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Author Topic: Affordable Camera-Stand Style Setup  (Read 362 times)

PatCastaldo

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Affordable Camera-Stand Style Setup
« on: September 27, 2019, 02:15:39 pm »

I'm looking for advice on a copy/camera stand style set-up.

I shoot a lot of products for websites, and often when I do books and such, I do them at a slight angle from my tripod instead of doing them "directly overhead" — it's mostly a question of setup time and laziness.

So... to start doing more top-down stuff, I'm looking for a new copy-stand type setup (I remember doing a lot of copy stand work in college) so that the books are easily positioned and I don't have to do a lot of set-up each time. Ideally, I can just clear out a 6' x 6' space and set this up and just leave it — I'd prefer table top and not down on the ground — I've seen some folks use a tripod and just shoot down on the floor, but this seems cumbersome to me.

The books do range in size from little children's board books (6x6) to larger art books of weird sizes (18 x 12 when open).

I currently shoot the products with a Canon 5Dv3, and would just get a new camera for this setup — it doesn't have to be fancy, it's always gonna be on the stand and just used for this purpose.

If you were setting something like this up, what kind (specific brand recommendations please) of stand or tripod would you use, what lights (I prefer fixed vs. clashes) and what camera to balance the quality/cost solution.

The largest size of these images is ever really gonna be 2400px wide - so I'm not sure I actually need something as fancy as even the 5D for this. I think ideally, since it'd be on the stand, it would easily be teatherable (and even wifi shooting might be more convenient).

Any advice or recommendations?
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TonyVentourisPhotography

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Re: Affordable Camera-Stand Style Setup
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2019, 04:00:47 pm »

Especially for smaller stuff like this, I just use a right angle adapter arm on my tripod.  I use this one.
https://www.feisol.net/heads/horizontal-adapter/feisol-horizontal-adapter-vh-60ha-kit.html

I add a counterweight to the rear hook since my bullhead is heavy.  Works great.  This kind of setup works even better if you are tethered or can release the shutter remotely.
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Tony
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