I was a professional studio food and advertising photographer for almost three decades. I'm really dating myself here, but I used to shoot 8X10" and 4X5" film images with a Sinar view camera. (Yes, it's true: I am a dinosaur.) Back then, the only way we could shoot down with a beast the size of an 8X10" view camera was with a studio stand, which is and shall forevermore be the greatest single invention in history, photographically speaking. I used a Linhof Studiomatic studio stand, which costs more than the GNP of most European nations. And it was SO worth it. Weighing a couple of hundred pounds, the studio stand rolled on the concrete floor with three large casters. Its mast was at least 12' high, meaning I could go up on a ladder to shoot down onto a large set below. It had a boom (that could slide back and forth as needed) that was about 6' long horizontally. That meant I could roll the stand over a tabletop set with ease, raise and lower the boom along the mast height, and angle the camera precisely to where I needed it. Oh, and did I mention that it was rock steady? Sigh. Those were the days. Don't get me wrong: I love your solution. It totally rocks. Short of an overhead rail rig or a Hollywood-level cinema boom (I get kinda breathless thinking about one of those multi-ton units), the Linhof was as good as it gets. If good fortune were ever to offer you one of these monsters, don't hesitate. Here's what I mean: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/31597-USA/Linhof_003467_Studiomatic_I_Camera_Stand.html/overview
Very nice combo kit. TY sharing the overhead solution as well as the multi-purpose nature by lowering the arm. It’s always embarrassing when you realize a special-purpose tool is so much more general purpose than you realized, but that clamp clearly has lots of potential uses! However… what is your mic arm? That also looks interesting. Does it fold small with that extra joint construction?
I would rather see content from a 50$ non moving webcam without all this idiotic cinematic nonsense going on with massive bokeh, led lights all over the place. TH-cam has become a joke these days with people now literally using Cinema level cameras to demo a 20$ product completely ridiculous. I avoid watching any nonsense channels like that.
I would rather see content from a 50$ webcam without all this idiotic cinematic nonsense going on with massive bokeh, led lights all over the place. TH-cam has become a joke these days with people now literally using Cinema level cameras, dialog redubbing its just silly.
![Overhead Video Tutorial: How to Shoot Top Down Video [UPDATED!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zUGnfjIkcYc/mqdefault.jpg)
What piece of gear has transformed your TH-cam studio?
Kri, this is definitely the best overhead camera system I have seen. I probably need to invest in this. Thank you for posting this video!
Great to hear and thanks for tuning in!
Thank you for this! Just purchased both the Clamp and Boom arm using your affiliate link! :)
Thanks Andrew! I like this setup so much that I have 2 now. Hope you enjoy.
@@kriedholm That's amazing! Amazon says it will be here tomorrow. Woo-hoo!
This looks like a really good set up. thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Still using this setup. Works great!
Thanks for sharing this.
My pleasure!
Thanks! Now I want similar gear but based on a table tripod :)
Nice!
I was a professional studio food and advertising photographer for almost three decades. I'm really dating myself here, but I used to shoot 8X10" and 4X5" film images with a Sinar view camera. (Yes, it's true: I am a dinosaur.) Back then, the only way we could shoot down with a beast the size of an 8X10" view camera was with a studio stand, which is and shall forevermore be the greatest single invention in history, photographically speaking. I used a Linhof Studiomatic studio stand, which costs more than the GNP of most European nations. And it was SO worth it. Weighing a couple of hundred pounds, the studio stand rolled on the concrete floor with three large casters. Its mast was at least 12' high, meaning I could go up on a ladder to shoot down onto a large set below. It had a boom (that could slide back and forth as needed) that was about 6' long horizontally. That meant I could roll the stand over a tabletop set with ease, raise and lower the boom along the mast height, and angle the camera precisely to where I needed it. Oh, and did I mention that it was rock steady?
Sigh. Those were the days. Don't get me wrong: I love your solution. It totally rocks. Short of an overhead rail rig or a Hollywood-level cinema boom (I get kinda breathless thinking about one of those multi-ton units), the Linhof was as good as it gets. If good fortune were ever to offer you one of these monsters, don't hesitate. Here's what I mean:
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/31597-USA/Linhof_003467_Studiomatic_I_Camera_Stand.html/overview
This stand looks pretty nice - thanks for sharing!
Great setup, however when your unboxing something, isn't the camera going to shake ?
I suppose your camera will shake if you have an unstable table and are an aggressive unboxer
Very nice combo kit. TY sharing the overhead solution as well as the multi-purpose nature by lowering the arm. It’s always embarrassing when you realize a special-purpose tool is so much more general purpose than you realized, but that clamp clearly has lots of potential uses!
However… what is your mic arm? That also looks interesting. Does it fold small with that extra joint construction?
Appreciate you tuning in! The mic arm that I used in this video has been returned. Defniitely don't recommend it.
@@kriedholm Ouch. Looked nice, so sad. TY for the rapid reply and caveat emptor!
I would rather see content from a 50$ non moving webcam without all this idiotic cinematic nonsense going on with massive bokeh, led lights all over the place. TH-cam has become a joke these days with people now literally using Cinema level cameras to demo a 20$ product completely ridiculous. I avoid watching any nonsense channels like that.
I would rather see content from a 50$ webcam without all this idiotic cinematic nonsense going on with massive bokeh, led lights all over the place. TH-cam has become a joke these days with people now literally using Cinema level cameras, dialog redubbing its just silly.