Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
If you're a photography enthusiast, you've probably experienced many times
when you have needed to mount your camera a specific item for a specific
purpose. How often did you find yourself wishing that you could find your lost
tripod mount? In this situation, a MakerBot is your best friend. There are
currently dozens of tripod things posted on Thingiverse with more being
added every day. That lost tripod insert, plate, or quick release can be re-
placed quickly, cheaply and easily.
Sometimes the standard tripod solution is not the right tool for desktop pho-
tography. jman needed a way to hold a camera in a stable position for pho-
tographing small items. His desktop tripod was not working well, so he de-
signed a gantry solution derived from a traveling crane (
http://www.thingi
verse.com/thing:11648
), shown in
Figure 2-10
. The camera can be held at a
wide variety of orientations and heights, and then easily locked in place by
tightening the knobs at either end and the it collapses down flat for easy
storage.
Perhaps you need a simple mount for your point and shoot camera for self-
portraits? Thingiverse user juniortan created a highly portable monopod
(
Figure 2-11
) with a 360 degree swivel ball joint that can be mounted onto the
tip of most drink bottles:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2631
.
Replacing Lost, Broken or Unique Plastic
Camera Parts
Your Makerbot is handy for solving almost any camera related part issue.
MakerBot excels at reproducing lost or broken parts for camera mounted
accessories, lens hoods and lens caps.
Many cameras have a “hot shoe” mount where a flash unit can be attached.
Usually, these cameras will have a small, easy to lose piece of plastic that
slides into the hot shoe connector to protect the electrical connections and
keep them from getting dirty. Both antijon and TheCase have created down-
loadable hot shoe covers or you can easily create your own and then, print
and replace using a MakerBot.
Another camera item that is easily lost is the lens cap. But thanks to made-
bydan, caps for Nikon lenses can be easily replaced! (see
http://www.thingi
verse.com/thing:3328
)
Another solution for the lost lens cap is to make sure
that it never gets lost in the first place. The parametric Camera Lens Cap
Holder by kitlaan at
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:9860
attaches to your
camera strap and makes it easier to keep track of your lens cap.
