Homemade tripod: purpose, step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks. Making a camera tripod with your own hands Homemade tripod

Those who are into photography know that in order to get a high-quality photo, you need to ensure that the focus is clear. This is done by securing the camera in a stationary position, for example, on a tripod. Latest on the market different models, manufacturers. They are not cheap, so they are purchased more by those who do photography professionally or are not short on money.

But, if desired, you can make a camera tripod yourself. In this case, inexpensive and accessible components are used, which allows us to ultimately obtain a reliable device, the consumer properties of which are no worse than those of factory ones.

There is no need to come up with your own design. The problem has long been solved by many craftsmen - you can take advantage of their suggestions. For example, as described below:

Components for a future tripod may include:

• Razors - you need three of them;
• Those that have served their time, but have not lost their appearance, are suitable;
• Small board;
• A bolt with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 4...5 cm;
• Seal ring and bolt nut;
• Glue, for example, “Moment”; black enamel (can be replaced with Kuzbass varnish).

Start with preparation wooden base. An isosceles triangle is cut out of the board, the length of the sides of which is half a centimeter longer than the size of razor blades. In the center, using a drill, make a hole with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the bolt shaft.

Using force, screw the bolt into the resulting hole until its head touches the base. The corners of the wooden part are slightly rounded and the surfaces are polished; then covered with black paint or Kuzbass varnish.

Razor heads are glued from the blade side to the sides of the triangular base. The free end of the bolt should be directed upward - in the direction opposite to the direction of the razor handles.

Screw a nut onto the free end of the bolt and tighten it easily. This fixes the position of the bolt and prevents it from moving in the hole.

The tripod is ready. When using it, the ends of the razor handles are placed on the surface. A camera is attached to the top, at the protruding end of the bolt.

Stabilizing the camera at the time of shooting is the key to obtaining sharp or clear photographs; your hand will not tremble when you press the button and will not spoil the frame. For long exposures, a tripod is a necessity; without it, you won’t get the right picture at all. Static objects located at a distance from the photographer may turn out blurry when zoomed in without a stable camera position. All such situations require a tripod.

The cost of a good tripod ranges around 7-10 thousand rubles for a standard camera; for heavy optics, increased stabilization will be required, here the price will be even higher. It is not always possible to purchase store version, especially if nature has not deprived you of dexterity and ingenuity. Then you can make a tripod with your own hands, using almost improvised materials. The cost of materials will be several times less, the time will take a couple of days, and for advanced users who can deftly handle tools - several hours.

In what cases might you need a tripod:

• Shooting on long exposure– 100% requires strict stabilization;
• Shooting at night, in addition to a tripod, a device for remote shutter release may also be useful;
• Sports competitions or working with fast moving objects;
• Shooting with background blur;
• Photography at high magnification (zooming), including macro photography;
• Portrait and studio photography require camera stabilization to take professional, clear photos;
• Photographing architecture and landscapes and many other options.

Tripod – great option for a large company, when one person always remains behind the scenes general photos. Camera stabilization at the desired height and remote control remote control(DU) will help bring the whole company together in the photo.

Types of tripods

In addition to the standard three-legged stand, there are many different tripods for different purposes and situations. The most popular is the tripod; it is used in all types of filming, except extreme ones. Depending on the type of camera mounting or mounting on a surface, tripods are:

• Monopods used for attaching cameras and mobile phones to increase the distance from the camera to the subject. Most often used for selfie photos;
• Tripod– professional equipment with a camera mount, has 3 legs or stands. You can adjust the height, tilt, and other parameters;
• Multipod– a collapsible tripod, when untwisted it becomes a monopod. Travel equipment option;

• Mini tripods, or desktop ones are used less often, but are quite convenient and inexpensive. Height approximately 30-40 cm when unfolded.
• Fastening on the belt is used for photo and video shooting, convenient for constant movement;
• Tripods-clamps are attached to tables and other surfaces that are inconvenient for outdoor filming;
• Tripods-clothespins similar to the previous version, but secured with a clamping mechanism and a screw;
• Flexible tripods– models with rubberized legs consisting of movable elements. By changing the shape of the legs, the height is adjusted. Compact and convenient models allow you to mount cameras on almost any surface.

