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.

Comments

[schwieb]

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.

[bertus52x11]

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.

[zascecs]

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

[Grathio]

 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.)

[roadieflip]

Clever!

[Kiteman]

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?

[bertus52x11]

 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).

[Kiteman]

OK, thanks.