iPhone Tripod Mount from OtterBox Holster

When I recently turned to the dark side and bought an iPhone 4, I got the Otterbox Defender case to protect that shiny thing.  The case works great, but it came with a hip holster that I never planned on using.  I did want to use a tripod with my iPhone for shooting photos, panoramas, time-lapse series, and videos, so I decided to turn the holster into a tripod mount.

There are some tripod mounts available for purchase: Joby makes one, and I also just discovered the Glif, a product designed by two guys and launched using KickStarter.  I love how versatile and simple the Glif is, but I'm sad it won't accomodate a protective case like the Otterbox.

No matter which way you mount your iPhone to a tripod, you should check out Joby's free app GorillaCam.  It's a nice suite of features that let you be more precise with your smart phone photography.

Here's a quick time-lapse sequence I made to test our the tripod mount while working on my bike:

 

Step 1 Remove Belt Clip

The first step is to remove the OtterBox belt clip from the holster.  I thought about incorporating this into the tripod mount to have the ability to swivel the iPhone but in the end decided just to go without it.

First, to remove the spring-loaded plastic piece, you just need to pull out the bent metal spring with a pair of pliers.  Then this piece will come right off.

The plastic piece attached through the swivel to the holster was a little harder.  You might be able to pinch together the inner tabs and release it, but after trying for a while, I just took a dremel tool to the tabs.

After that everything should come apart into 4 individual pieces of plastic and the metal spring.

Comments

[Georgesusi]

Nice project. I did almost the same. I tried to post photos but I'm travelingr and everything is on my iPad and iPhone no network to get photos uploaded. after removing the belt clip, I inserted a 5/16" carriage bolt through the hole then thru the mounting hole on my tripod. I used a washer and wing nut to secure the adaptor. Two 7/16" holes to accommodate the lens and flash on the back casing. A works like a charm. 

[llewis7]

gyuhhhhhhh cuuuutest cat ever! so curious !

[moosetooth]

Very nicely done! Great concept. Craftsmanlike build. Superior publishing. One of the best instructables I've seen. Thank you!

[calischs]

Thanks for your comment. Hopefully I'll put it to good use soon!