homemade tripod mount for D90/80-200

[markinvictoria]

I recently picked up a Nikon 80-200 2.8D push pull off Ebay for $365. Found out real quick I needed to use a tripod for this lens with my D90. Did a bit of research and came up with the following.



I found a aluminum bar (2" x 1/4" x 9 1/2"), some rubber backed tape, a screw to mount the bar to my D90, and some velcro straps in my garage and a friends scrap pile.



So far it seems to work great...and the price was right...basically free. The bottom of the D90 lined up perfectly with the bottom of the lens barrel, so no bending was required. What do you think?

[Angelo]

It's fun being able to create your own equipment.

[tukaniray]

That is a neat set up you got there.

-Ray-

[RKEnnis]

Pretty cool. I don't quite get how it work with a push/pull type lens, though.

Making gear is the best!

[markinvictoria]

Originally Posted by RKEnnis

Pretty cool. I don't quite get how it work with a push/pull type lens, though.

Making gear is the best!

If you've ever played with the 80-200 push pull...the end of the lens barrel is stationary...just the single large center ring slides to zoom and twists for manual focus...really a neat system once you get used to it.

[RKEnnis]

Oh, ok! I've never even held a push/pull type lens.

My bad for "assuming" how it works :)

[Hanky]

Cool, now design a gimble that I can build and I'll be happy.

[markinvictoria]

Originally Posted by Hanky

Cool, now design a gimble that I can build and I'll be happy.

Now that might be a bit tougher

[Daniel W.]

Ask and you shall receive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb3UYwr_cfw

[aandpman]

Well, while we're sharing home-brewed tripod mounts, I thought I'd post these. I bought the Sigma 150-500 and really wanted a gimbal head...just wasn't willing to pay the $250+ starting price for one....so I whipped this one up one weekend. Actually dusted off my airframe skills I learned in Airframe & Powerplant school 20 yrs ago...

[Angelo]

Nice, You should get into the business.
How much did it cost you to make it?

[aandpman]

The Gimball:
1.25" x .25" x 6' 6065 Aluminum bar stock...$15 (didn't us all 6')
2 - 1/4" bolts + wing nuts ~$4
Asst. drill bits, taps, hacksaw, flat file, etc. (already on hand)
1 - Harbour freight 6 ton shop press and die from a Ball Joint press kit (already on hand)
1 - Manfrotto quick release adapter (already on hand)
1 - 9 yr old grand daughter to pump the press while I eyeballed the alignment - priceless

Now just need to get a manfrotto mount that has the sliding plate to allow for adjusting the balance when the lens is zoomed in/out...

[Hanky]

Sweet! I do not have the press but I do know a welder so maybe I'll go that route.
Lol, did you dye pen for cracks, call NDI, ok it with the stress engineer?

[aandpman]

Originally Posted by Hanky

Sweet! I do not have the press but I do know a welder so maybe I'll go that route.
Lol, did you dye pen for cracks, call NDI, ok it with the stress engineer?

Naa, just measured and layed out my bend radius allowances with pencil marks, eyeballed it and held my mouth right.

[aandpman]

...amazingly, I was only about 2-3mm out-of square at the end of one of the U-pieces, not so much that I couldn't get the pivot holes lined up with a little elbow grease ;-)