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Ice Axe Camera Mount

As a mountaineer you always have a versatile monopod available. With the right adaptor you can use it to take pictures.
A slotted PVC pipe slides on top of the head of the ice axe.

8 comments

Apr 7, 2010. 7:02 AM

schwieb says:

Where do you find the 'camera mount' hardware? I have made a couple of these on water bottles and hiking poles, but think they would be better if there was a ball swivel thing.

Apr 7, 2010. 11:50 AM

bertus52x11 (author) says:

I don't live in The States, but try to find a dealer near you through the Hama site.
http://www.hama.de/portal/articleId*2772/action*2563
or Novoflex.
http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/camera-support-systems/ball-heads/
but I don't think they are the cheapest.
Else try Google "ball heads camera mounts / tripods" or something like it.

Apr 6, 2010. 6:15 PMzascecs says:

Those tall, snowy mountains sure have good views...

Apr 6, 2010. 2:37 PM

Grathio says:

This is fantastic. We did a similar thing to use ski and hiking poles as monopods. (Or with a quick knot in the straps, two poles as a bipod.)

Apr 6, 2010. 12:52 PMroadieflip says:

Clever!

142

Apr 6, 2010. 8:39 AM

Kiteman says:

Nice - just two questions:

Is the pipe tightly fit to the axe, or just sitting there?
How did you connect the PVC cap and the camera mount?

Apr 6, 2010. 10:11 AM

bertus52x11 (author) says:

I made this device some years ago now, so unfortunately I couldn't make a "real" Instructable of it.
To answer your questions:
* The slots fit tightly around the nose and the tail of the metal, but the lower section of the PVC pipe fits to the stem as well. I have used it with larger camera's and lenses without any problem.
* Bolted through the PVC cap and added a washer like this (see picture).