Pole-Cam On The Cheap

Alex Mustard · Issue 45, Nov/Dec 2008 · pp. 26–28

Products mentioned: Seacam pole-cam system, Aquatica waterproof remote release, Nikon D2X, Subal Housing, Subtronic strobes, Ultralight arm, Ultralight three-way clamps, 10-17mm lens

What do you get it you cross a broom with a bicycle? This short article is about my attempt to make a pole-cam for my stills rig on a very tight budget. I am going to tell you how it worked and some of the design lessons I learned along the way. I have just returned home from DEMA and the Antibes festival and once again I came away full of admiration for the housing manufacturers, who are continuing to bring new products to the market to allow their photographers to produce new types of images. In the last issue of UWP, Tim Rock reported on Aquatica’s waterproof remote release. While Seacam, in particular, deserve special praise for their pole-cam system, which not only has electronic shutter release, but also options for remote viewfinder and even VR glasses to see what your camera is seeing. The only downside is the price. And if you have to ask… I am not a Seacam user and I don’t have…