Gearfuse

Either the Japanese government has something against tripod manufacturers or the photography industry has been pulling the wool over our eyes for a century. A group of Japanese scientists from Nishi Lab of the University of Electrocommunications have determined that photos taken with cameras that are anchored to a tripod typically have more camera shake.

A new tool that determines camera shake by measuring the effects of shutter vibration and mirror slap has concluded that SLR cameras on a tripod can actually shake more than when handled manually. The shaking can lower resolution by as much as 75%. You’d expect a statistic like this with a DIY tripod, but a real piece of gear?

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You probably wouldn’t believe us if we didn’t have the photographic proof to back it up, but empty soda bottles actually make pretty effective tripods on-the-cheap. While there are gadgets actually made to turn soda bottles into functioning tripods, there is an even easier and cheaper way just to do it yourself, which is so much more fun anyway.

You’ll need a few tools and supplies, but the total cost of the construction supplies makes this DIY extremely appealing. You’ll be spending about $3 total on the parts you’ll need, not including the soda, which hopefully won’t knock you over budget.

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Have you ever been out with your digital camera and wish you had a tripod? It’s happened to me many times and while a tripod can dramatically improve your shot, they’re just not practical to carry around. Enter the Gorillapad. This tripod uses a “viscoelastic morphing polymer base” to stick to almost any surface, effectively turning anything into a usable tripod for a shot. The best part is that the Gorillapad can be had for less than $20 on Amazon, making it one of the most affordable tripods on the market.

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OK, so I’ve had a nice DSLR for a few years, as well as some point-and-shoot cameras. The problem is, I hardly ever bring them out for shoots since you need to bring a tripod and tripods suck. They’re cumbersome; a real pain in the ass to carry. Luckily, there’s a product for ten bucks that isn’t a concept and is usable almost anywhere. It’s this Bottle Cap Tripod. It fits almost any standard water or soda bottle, so your leftover Dasani bottle from work is a go. This way, you can get a good, clean shot no matter the location. I’ll be picking up one this weekend for sure.

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Unless you’ve got enough dough to shell out on equipment you might only use a few times, you’re probably not willing to save up for a high-priced solution for panorama photography. For the amount of money it costs to really get the panoramic view down pat, you’re probably better off taking 360 degree photos manually and duct taping them together.

The Panamatic Mount straps right onto your tripod, ensuring it’s orientation with a leveling bubble. Once the Panamatic is mounted in position, your camera hooks onto the device as if it were the normal tripod with the Panamatic offering a ratcheted wheel which spins around its axis. Snapping a panoramic shot is as easy as revolving your camera along the 12 different position settings, snapping a picture for each position. You can get your own for $25.

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If you’ve ever been into photography, you know that composition plays a major part in determining whether your shot turns out just right, or ends in the trash pile. While you can buy a level at your local hardware store which will ensure your camera is sitting on a straight plain, now there is an iPhone-led alternative.

Photographer Ben Long whipped up an iPhone app called iLevel which uses the phones built-in accelerometer to determine whether the phone is laying on flat, or at a angle. Strapping an add-on to your camera stand of choice allows for your mobile device to act as you very own level to ensure a winning shot everytime. — Andrew Dobrow

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The Spiderbrace Camera Stabilizer is a nice alternative for movie making novices who don’t yet feel the need spending their lifetime savings on the proper camera gear. Camera stabilization is a key factor to a movies aesthetics, and the Spiderbrace is an effective solution.

The Spiderbrace distributes the weight of a camera through out your body instead of laying most of the weight on your shoulders. The handlebars ensure that all the brunt is not localized, but shared evenly through the upper torso, making a steady shot a much easier action. Not only are you allowed the mobility that a tripod doesn’t accommodate, but for a low price and with correctly angled handlebars. Not something that looks like it was made from the remnants of a trash dump. The Spiderbrace is available for $70 — Andrew Dobrow

Product Page [Spiderbrace, via Cool Tools]

Do you ever want to take pictures from seemingly impossible angles, like walls or trees? No? Well if you did, the Monsterpod would be perfect for you. This tripod for any camera 20 oz or less is actually a tripod that can stick to almost anything, giving you the ability to place your camera in places you never imagined. This plunger-like tripod is supposed to be able to stick to anything, from trees to metal fences, for 10 minutes without falling off. This viscoelastic polymer-based marvel is waterproof and dirt resistant, meaning that if it gets too dirty, you can simply wash it off with water and it’ll work as good as new.

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Don’t ever get caught using this device unless you are in a situation where the ’stick-your-arm-out-and-curl-hand’ method can’t possibly work. If anyone ever sees you, just be ready to be the butt of everyone’s joke. You look like a complete geek (not the fun geek, the weird geek) and the pictures can’t be improved that much. The Extendable Hand Held Tripod (which isn’t really a tripod) is on Amazon for $19.99, a perfect gag gift for that preteen niece of yours who rips through that 2GB SD card in about 30 seconds with self portraits. It can extend up to 18″, which is leaving your personal space, and can close to be 7.5″. Amazon says it’s idea for overly large crowds, the only way I can see this is if your are using it as a bat because in an overly large crowd, no one is wanting you to take your self portrait. — Nik Gomez

Extendable Hand Held Tripod [UberGizmo]