I love to take video with my iPad Mini, its such a great camera, even without many functions that are only in the iPhone.
However it has one serious issue: Stability. Is quite hard to find firm positions to record video. I tried several mounts and covers, but is never perfect. So I decided to make my own.

First I search for Pro mounts in Internet and there is one actually made by Makayama but it has several issues for me: Its quite expensive, it isn’t available in México and is for a full size iPad. However the idea is great.

Materials:

An old broken fanbase for Laptop
An old broken Halina Super 8 Camera (you can use any old 35mm camera)
A bunch of screws like the ones used to assemble a PC
A Electric screw/drill
iPad Mini
Led Unit 96 units
Flash bracket
Microphone 2 options:
- Digital:
  - Usb Digital mic for PC
  - Lightning to USB cable
- Analog:
  - A videocamera to tv cable with 4 steps
  - Analog base mic or a lavalier microphone.
  - 2 female 3.5 plugs
  - Soldering iron and solder
A few apps for the iPad.
Time

Step 1: Step 1: Tear Apart Everything

1.- Tear apart everything. What we really need is the tripod mount, its a little piece of metal with holes that fits in a universal screw of any tripod. Halina camera has two, one in the top for a flash and one in the bottom for a tripod. Anyway you can tear apart different old cameras to get this piece. I took the lens too with all the aluminum mount.

Mount the tripod mounts into the frame, just at the middle, in order to get balance. I use two screws with nuts. On the top just at the same distance I make a hole with the forceps, is not pretty, but it works.

Step 2: Step 2: Light Mount

2.- Using the photobracket for a flash I firmly hold it at the top of the frame with the same lock. Then you can put a light or a Microphone on top. I preffer light.

Step 3: Step 3: IPad on Position

3. Using the forceps I remove a part of the metal frame, just enough free space for the camera.

Tip: Check and check again that there is no a single shadow on the iPad Image.

My iPad has a extreme simple rubber case, using a bolt in one of the holes I make enough force to hold the iPad in position. I add one more screw at the right just to know what is the exact position in order to fit the camera hole.

Step 4: Step 4: More Lens, More Fun

4. You can buy a set of lenses for the iPad or iPhone however I use the same of the Halina cam, which is great because you can switch from tele zoom to wide angle just moving a little leverage.

I make one more hole, and use the same mount part of the camera. In this way you can remove the lens just by moving a side from the camera.

Step 5: Step 5: Improving Your Sound

5. Sound. Digital mic is easier, I just drill a hole and use a screw and a nut to hold it firmly on one side.

You have to plug the USB to the Lighting to USB cable and that is it. The iPad use the external mic by default. you don’t need any further setup.

If you want to use the analog line, you have to use a camcorder cable to video. Using the following diagram is quite easy actually and then you can plug even a headphones to monitor your audio.

Is up to you and what kind of mic you have at hand.

You can even use a more proper solution like the IK Multimedia iRig and a USB Microphone of the same brand. Or even a professional boom.

Step 6: Step 6: Apps

6. You can use the default camera, is not bad, but there is something much much better.

An App called Filmic Pro which I strongly suggest because it has so many great options, including recording at 720, slow motion and even a 60 frames per second mode. Also you can lock exposition and focus at two different spots. This is the truly power of the iPad's camera realesed.

Also you can download an App called RODE Rec LE which I use to monitor my audio feed before I record video.