PVC Shoulder Rig real-world review

    In March, I wrote about the PVC shoulder rig I built, following the pattern used for the "Lars Cam" by The Slanted Lens.

    Since then, I've had a few opportunities to use it in real-world situations, and overall I have to say it has been a success, albeit while finding an area where the design could be tweaked.

    First, I opted to use tape instead of paint to cover the PVC pipe. But, unlike the Slanted Lens' version, I went with cloth hockey-stick tape rather than electrical tape. Aside from cost, the stick tape does not get slippery or come off like electrical tape, and it offers a better grip. After all, that's what stick tape is designed to do.

    It also gives the rig a good, finished look. I also chose to wrap the T-joint, which the crew at The Slanted Lens left undone.

    My first use of the rig was while covering a demonstration of high-tech gear for the battlefield. I was being shuttled around a sprawling military base by van.

    One advantage of the rig is the fact that I was able to disassemble it partially, making it easier to stow between stops. I can also leave it assembled and turn the handles and back support so it can store flat, which is also handy.

    As you can see in the video (and I apologize for the bad audio in the second half. I had a recorder die on me, and I think my phone's on-board mic got covered), that there is some slight movement, but it is steadier than trying to just hand hold it without any support.

    The next time I used it was at a fund-raiser where people were rappelling down the side of a building to raise money for a cancer-support group. Again, I got good results with the rig, and I also discovered that when I put the camera down and let go, the shoulder support held it on my shoulder while the handles kept it close to my body.

    As for improvements I would make, I would probably install a quick-release-plate system to the rig to make it easier to attach the camera.

    Other than that, it's a design I look forward to continually using in my video projects.

PVC shoulder rig for less than $10

    If you've ever tried to shoot handheld video, you know camera shake is a thing, even if you've got the steadiest of hands.

    There are a few tricks to get around it. Knoptop suggests using your camera strap, pulling the camera away from you until the strap is taut, providing some stability to the camera. While Scott Eggleston, aka the Frugal Filmmaker, has advocated for cage-like rigs, such as one made out of my favorite material, PVC, and another that is group of flash brackets mounted together.

    But many people have found that shoulder rigs provide great stability for a few reasons. First, you are using your shoulder and body mass to provide stability, and with the right handles, it gives three points of contact. A shoulder rig also puts the camera right about eye level.

    There are plenty of plans for DIY shoulder rigs out there, but the one I liked the best — for the most part — was the one the crew at The Slanted Lens came up with. Dubbed the "Lars Cam," it consists of a 10-12" length of 1-inch PVC pipe, a 1-inch T-joint and three 1-inch 90-degree PVC electrical conduits, along with a 1/4x20 bolt to hold the camera on to it. The tools consist of a power drill (I recommend using a 9/32 bit, as it makes it easier to insert the bolt in the hole), and a way to cut PVC pipe. My personal choice is a pair of ratcheting PVC pipe cutters.

    I spent $6.72 at Home Depot on the conduit, T-joint and bolt (actually, the bolts came in a three-pack with nuts). I was able to get a short length of PVC pipe from a friendly plumber for free from his scrap collection. 

    From my test run with it, the rig is quite stable and handles smoothly. You can still reach up to adjust focal length or focus, resting one of the handles either in the crook of your arm or on your forearm.

    At this point, I am debating whether to use tape to cover the PVC, as the Lars Cam's inventor did, or spray paint. I am also planning to borrow another trick from Knoptop and putting a craft-foam pad around the bolt to better hold the camera.

Low-cost ways to set focus for your videos

    If you're working by yourself, getting your camera focused to where you are going to be in front of it can be a challenge.

    There are some tricks, such as using a remote to trigger the autofocus on the camera while you're standing in position, and then quickly locking it in by going to manual focus. But not everyone has a remote trigger.

    Another way is to put something where you will be,  focus on it, and then step into position.

    Dave Knop, AKA Knoptop, has a couple suggestions in a Youtube video.

    One is using a polystyrene mannequin display head, which you can pick up at a local wig shop or on Amazon. But if you either don't want to spend the money or have Jeff Bezos' algorithms making wild assumptions about you, Knoptop offers a cheaper solution that you most likely have laying around your house: A plastic, one-gallon jug.

    Knoptop said they can easily be used as a head to either hold hats and wigs, or as a focus stand-in. He recommends using a milk jug (not those big. square-ish ones you get at Costco), after rinsing it out, of course. For me, I have distilled water jugs sitting around that don't need as much cleaning.

 

    Knoptop said you can paint it, cover it with comic book art or whatever you want. I would recommend something that creates an easy focus pattern, maybe something like this modge-podged to the outside. To make it really utilitarian, you could also paint it a neutral gray tone so you can set color balance as well.

    I think the best part of it is you can fit it on a light stand, especially if you are using a PVC lightstand.

Light tent for shooting people

    There's been talk on some of the photography websites about a portable studio that's about seven feet by four feet.

    The Konseen Photo studio, includes a tent, backgrounds and LED light system. The larger size goes for about $380. The concept is not bad, considering light tents have been used in product photography before, so it could be used for portraiture, especially when you have limited space for a proper studio.

    But the price tag could be a bit off-putting, especially for people whose Gear Acquisition Syndrome is kept in check by their wallets. It was disappointing to see another DIY photo website highlight this product without suggesting a cheaper way to get the same effect.

    That's why I'm here.

    Taking a quick look at Home Depot's website, you can get enough PVC pipe and fittings to construct the frame for less than $25. It's essentially a larger version of the tent I recommended for product photography. For the side walls, I would go with shower curtain liners from your local dollar store, and I would suggest using whatever light system you have, be it clamp lights, speed lights or some other rig.

PVC Lightbox improves quality of product photos

    Between Etsy, eBay and other online commerce sites, there are a lot of people hawking wares on the internet.

    And to promote these products, the sellers put up pictures, and the quality varies from professional-looking product photos to something someone took with a cheap phone camera on a kitchen table with no thought for lighting.

    Poor photos don't necessarily lead to sales, or getting the best price in an online auction. People can't see how good the product looks.

    But there is a way to get good looking product photos. Use a light box. It's a device that surrounds the product in soft light from multiple sides, eliminating reflections and shadows, as well as distracting backgrounds.

    There are some DIY versions made from cardboard boxes, but the best, in my opinion, is the one made from PVC pipe. PVC Fittings Online has a Youtube video showing how they put together one for product photography.

    I built one, using two 10-foot lengths of ½-inch PVC pipes, with four three-way connectors and four elbows. I use the elbows to put the extra two-foot sections across the bottom as feet. It cost me less than $11 in PVC parts at Lowe's.

    While the video calls for making the walls out of curtain, I found that blank newsprint works as well. You can usually get a roll of the material from your local newspaper for a dollar or two.