Camera & mount, folded and ready for transport.
Front view of camera and mount, ready to attach to glider.
The coiled string is a safety that will be routed through the tubing and tied to the mount on the leading edge or crossbar.
The tubing I used is 1/2 inch, thin-walled PVC water pipe. Be sure to ask for thin-walled tubing. It is much lighter than normal schedule 40 PVC tubing.
I use regular schedule 40 PVC elbows. If you have a sheet metal "nibbler", it'll work well for making tightening slots in the elbows. If you don't have one, then use a hacksaw to make two 1/4 in. slots so that the hose clamps can tighten the elbows. With two elbows and three hose clamps you get full 3-axis adjustability.
The camera base section was made from a short length of thin-walled 1/2 in. tubing. By cementing on an end cap and a section of 3/4 inch tubing, then using a drill with a sanding disk, I ground a flat area the same width as the velcro strip. The velcro strip is a special type that is used in marine applications. The 'teeth' are not hook-and-loop but interlocking stiff plastic bristles. I found mine at a TAP plastics store. I'd expect you could find it at boat and marine supply stores.
View showing the #44 hose clamp used to secure the camera to its PVC base.
The cut out section of the hose clamp spans both the infrared remote sensor window (the black area to the left of the view finder) and the top-right corner of the camera-top display where the film counter is located. I used a Dremel tool (high speed drill) and a cutting wheel to remove the section of hose clamp.
I found that removing 2/3 of the width was enough to allow the remote release to function. Be careful when cutting that you don't nick the remaining width of hose clamp. A nick will weaken it, leading to premature failure.
You'll also note the rubber band that is used to keep the zoom rocker, on the back of the camera, depressed on the wide-angle side. On the front of the camera you have to make sure the rubber bands don't cover the remote sensor window or intrude on the shutter release. I like to use several thinner bands as a precaution against one of them breaking.
Note: Since these photos were taken, I've replaced the rubber bands with a length of small-diameter bungee cord (also called "shock cord"). It works much better and I don't worry about it breaking. I've also routed this bungee between the camera and the base so it won't get lost.
I used gaffers tape to protect the camera where it comes in contact with the hose clamp. This photo shows black gaffer's tape on the front of the camera and grey grip tape (same tape, different color) between the remote sensor window and the display window. I suggest that you try to find a source for gaffer's tape (so named because it's used by photo / film professionals - gaffers and grips) at hardware stores or professional photo shops. You'll find many uses for it. It is similar to duct tape, but instead of being permanent, gaffer's tape is meant to be easily removed, leaving little or no residue. It's a great cloth tape.
Rear view of camera, showing rubber bands on the zoom rocker switch.
The zoom switch is hard to see here. Its right above the yellow film window, half coverd by the rubber band.
When I mount the camera on the glider I go through these steps:
- attach the camera bracket to the glider-mounted bracket and secure the safety cord.
- adjust the joints and tighten the hose clamps. After using this setup for a while and finding the best mounting location, I marked the joints so I can duplicate the setting.
- turn on the camera.
- press the left silver button twice - turns on flash mode.
- press the right silver button three times - turns on the remote release.
- place the rubber band over the zoom rocker.
- attach the remote release to the down tube and "aim" it so it's pointing right at, or a little above, the camera.
- take a picture to make sure everything works. Don't forget this step! I've discovered my remote's battery was dead.
I also found it useful to carry a nut driver - a socket wrench on the end of a screw driver handle - to tighten the hose clamps. It is much faster, easier, and stronger-tightening than using my Swiss Army knife.
Bottom-rear of camera.
Here you can see the velcro clearly. The safety cord is routed through a hole in the end cap. It could just as easily have gone through the end as the bottom. But, this hole was left over from when I tried using a 1/4 in. bolt to attach to the camera's tripod socket. I learned that this is not good for the camera when you have a hard impact. You'll tear the bottom off the camera. I lucked out and only had the bottom distort a bit. That's when I switched to using a hose clamp. As it turns out the hose clamp is not only safer for the camera, it does a better job of holding it tight to the PVC base.
Exploded view of the joints.
With these three clamps/joints you have full 3-axis control for aiming the camera. Plus there's one more at the leading edge or crossbar.
You can see the safety cord routed through the tubing.
You can also see where I marked the joints with a permanent marker to make the "standard" installation go faster.
Each 90 deg. elbow, under a #10 hose clamp, has been slotted to allow the elbow to be tightened. You can cut the slots with a hack saw, but if you have a sheet metal "nibbler", it'll make the slots perfectly and quickly.
Note that the elbow on the left has a short length of tubing cemented in place.
Attachment of mount to leading-edge bracket.
There is a loop of safety cord attached to one of the leading-edge bracket's hose clamps. Then the camera bracket's safety cord can be tied to that.
A 45 deg. elbow is also shown. You may want to use a 45 for some mounting locations.
Leading-edge bracket.
This PVC "tee" may be hard to find. Mine is a 2 inch by 1/2 inch-threaded tee. I cut off part of the 2 inch section, then used a sanding disk on a drill to smooth out the inside of the section, and bevel the edges. Depending on where you mount this bracket, you may want a 1 1/2 inch bracket, or some other diameter. The hose clamps are #36's.
I use a threaded 1/2 inch tee because I've had the short section of tubing break in a bad landing. I was able to unscrew the broken piece and replace it. You could just as easily eliminate the threads, making the short piece of tubing a permanent part of the bracket. Then you'd want a second bracket for backup.
Follow-up note: Since writing the above, I no longer use the threaded tee. I found that the threaded portion can be broken and then you have to replace the whole thing. Also, the threaded adapter makes for a longer extension from the leading edge. I now use a non-threaded tee with a short length of 1/2 in. PVC glued in place. I also learned that if you can't find a 2 in. by 1/2 in. tee, you can use a smaller diameter 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 by 1/2 in. and cut it so that there is less than a half circle left. It will conform to the leading edge when you clamp it in place.
This bracket is so light that I keep it on the glider all the time (one on each wing). As it is I don't notice the weight of the camera and bracket in flight. The total weight is 23 ounces. If you like, you can use a counterbalance.
Remote release, mounted on the left downtube.
A hose clamp and a small piece of scrap aluminum were used for this bracket. The release has no provision for a safety cord so I used gaffer's tape to attach one to the bottom. I used some sticky putty - normally used for hanging posters, etc. on the wall - to attach the release to the bracket. You could tape it instead, if you like. A bit of grip tape covers the safety cord.
This bracket can be used on the right downtube by turning it upside down. You just won't be able to see the buttons.
This mounting assumes your camera will be mounted on a wing tip. Since the camera I'm using has a 28mm lens, it has to be as far away from me as possible in order to get a good field-of-view. If you mount the camera elswhere, then you may have to make a different release mount to properly point at it. Some pilots have tried hand-holding the release, but the results have been mixed - they don't always point the release correctly.
A nice feature of this release is that it has both an immediate release button and a 2-second delay button. The 2 second delay allows me to compose myself before the shot is taken.
Bottom view of remote release bracket.
The grip tape has been removed so you can see the safety cord. A hole is drilled into one corner for the safety cord. You can see the sticky putty.
After you mount this bracket on your glider, you can bend it up/down and rotate the release to ensure it points at the camera. I found that the camera doesn't change its position much in flight, relative to the release, from its at-rest position.