Ground mounting plate

Wasn't sure where to look or what to call what I needed.

I'm shooting horse races, and now will have media access to the track. I want to place a remote camera under the railing to get finish line shots, and need a mounting plate to accomplish this. It amounts to a flat surface with a mounting bracket for the camera/ball head perhaps, that holds the camera in place and can be adjusted for height.

Any reason you cannot put a Manfrotto Super Clamp on the rail?

As for a plate, why not...merely get a piece of plate steel, drill a 1/4" or 3/8" hole in it, insert a suitable length 1/4/20 bolt or 3/8" bolt, and screw on a ballhead.

Or why not something like this?
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …JsIQ4FmOrTORoC7​OgQAvD_BwE

I think the plate/drill method might be best. The clamp unfortunately would hang off the posts and possibly spook the horses, seeing something in an unexpected place.

I'll keep looking, and see if I can speak to one of the track photographers, or maybe speak to BH when their phones open up again tomorrow.

There are many options if you just need to place your camera on the ground level but adjustable. One option is a solid "table top" tripod with a ball head, like this Benro Hi Hat:

They aren't greatly economical, but it's a nice bit of machining to help with that type of scenario: https://www.platypod.c​om …ts/ultra-and-multi-bundle

As above for commercially available platforms.

Making one up similar to a Platypod isn't difficult with a drill and handtap available. A 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 tap is less than $12, some 6061 aluminum is about $3/pound in cut sheet sizes. I bought rough 1/4"x12x24" cut that was about $14 in a remnant pile of odd cut sizes from a local metal supply place. Many metal places will have pre-cut sizes from 1x12"-6x12".

A bi-metal cutting blade in the jig saw, a drill and the above supplies you can make one for well under $50 if you have to go buy the various cutting supplies. Then all you need to do is source the mount of choice.

This is an early variant with a 1/4-20:

Photo from ra40's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1031295)

Photo from ra40's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1031297)

Photo from ra40's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1031296)

ra40 wrote in post #19377295
As above for commercially available platforms.

Making one up similar to a Platypod isn't difficult with a drill and handtap available. A 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 tap is less than $12, some 6061 aluminum is about $3/pound in cut sheet sizes. I bought rough 1/4"x12x24" cut that was about $14 in a remnant pile of odd cut sizes from a local metal supply place. Many metal places will have pre-cut sizes from 1x12"-6x12".

A bi-metal cutting blade in the jig saw, a drill and the above supplies you can make one for well under $50 if you have to go buy the various cutting supplies. Then all you need to do is source the mount of choice.

This is an early variant with a 1/4-20:

Gallery photo (hosted):
posted by ra40 originally in forum: DIY & Customizing

Gallery photo (hosted):
posted by ra40 originally in forum: DIY & Customizing

Gallery photo (hosted):
posted by ra40 originally in forum: DIY & Customizing

Nice and clean work. Drill and handtap is a lot of fun and cheap and easy.

Wilt wrote in post #19377095
…Or why not something like this?
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …JsIQ4FmOrTORoC7​OgQAvD_BwE

I wouldn’t choose that one for this application. It doesn’t lock.

It’s meant to provide fluide-ish panning action for a monopod when used for smooth video moves…