A professional photographer working in different genres and in any conditions may have a set of tripod mounts. But in most cases, they are used quite rarely and are not an essential item for filming walking photo shoots, love stories, weddings and birthdays, and this is exactly what the average photographer does 95% of the time.

Tools needed to create a tripod

If you still decide to make a tripod with my own hands, then you will need the following tools:

• Drill and drill bits of different diameters;
• Saw or hacksaw;
• Sandpaper of different grain sizes;
• Screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters (in some cases);
• Vices and clamps (in some cases);
• Glue and necessary materials.

It is better to carry out all work outside or in a special room with good ventilation. Glue and paint have an unpleasant odor, and sawdust and shavings are best left outside the house.

DIY tripod made from a razor

The easiest tripod to assemble and make will require a couple of hours of your time, a piece of board, glue and 3 razors, regular or with floating heads. The main thing is that they are the same. The base is cut triangular, processed with sandpaper, a hole is cut in the center and a bolt is screwed in and securely fastened with glue. Screw the nut onto the bolt and place a rubber seal so as not to damage the camera body when attaching it. The razors are glued to the side surfaces or edges of the wooden triangle with a blade to the stand.

The budget tabletop tripod is ready. We needed:

• A piece of board or plywood;
• Bolt of suitable diameter for mounting the camera;
• Drill and drill bit with a bolt diameter;
• Nut for bolt;
• Seal;
• Sandpaper;
• Glue;
• Paint, if desired;
• 3 razors.

With a little patience, your small camera tripod is ready to go.

Option for assembling a tripod from a tennis ball

Another budget option is a mini tabletop tripod made from a tennis ball. To do this you need a knife, glue, a bolt and a nut. The ball is cut in such a way that most was stable on the table, to seal the surface we glue the area under the camera with a second layer from the remaining piece. A hole is made in the center and a bolt is glued. Then you can paint the structure or leave it as is. You can put a seal under the camera, and if you take a longer bolt, you can slightly increase the stand upwards. For this tripod we needed:

• Tennis ball;
• Bolt with a diameter for mounting on the camera;
• Nut and seal for bolt;
• Glue and an hour of time.

This option is not suitable for a serious event, but it is quite suitable for home use with a small camera; it certainly will not hold heavy optics.

Tripod made from a plastic bottle

The easiest option to implement is to use an empty plastic bottle to create a tripod. A hole of the required diameter is drilled in the cover, a bolt is inserted, secured with a nut, and screwed into the chamber thread. The bottle is weighted with sand or pebbles and screwed on with a prepared cap. The tripod is ready for use; in field conditions, it can significantly save nerves and time, working just as well as a purchased one.

DIY camera tripod made from ski poles

A more complex option will require you to have some skills in using scissors or a hacksaw, a file, a drill, as well as time. The aluminum tube is cut into 3 parts with “ears” for fastening, the parts are processed with a file, and holes for the bolts are drilled.

We cut the ski poles into 4 equal parts, they will be the legs of the tripod. For the base, take a square piece of board or thick plywood, approximately 10 x 10 cm in size, and drill a hole in one for a steel tube. We make screw holes in the 3 fasteners and the “legs” of the tripod at the desired angle so that they are in the desired position when the structure is assembled.

From the second panel we assemble a mount for the camera.

We connect both parts, install the camera on the screw, the tripod is ready for use.

Thus, we needed to manufacture this design:

• 2 ski poles;
• steel tube;
• 2 pieces of board or plywood;
• a small piece of aluminum flattened tube;
• self-tapping screws, or screws, a bolt for the camera;
• file, pliers, hacksaw, screwdriver, drill.

It will take at least a couple of hours to make such a design, provided you have the skills to work with tools. Suitable even for a medium-heavy camera; check the load in advance so that there are no unexpected incidents at the event.

PVC tubes for tripod

Another material for creating a holding device for the camera is metal-plastic tubes, used in construction for laying water supplies. They bend quite well, but keep their shape perfectly. You can fasten them together with plastic corners, self-tapping screws, bolts or screws. We assemble the base from pieces of pipe and corner fittings, and attach the vertical tube with an adapter. At the upper end we attach a platform for the camera.

