OT: Wall Track Mount For Camera

jrazz wrote on 8/30/2012, 3:57 PM
I wanted to see if you all had any ideas on a track that I could attach a camera arm mount to and then attach a camera to it.

I have an older Sony HVR-A1u cam that I want to use for this. The only catch is that I need to be able to raise and lower the cam on the track.

I was thinking of something like this: Track but I need something that I can weld/attach to the piece that is in the track and I need a way to raise it up about 10 feet and then lower it back down.

I am not tied to a wall track, I just need to be able to raise a camera about 10-12 feet and be able to lower it down again. The wall mount idea was ideal because there is not much space to work in: about 3 foot worth of space. And it needs to be stable so that it does not shake when people walk.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I know that somebody out there had to already have made something for this purpose.

j razz

Comments

farss wrote on 8/30/2012, 4:32 PM
Just to be clear, you want a way to mount a camera to a wall so you can slide it up and down over a range of 12'.

Question, do you intend to have the camera recording while doing that, if so the sliding system would need to be very smooth and therefore quite expensive e.g. Kestler Cineslider. If not, almost anything would do and the extrusion from Ergotron or perhaps better yet the cheap Ingus slider would do. Even the extrusions made for window sliders with the nylon runners would suffice. Just use two with a carriage between them.

Bob.
jrazz wrote on 8/30/2012, 6:51 PM
No need for smooth movement between the up and down position. I won't be recording until it is up in the air. I only need to bring it down to power it off and to turn it on before sending it back up.

I still need a way (like a pulley system) to pull it into place and then to lower it back down without it getting stuck due to pressure from the weight of the camera. That's why I was hoping someone had already thought this up and had it on the market somewhere.

Thanks for the suggestions Bob- I just need a good way to slide it up and down and the rail I linked to (and your suggestions) would work fine- I just don't know a good way to raise and lower it without making something gaudy to do the job.

j razz
farss wrote on 8/31/2012, 2:39 AM
"I just don't know a good way to raise and lower it without making something gaudy to do the job."

That's where it gets more difficult. The extrusion in your original post looks quite promising. You can buy pulleys like those used for sash windows, mount one at the top for a lenght of sash cord to run over. Run the cord between the rails of the extrusion. It should look reasonably neat. except you need something to wind the rope around and secure it.

There is another way that avoids rope and a pulley. It would look neater but it's harder to engineer and you'd need the right kind ot extrusions. Basically the concept is a "car" that can ride along ta fixed extrusion and it is raised and lowered by two sections of a total length the same as the fixed section with a hinge in about the middle. By pulling the hinged section forward you unlock the over centre lock and can slide the car down. Pushing the lower section back into the fixed section you raise the "car" again. You would need a lot of clearance in the front of this though. You'll see the same concept used to raise and lower awnings if my explaination is hard to grasp.

Bob.
jrazz wrote on 8/31/2012, 5:36 PM
Bob do yo have a link to that second idea? I promise I tried to grasp it but was having difficulty. I guess something like this: Awning

j razz
farss wrote on 8/31/2012, 6:49 PM
"Bob do yo have a link to that second idea?"

No but try this simple excercise.
Stand up, arm hanging down your side.
Now move hand striaght up until it's under your armpit.
Notice how your arm bends.

Got that, then take a look at this page: http://www.mjvail.com/destaco/intropage3.html

See the diagram on the RHS. If the one end is completely constrained and the other can only slide along the centre line then as your pull the centre pivot up and down one end moves back and forth, just like your arm does when you moved your hand.

ps, much easier on Skype.

Bob, aka RobRoySyd.
jrazz wrote on 8/31/2012, 9:14 PM
Bob, that makes perfect sense. The hand to armpit got it for me :)

I did go to the link and took a look at the diagram. Your right, the hard part is going to be trying to make this and keeping it aesthetically pleasing.

This did make me think about roman shades though. They don't need a lot of room as they fold in on themselves. I could use that idea ... or I could use an actual roman shade, attach it to the insert and use it to pull the cam up and lower it back down.

Thanks for the ideas Bob! You gave me some things to think on and helped me think outside the box.

j razz
TeetimeNC wrote on 9/1/2012, 5:53 AM
Really going outside the box here... if your cam supports external ac power can you run a power cord to a stationary bracket, leave the cam powered up and use your remote to start/stop the cam?

/jerry
jrazz wrote on 9/1/2012, 11:02 PM
Jerry, the only problem is I don't want to leave the camera on (it will be used often and over a year) for that length of time. If I unplug it, I'll have to turn it back on by means of the rocker. It doesn't have a set "on" position as the rocker "rocks" between, Play, Record, and Picture mode), Off is the only position that it actually moves into.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

j razz