DennisS
Posts: 1292
Location: Los Anglels, United States
Registered: 1 Sep 2007
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Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 4 Jul 2009 at 0:21 GMT
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I reciently did a shoot where all the light sources were on the walls inside a building. There were no other light sources. This presented a problem. Not only could you see the tripod shadow on the floor, but the shadow went all the way over and up the walls. I could not reposition the light sources. The shadows of the legs also appeared on the walls. I knew this was going to test my Photoshop skills.
I figured that if I had a tripod with very short legs and a long center column, I would not have any tripod leg shadows, only the center column and pano head shadow.
I came up with the following. All done with off the shelf parts. No machining or fabricating skills required.
Everything came from various sites on the Internet.
The tripod came from www.kirkphoto.com/MLB-1_Mighty_Low_Boy.html. It comes with and adapter that will allow you to mount the monopod upside down. Mounting the monopod this way will put the heavier part of the monopod nearer the ground. All you need to do is remove the 3/8 set screw. It is glued in and rather easy to remove. You could very easily insert a rotator (upsidedown) between the tripod and monopod.
The Monopod is a Manfrotto 680B.
The camera mount is a Giotto MTC 200 short column adapter. "www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinf... 200" The column diameter is the same as the last section of the monopod.
After you have gathered all the parts, all you need to do is remove the 3/8 set screw from the tripod adapter, remove the smallest section of the monopod and insert the Giotto short column adapter. This requires 1 allen wrench and 1 phillips head screw driver. Since the adapter and the clamp on the tripod are both round, you will be able to very easily orient your pano head in relation to the tripod for that first shot.
As you can see from the last photo, there will be no leg shadows to deal with. No need to worry about your very expensive camera taking a dive either. This setup is so very stable. Packing this rig is easy since you can remove the monopod from the tripod.
Here is the resulting pano: dlsphoto.net/ONC/Lobby5/Lobby5.html
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bigwade
Posts: 826
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Registered: 19 Oct 2005
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 4 Jul 2009 at 15:48 GMT
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Dennis,
That's a fine solution. !
I have plenty small and sturdy tripods so the only thing I need is the adapter to use the monopod upside down.
Can you add a picture/partnumber of this ?
Thanks!
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DennisS
Posts: 1292
Location: Los Anglels, United States
Registered: 1 Sep 2007
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 4 Jul 2009 at 17:10 GMT
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The adapter comes with the tripod. You may be able to order it separately. If you follow the link provided, you will see a picture of the adapter. It is made out of a solid block of aluminum, not plastic.
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DennisS
Posts: 1292
Location: Los Anglels, United States
Registered: 1 Sep 2007
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 5 Jul 2009 at 3:07 GMT
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I just discovered a way to make an adapter using off the shelf parts.
Order a short center column (make sure you get the correct diameter):
www.adorama.com/BG190CCS.html?searchinfo=manfrott...
The round casting and the center column are held together with 1 single bolt. There is a wedge system that holds the entire assembly together. You have access to the bolt through the center column. Remove the bolt and either cut it off or buy a shorter bolt. Put the bolt back and tighten.
Since this short bolt will not stick up out of the casting, you will now have a set of femail threads you can attach your upside down monopod to.
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bigwade
Posts: 826
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Registered: 19 Oct 2005
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 7 Jul 2009 at 15:49 GMT
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Found an off the shelf adapter here: tinyurl.com/m9unev
With a second monopod you can get a ± 3 meter pole.
Just ordered the monopod and adapter.
A Giottos 200 is on it's way from ebay 33USD incl. shipping (much cheaper than Adorama or B&H, they ask 40-65USD for shipping to Europe, insane !!)
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iam360Texas
Posts: 298
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Registered: 12 Jul 2006
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 7 Jul 2009 at 16:36 GMT
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I guess you could use a ball head under the pan head for taking images on a sloping ground line
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bigwade
Posts: 826
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Registered: 19 Oct 2005
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 7 Jul 2009 at 16:54 GMT
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or this one tinyurl.com/krd9vt
Bought it years ago for under a 360P but even then it was to big.
It was grabbing dust, but it can be used perfectly under the monopod.
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stalwart
Posts: 283
Location: Barton under Needwood, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Registered: 20 Dec 2007
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bigwade
Posts: 826
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Registered: 19 Oct 2005
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 8 Jul 2009 at 0:22 GMT
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Nice! but not for longer times and higher views.
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Grinch
Posts: 11
Location: Paris, France
Registered: 2 Jul 2009
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 15:54 GMT
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The tripod looks great but where buy it or an equivalent in Europe?
Because shipping in Europe and taxes are ...insane.
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Wim Koornneef
Posts: 118
Location: Ouddorp, Netherlands
Registered: 15 Nov 2007
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 17:57 GMT
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Hello Dennis,
Thanks for sharing your idea.
Your tripod+monopod solution inspired me to make a combination with a tripod+monopod+rotator+quick mount (QM).
www.dmmdh.nl/panos/monopod_tripod_11072009/setup....
The max. height with all legs extended and center column lifted is 3.05m, when the legs of the tripod are pushed in the height is 2.35 m (as in the image) and when the legs are in the most spread position the height is 2.05m.
The rotator between the center column and the monopod makes it possible to mount the NodalNinja R10 ring without its R-D4 rotator directly on top of the monopod to get a very small footprint that easily can be retouched without the need of a nadir shot.
With the built-in leveler of the tripod it possible to level the monopod and with the QM it is possible to attach and remove the monopod very fast.
The tripod (755B), monopod(681B), rotator (300N) and QM (323) are Manfrotto, the 3/8" adapter on top of the monopod and the adapter between monopod and rotator are self made.
The only difficult/time consuming job was to adjust the adapters and the QM to get the rotation center of the top of the monopod and the rotator at different heights in line.
The adjustment was neccesary to make it possible to use the combination indoors without getting large stitching errors caused by parallax.
Altough the combination works fine, even outdoors when there is little wind, I will not travel with it because the heavy weight of 4,25kg (without camera) is a little to much to be handy.
Wim
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Grinch
Posts: 11
Location: Paris, France
Registered: 2 Jul 2009
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 25 Jul 2009 at 14:49 GMT
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Please where have you seen a Giottos 200 on ebay?
I see only Giottos 280 and the diameter is not correct with 682 monopod.
Thanks for your help
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Grinch
Posts: 11
Location: Paris, France
Registered: 2 Jul 2009
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 14 Aug 2009 at 20:51 GMT
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Hello Wim,
How have you make the 3/8" adapter on top of the monopod?
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bigwade
Posts: 826
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Registered: 19 Oct 2005
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 20 Aug 2009 at 0:08 GMT
updated: 20 Aug 2009 at 0:10 GMT
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Alain, your last tube is 25mm
The Giottos is just 20mm
I guess Wim has the version with the little tripod (AND a screw)
btw my monopod (Manfrotto 680B)+giottos is for sale. EU only.
Male/male at both sides, brand new ! 
contact me ofline
grtz
Frank
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Grinch
Posts: 11
Location: Paris, France
Registered: 2 Jul 2009
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Re: Dealing with tripod leg shadows
Posted: 20 Aug 2009 at 14:27 GMT
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Bigwade, I've sent you a private message.
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