Monopod (selfie stick) made from scrap materials

If you urgently need to take a selfie, but you don’t have a monopod or selfie stick at hand, then you can use any available means to secure the phone. This could be a stick, a branch or a piece of thick wire. It is impossible to create a system for pressing a button in such conditions; we use the delay start function for 2-3 seconds. During this time, we line up the frame and get great pictures without buying a tripod.

Phone adapter stand

From scrap materials you can also assemble an adapter from any camera tripod for a phone mount. To do this you will need a piece of plastic, for example, a plinth for finishing. plastic windows. A part is cut off, slightly shorter than the phone, in in the right places(corresponding to the fastenings on the clamp) holes are drilled. The adapter is attached to the tripod with nuts, the structure is ready for use.

Other materials for making tripods

The listed options for homemade camera tripods do not require special skills and knowledge; almost anyone can make them without special effort. In addition to these materials, you can use wooden slats and bars, metal tubes, and plastic. But this will require specialized tools and certain knowledge.

Camera tripod requirements

Regardless of the material and design, the tripod must meet certain requirements and perform functions.

Working height. Each tripod has a minimum and maximum height, depending on the design of the device. Tripods have the widest range and are therefore the most popular among photographers. Choose the right tripod according to your height; it should be slightly higher so that you can shoot from above.
Weight and dimensions. The most important parameter for “field” filming. Professional equipment weighs a lot and is quite difficult to carry around for a long time. Therefore, lightweight models are chosen for outdoor photo shoots. The same applies to folded sizes; bulky tripods remain in the photo studio, and compact and easy-to-carry ones are taken when traveling.

This parameter depends on many nuances: material, fastenings, design features. For a photographer, the workload is more important - you need to be guided by it when choosing a model for the weight of the camera.

Thread. There are 2 main standard threads for attaching the camera to a tripod – 1/4” and 1/8”, the first option is intended for compact models, including point-and-shoot cameras. To work with larger cameras, a 1/8 thread is used. TVs, powerful lenses, heavy cameras are mounted at 3/8, it can withstand heavy loads. All this should be taken into account when choosing a tripod for filming.

Afterword

Whether to make a lens with your own hands or spend a certain amount on equipment is up to each photographer to decide for himself. But there are several important points:

• If homemade equipment were better than professional equipment, they would have stopped producing it;
• Experienced photographers with expensive optics will not rely on a “homemade” tripod and will purchase one that is suitable in weight and material for the safety of the equipment;
• For daily shooting you need a good tripod; from available means, the option is for 1 time;
• You will still have to spend a certain amount on materials, and you will also have to spend time on making a tripod;
• Homemade tripods are inconvenient when moving frequently, they are not compact and it is problematic to carry them with you.

Based on these points, the conclusion follows that it is better to purchase professional specialized equipment for work. There is no need to skimp on the safety of your camera and optics. But for home or very infrequent use, you can assemble a tripod with your own hands.

To get a successful shot, it is advisable to secure the camera to obtain a clear focus, because a person’s hands begin to twitch involuntarily when concentrating. A tripod, which can be easily purchased at any specialized store or department that sells photographic products, helps solve the problem.

Non-professional photographers rarely decide to purchase a special tripod, since it is generally not cheap and is not used so often. Craftsmen invented several versions of homemade tripods for the camera. You will learn how to make a tripod with your own hands and how to replace a camera tripod from the materials in this article.

How to make a tripod for a camera?

In our case, disposable razors were used as the main material when making a camera tripod with our own hands.

You will need:

3 razors;
a small piece of board;
glue "Moment";
a screw 4–5 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter;

Screw;
O-ring;
drill;
Kuzbass varnish or black enamel.

Making a tripod from razor blades

On the board we draw a small isosceles triangle, each side of which is half a centimeter longer than the length of the machine blade. Use a drill to make a hole in the very center of the triangle.

Cut out a triangular piece and screw a screw into the hole.

We paint the part black and glue razor blades to the sides.

How to mount a camera on a tripod?

Place the O-ring on the screw and screw in the nut. We mount the camera on a homemade tripod in the same way as on a factory product.

