd8.....

[JurekB]

Regarding paint damage, are there any considerations when rigging a new car? A mate of mine is about to take delivery of a brand new Focus RS and is keen to get some shots of it but I'm a bit wary of attaching suction cups to a freshly painted car straight out of the factory.

[rigshots]

Rigshot have you actually damaged a paint surface with the Manfrottos?

Yes, but I've been doing them for about 5 years now (on custom cars which are normally not as robust as factory cars) and a lot can and does happen in that time. In terms of damage to the paint finish itself, nothing I haven't already mentioned in the other link (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels). The Manfrotto/Avenger cups are very stiff so they tend to lightly scuff the paint finish, nothing drastic though, again as mentioned in the other link (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels).

When you say 'older screens' what sort of year are we talking about?

Here in Australia they switched to laminated windscreens around the mid '70's, approximately. No idea if that happened around the same time in other countries.

JJ

[john owen]

Yes, but I've been doing them for about 5 years now (on custom cars which are normally not as robust as factory cars) and a lot can and does happen in that time. In terms of damage to the paint finish itself, nothing I haven't already mentioned in the other link (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels). The Manfrotto/Avenger cups are very stiff so they tend to lightly scuff the paint finish, nothing drastic though, again as mentioned in the other link (http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto1.htm#Do_Vacuum_Cups_damage_paint_or_panels).



Here in Australia they switched to laminated windscreens around the mid '70's, approximately. No idea if that happened around the same time in other countries.

JJ

Thanks, its always better to have real world experience as a basis

I'll keep an eye out for those 70's screens, I think the UK market will be very similar

[john owen]

Regarding paint damage, are there any considerations when rigging a new car? A mate of mine is about to take delivery of a brand new Focus RS and is keen to get some shots of it but I'm a bit wary of attaching suction cups to a freshly painted car straight out of the factory.


I would have thought the Focus will be several months old before he gets it and as such the paint won't be 'fresh' - it will have also been baked by the factory

rig it off the glass if your really concerned and take some polish with you!

[CorzyPhoto]

well i was shooting at f20. So i could get a decent shutter speed, i got 1/2 second shutter speed with that, that was with a cp and a nd8.....

You need to stiffen up your rig. The back of the car being blurred is from the rig bouncing, especially since you are using f20.

[DonJuanMair]

You need to stiffen up your rig. The back of the car being blurred is from the rig bouncing, especially since you are using f20.

hmm i just have no idea on how to stiffen it up, im going to go to look at maybe getting a more rigid pole

[ARphotographs]

i just tried mine outside (in the snow)

on my polo just to try out my cups for the first time, everything is good apart from the tube is a bit bouncy, is everyones bouncy to some extent or do some of you have really rigid ones?

mines a 1" diamiter with a 1mm side wall, would the cup positioning reduce bounce?

[Asad_A203]

Regarding paint damage, are there any considerations when rigging a new car? A mate of mine is about to take delivery of a brand new Focus RS and is keen to get some shots of it but I'm a bit wary of attaching suction cups to a freshly painted car straight out of the factory.

Paint from factory is baked; it does not require time to harden as some aftermarket paint (which is not baked and thus uses either chemicals to harden the paint or waiting 90 days to 6 months for the paint to cure under sunlight) the softness of the paint (clearcoat) is not an issue as it will be as rigid as it will be during the entirety of the lifetime and thus the same as any car.

Although some marks on the paint is getting me a bit concerned now. Are these indentions or actual scratches within the clearcoat? I have a automotive detailing related obsession and would hate to marr up my paint...

[Asad_A203]

hmm i just have no idea on how to stiffen it up, im going to go to look at maybe getting a more rigid pole

I like your rig; very simple and it works remarkably well. I wonder though if placing an arc on your rig would help balance it out. Might interfere with the simplicity and the convenience though.

[Asad_A203]

look at my post a couple of pages back.

Would you please be so kind to link your post :D. I did a search of your posts but can't seem to find any where you posted your rig up.

[StreamlineGT]

Started on my rig a little tonight, but I think I need to add some length to it. It's made from 2 - 6" woods suction cups, 2 - Avenger clamps (not a fan of), and 10' of 3/4" trade width aluminum IMC.

Here it is roof mounted, but even at 10mm, I couldn't get the whole car in, so you'll see the end of the conduit where I need to extend it.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/streamlineGT/_MG_6824.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/streamlineGT/_MG_6823.jpg

I also tried a hood mount, and it would work at the length provided. Not sure on the angle though. I wasn't wait to get my magic arm and super clamp.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/streamlineGT/_MG_6827.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/streamlineGT/_MG_6825.jpg

With the magic arm, I think I can rig it to get all the way over here, leaving the mounting points where it is, and eliminating the need to PS out the rear cup,

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/streamlineGT/_MG_6826.jpg

How am I doing?

[DonJuanMair]

that looks good, i think for side views you need a really long pole!

does anyone have any shots of their rig with the magic arm on?

[ChadAndreo]

You could just move the suction cups closer and push the rig out more.

[TariQ.E]

StreamlineGT

I think the pole long is not enough because u will be to close to the car

the more distance from the car the greater photo u will get but the more distance will cause less rig stability or more vibration (but u can eliminate that by adding some support things)

-----------

by the way I took rig shoot for Corvette ZR1 and I will post it soon ;)

[ChadAndreo]

Would you please be so kind to link your post :D. I did a search of your posts but can't seem to find any where you posted your rig up.
Here u go.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=7014426&postcount=1148

[Thameth]

that looks good, i think for side views you need a really long pole!

does anyone have any shots of their rig with the magic arm on?

Is this what you're looking for?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/3205290582_b86d119157.jpg?v=0

He's blocking most of it with his arm but thats our last shoot with the magic arm mounted to the rig. We need to work on the rig to stop it from twisting when the added weight of the camera and magic arm are waaay over to one side.