Tripod recommendation for desktop/animation

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<echasin@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1104849815.922526.114490@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> I'm wondering if anyone here can recommend a tripod to me. I'm putting
> together an inexpensive "pencil test" machine, which is for capturing
> drawings (for animation) one at a time to my PC. I'll have a simple
> MiniDV camera hooked up to the PC via firewire, and need a tripod. I
> know diddly about tripods. Do they all more or less allow the camera
> to swivel so it's pointing directly downwards? Do I want a standard,
> compact, or tabletop tripod? I'd prefer to spend $50 or less.
> Thanks,
>
> Ezra

Whilst I have a number of tripods around the house (each offering something
the others don't!), I use a old enlarger base and column (probably within
your $50 at the moment) for rostrum type of work. The easy adjustability of
the camera height is a real bonus. Having the weight (camera / camcorder)
over its base makes it very stable - not many tripods offer good stability
when looking straight down. A Uniloc or Benbo with suitably spread feet
would be my suggestion for a tripod for your application, but likely to cost
more than $50.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<echasin@yahoo.com> wrote ...
> Hello,
>
> I'm wondering if anyone here can recommend a tripod to me. I'm
> putting
> together an inexpensive "pencil test" machine, which is for capturing
> drawings (for animation) one at a time to my PC. I'll have a simple
> MiniDV camera hooked up to the PC via firewire, and need a tripod. I
> know diddly about tripods. Do they all more or less allow the camera
> to swivel so it's pointing directly downwards? Do I want a standard,
> compact, or tabletop tripod? I'd prefer to spend $50 or less.

It doesn't sound like you want a traditional "tripod".

What you likely need is a "copy stand" which holds
the camera pointed straight down at a work surface.
They frequently include light fixtures on either side.
If you are doing traditional animation, you'd likely
fasten a pin strip to the copy stand base to hold your
cels in registration, etc.

I've seen exactly this configuration at Disney where
they used a video camera and computer for shooting
pencil-tests.

"Copy stand"s are available from most larger camera
vendors, B&H, eBay, etc. etc. etc.

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<echasin@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1104849815.922526.114490@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> I'm wondering if anyone here can recommend a tripod to me. I'm putting
> together an inexpensive "pencil test" machine, which is for capturing
> drawings (for animation) one at a time to my PC. I'll have a simple
> MiniDV camera hooked up to the PC via firewire, and need a tripod. I
> know diddly about tripods. Do they all more or less allow the camera
> to swivel so it's pointing directly downwards? Do I want a standard,
> compact, or tabletop tripod? I'd prefer to spend $50 or less.
> Thanks,

I'm not an expert in either video or animation, but have a certain degree of
mechanical aptitude and at least a familiarity with basic animation
techniques. Seems to me a tripod would be a somewhat jury-rigged and
undependable way to hold the camera. What if you knock the camera over or
even just bump it accidentally? How are you ever going to get it aligned
*exactly* the way it was before?

Looking at pictures of old Disney animation studio stuff, seems they used
purpose-built frames to hold the camera at a precise, calibrated distance
from the cels. I'm guessing that for not much more than $50 and some careful
design and planning, you could home-build an animation rig out of basic
material like wood, plastic, sheet aluminum etc. that will accomodate your
DV camera.

Surely there must be tons of books and articles on hobbyist animation to be
found on the internet or at the public library, microfiche etc. that could
be adapted to your purposes.

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Thanks, everyone - a copy stand is exactly what I was looking for.