A homemade tripod can also be used to mount a compact video camera.

For a lady or girl, you can make a flirty pink tripod using razors designed for women.

Creative craftsmen suggest using improvised objects that are found in almost every home as a camera mount.

DIY tripod ideas:

From a bench vise;

From a plastic bottle filled with wet sand or water;

From a trimmed thick tennis ball;

From a stack of videotapes, books, or a hard box tightly fastened together.

In emergency cases, you can use any flat horizontal surface: a fence, a tall stump, etc. All this will help avoid camera or video camera shake and take high-quality pictures or a good movie.

How to make a photo tripod from a bottle

While on a business trip, I needed to prepare a photo report on the results of the work. But bad luck, the room large size, there is not enough natural lighting, there is not and will not be artificial lighting, and the camera flash does not illuminate further than 4 meters.

There is only one way out - install the camera on a tripod and take the necessary pictures with a long exposure. The improvised tripod was assembled with my own hands in about ten minutes from a plastic bottle filled with nails and a video camera mounting screw. Recently, in field conditions, the tripod for night shooting was repeated.

How to make a photo tripod with your own hands

1. We collect a critical mass of components. PET bottle. Standard screw with inch thread for attaching photo and video equipment. A screw from the casing of old Soviet film cameras is very suitable. The groove on the screw between the thread and the head will allow it to be conveniently secured to the cork. Depending on the length of the screw, washers will be required if necessary, in my case only two pieces.

2. Drill a hole in the plastic bottle cap with a diameter of 4.3 mm. I drilled with a 4mm drill, and then used it to increase the diameter of the hole.

3. Screw the screw into the hole in the cover from the outside, cutting the thread. If the screw fits freely into the hole, this is acceptable, but in camping conditions this can lead to the loss of the main fastening element.

4. Unscrew the screw. Place the washers inside the lid and screw in the screw from the inside.

5. Screw the cover to the standard camera mounting hole. If it is not possible to attach tightly, you will need to add washers.

6. Take a bottle, to make it heavier, add 1/2 or 2/3 of sand or small pebbles inside; in extreme cases, you can add water; the heavier the bottle, the more stable the tripod will be.

7. Close the bottle with a lid with the camera attached - the tripod is ready.

The bottle can be attached to trees and other vertical objects using rubber bands.

When traveling, it is enough to take with you only the cap with a screw (this is the head of a photo tripod;)), I don’t think there will be any problems with finding a suitable bottle.

How to make a camera mount for a bicycle with your own hands

The manufacturing method is published on the website. simple photo tripod made from a plastic bottle. But the original design of the tripod head makes it possible to mount the camera on various objects, for example on a bicycle, with your own hands, thereby making a cheap alternative to action photo cameras like GoPro.

The sequence of actions for retrofitting a bicycle is given below.

1. Take a PET bottle. It is enough to take a bottle with a capacity of 0.25 liters. Moreover, the thinner the walls of the bottle, the tighter the mount will sit on the steering wheel.

2. Cut off the bottom of the bottle with scissors or a knife. We work carefully so as not to cut ourselves.

3. Cut the PET bottle into 5-7 sectors, and cut through to dense plastic in the neck area.

4. For better flexibility of the resulting sectors, we additionally cut each sector into two or three more stripes. We cut the strips until the sector begins to narrow.

5. We wrap reinforced tape around the steering wheel at the place where the homemade camera mount is installed; electrical tape will also do. Winding is necessary to prevent possible sliding of the structure on the steering wheel.

6. We orient the future mount according to the angle of inclination to the horizon; I mount it with a slight inclination to the ground.

7. Consistently, first, using pieces of tape, we attach the workpiece with two strips stretched along the steering wheel. Then we attach with strips wrapped around the steering wheel. We do not attach all the strips. We fasten only those strips that provide close contact with the fastening site. In this version, only five strips are screwed on.

8. Trim off excess strips and protruding ends.

9. For beauty, wrap the attachment point with tape or tape.

10. Screw the head to the camera and install the camera on the bracket you made yourself. Orientate the shooting direction.

