OT: Wall Mounts with quick release?

jrazz wrote on 12/12/2011, 2:29 PM

I am looking for a wall mount that can hold about 7 lbs with a quick release head. I have found a few such as this one but they don't support a monfrotto quick release.

Anybody know what to search for? I went to bhphotovideo.com, amazon.com, and ebay.com but I couldn't find anything with quick release- it doesn't have to be monfrotto, that is just what I currently have.

I just don't like the Pelco attaching mechanism as they don't seem to work that well and I want to be able to grab the camera quickly and reattach it quickly without having to recalibrate or spin the camera around and around each time I wanted to take it off or put it back on.

j razz

Comments

farss wrote on 12/12/2011, 2:47 PM

Just to be clear, you want to mount a camera to a wall in a way such that you can remove it and put it back in exactly the some position pointing exactly the same way?

If so then step one is to look at the mechanism that is the connection between the camera and the fixed mount. The "euro" style release plate system is your friend for this.. Once that is sorted your next problem is how to mount the receiver for the plate to the wall but that should be fairly simple although you'd probably want something with a proper two axis adjustment system such as a pan / tilt head rather than a gimbal. Easy enough to put something together but to engineer a good, robust solution might not be all that cheap, what is your budget becomes an important question.

Bob.

RalphM wrote on 12/12/2011, 3:02 PM

The Pelco unit you linked to looks like it could be adapted without excessive expense or time. Statement made without being able to examine it, but I'd give it a try if it were me.

farss wrote on 12/12/2011, 3:19 PM

"The Pelco unit you linked to looks like it could be adapted without excessive expense or time"

Manfrotto make a number of cheap quick release systems for still cameras with a 1/4" taped hole in the bottom that might do the job. How rigid that Pelco bracket is and how much weight it will have to support are both unknowns.

Bob.

jrazz wrote on 12/12/2011, 3:22 PM

Thanks guys.

Bob, I don't really have a budget. This is for my church that is having to expand its current sanctuary and they are looking for numbers to see what they might need to purchase. I would say probably around 150-200 a mount? However that is simply a guess. I will do some searching for the "euro" style and see what I can find.

Ralph, yeah, it seems easy enough but I can't find any good pictures... I would have made the assumption that someone would have needed this before me (kind of like the plate a guy made and sold on ebay to go underneath the A1u's so you can remove the tape without taking it off the tripod).

j razz

farss wrote on 12/12/2011, 4:22 PM

OK, so given your budget and needs I'd consider the Pelco bracket with a Manfrotto 394 quick release plate for $41.00 from B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5563-REG/Manfrotto_394_394_Low_Profile_Quick.html

There's both a 1/4" and 3/8" taped hole in the bottom and the same thread screws on the top. We've used two to hold two cameras in a cheap 3D rig. Work just fine and very quick to get the camera on and off anything...and cheap too.

My only concern realy is the gimball thingy on the end of the Pelco. Fine for holding a CCTV camera that never gets touched but a good know and the ball may move and then you've lost your camera alignment. A solid steel bracket from a hardware shop holding a bigger Manfrotto ball head with the same release plate as I specified above would be better...if your budget would cover all that.

Bob.

jrazz wrote on 12/12/2011, 8:28 PM

Thanks Bob, most helpful link. For the price, it would be worth getting just to see if it will hold the weight... if not I can always try to solder it once I get the position correct.

j razz