A tripod is a special device that allows you to hold the device in one position. The most popular devices are those designed for smartphones, video cameras and microscopes. This article will look at homemade tripods for a phone, microscope, camera, spotlight, and level.

How to make a tripod for a smartphone: option No. 1 - from wire

In fact, any thing that can fix the device and hold it for the required time can serve as a tripod for a phone. This is necessary primarily for shooting video or taking photographs. How to make a homemade tripod?

For the first option you will need a regular cable. It needs to be fairly hard, but flexible. You should shape the cable so that it matches the shape of a regular phone tripod:

• 3 supports with which the stand remains level;
• On top is a structure for attaching a smartphone, which you need to make to fit the size of your phone.

The design will look as shown in the photo below.

The advantage of such a tripod is that it can be mounted on any pipe by bending the supports to fix the structure.

Option No. 2 - from office clips

The second way to make a homemade tripod is from paper clips. You will need 2 clamps and some flat thing to attach them to. You need to clamp the paper clips on a flat surface at such a distance that you can install a phone on their handles. That’s it, the tripod is ready and you can shoot on such a stand no worse than on a regular store-bought one.

Option number 3 - from pencils or pens

Third idea: a homemade tripod made from pencils and rubber bands. You must first connect 3 pencils with rubber bands in the form of a triangle so that the bottom one, which forms the base of the figure, protrudes. Next, you need to secure another pencil behind the others so that it acts as a support. The final design will look like the photo below.

The height and angle of inclination of such a stand can be adjusted simply by moving the rubber bands.

Option No. 4 - out of the box

Another way is to make a homemade tripod from a small box. This idea is the simplest, since to implement it you only need a box and a knife. It is necessary to cut the structure so that the base remains intact, and the back part forms a stand for the smartphone. This tripod is a no-brainer, but unfortunately the angle of the phone cannot be adjusted.

How to make a camera tripod: the first method

Tripods are even more in demand for video cameras than for smartphones. When shooting, you need a clear and static picture to make successful and unforgettable shots. Of course, you can purchase a stand in a store, but the prices for such designs are not exactly low.

For a homemade camera tripod you will need:

1. 3 razors.
2. A small piece of board.
3. Durable glue.
4. Screw.
5. O-ring.
6. Drill.

The first step is to cut a triangle with equal sides (5-7 cm) from the board. In the middle of the figure you should make a hole with a drill into which you will need to insert a screw. Now on each side of the wooden triangle you need to glue the razors with glue so that they act as tripod legs. You need to screw an O-ring onto the screw so that the camera does not push the screw down. All that remains is to secure the camera to the screw by screwing the screw into the corresponding hole on the device.

This stand looks very beautiful and will also serve as an excellent attribute even for amateur video or photo shooting.

Second way

Surprisingly, you can build a homemade tripod from an ordinary bottle. For this you will need:

1. A bottle with a lid (preferably a large one).
2. A screw with a diameter of 0.5 centimeters.
3. Construction washers (2 pieces).

You need to make a hole in the bottle cap and then insert a screw there. It is better to make the hole with a drill of a smaller diameter than the screw, so that it can be screwed in and fixed. The screw should be screwed in from the inside, after placing the washers inside the cover. Now the structure is ready to install a camera on it. It needs to be screwed onto the screw that protrudes from the outside of the cover.

The bottle must be covered with sand or stones so that it does not tip over along with the camera. Now you just need to screw on the cover with the camera. The homemade tripod is ready.

This design can be attached to a pole or tree using straps or rubber bands so that shooting can be done from a higher place.

DIY microscope tripod

For a homemade microscope tripod you will need:

1. Pipe with a diameter of 25 mm or larger for fastening to the table.
2. Two pipes with a diameter of 25 mm and a length of 20 cm.
3. Pipe with a diameter of 25 mm, a length of 15 cm.
4. Transition corners with the required diameter - 2 pieces.
5. Pipe fastenings – 2 pieces.

You need to decide where on the table the main pipe on which the remaining parts will be attached will be attached. You need to install it so that it is motionless. Now, at a distance of 5 cm from each other, you need to fix two 20 cm pipes horizontally using fasteners. At the ends of these elements it is necessary to install corners. Then attach another pipe 15 cm long. We get the base of the structure, which is tightly fixed on the table. You can install it in the desired position for work. Next, you need to install the microscope mount that comes with the device onto the last pipe. The device itself is already attached to the stand for it. To prevent the structure from shaking, you can make a stand from books or other objects in the middle of the last pipe.

Despite the complexity of this design, it is very convenient and practical to use due to the fact that it can be installed in any position.

How to make a tripod for a spotlight

To create the design you will need:

1. Bar (30 mm width and 20 mm height).
2. Stick 4.8 meters long (strong).
3. 5 screws.
4. Construction washers – 12 pieces.
5. Bolts – 2 pieces.
6. Wing nuts – 7 pcs.

You need to separate 6 parts from the stick. You need to make 3 legs 68.2 cm long; 1 part 110 cm long; 1 part is 99.8 cm long. Now you need to cut out a triangle from the block in which the main stick will be placed. In this triangle you also need to make a square to the size of the base of the stick, which is then placed in this part. Now you need to screw the legs to the resulting triangle on each side using wing nuts. Pre-cut the ends of the legs diagonally. Next, you need to screw another 110 cm long perpendicularly to the main vertical stick so that the attachment point is 20 cm further from the middle of the stick. All that remains is to secure the spotlight handle to the horizontal rod using the same wing nut. At this point, the homemade tripod for the spotlight is ready.

This article introduced the main tripods and described the process of using them. step-by-step production. As you can see, you can build a stand for almost any device: telephone, video or photo camera, microscope, spotlight. You can also come up with a homemade tripod for a level and other devices that require a mandatory stationary position when used.

1. There is no need to place the tripod on uneven surfaces. Even if you managed to place the installation on an uneven surface, it could fall at any time. The device will become unusable as a result of impact.
2. You should not install too bulky devices on a tripod, especially a homemade one, as they can damage the stand.
3. The horizontalness of the surface can be checked with a level. This will allow you to control the tilt and eliminate uneven frames when shooting video or taking photographs.
4. You should always take a stand with you to a video shoot, even if it seems like you won’t need it at all. Perhaps a situation will arise when new ideas come to mind, and it turns out that a tripod is necessary in this case.
5. Do not use a weak stand in extreme places (for example, on rocks). If the structure falls, you can damage not only the tripod, but also expensive equipment.

Website reader Evgeniy shares with us his version of a homemade photo tripod. The tripod design is simple, original and very reliable.

How to make a camera tripod with your own hands

Sometimes on occasion, at a party or in nature, you want to take a photo of everyone together. I would like to take a photo of my loved one against the background, for example, of a tornado or tsunami))). I would like to take pictures at night or in poor lighting. In all these cases, a tripod is required.

Homemade tripod

What to do if you need a photo tripod, but the family budget does not provide for such an expense item? Of course, there is a way out: make a tripod yourself. And do what is most suitable.
To assemble the tripod you will need:
1. Foam plastic.
2. Fabric (for example, a piece of an old sheet).
3. Epoxy resin.
4. Screw for attaching the camera to a tripod with an inch thread. Also suitable screws and washers, Grover, it would be great if you could find a wing nut for the connection screw. See photo.
5. Paint, for example, black.
The tripod manufacturing scheme is as follows:
1. Weld washers with bolts. Weld one nut to the body washer. Any car service center will be able to help you in this matter. Before assembly, parts should be cleaned of welding slag and painted. At the car service center you will probably find an almost empty can of paint that you can use to immediately paint the parts.
2. Foam plastic is used for the base. The support is marked with a compass and cut out with a suitable tool.
3. Give the foam blank the desired shape by cutting and rounding the top edge. Sand the foam with sandpaper.
4. Mark a hole for gluing the washer with a welded nut and cut it out.
5. Glue the base with fabric using epoxy glue in 2-3 layers. Don't forget to glue in the nut and washer. Resin must not get on the threads!
6. While the resin hardens, you can assemble the bracket (see photos and videos).
7. Level the base of the tripod with a knife, sandpaper and putty.
8. Paint the base. Do not use nitro-based paints, otherwise the foam will blow away!
9. Screw the bracket into the nut - homemade photo tripod is ready!