Where to Find a Camera Box for Top Down Shots

[Almon]

I have been looking for some type of box or device to allow me to take Top-down pictures of the tanks. I used a Khanh's (bendalat) camera box when I photographed his tank, that was cool. It was an acryllic box with black sides, a clear bottom, and a thumb screw for the camera.

 

Where can I buy one of these?

[flowerseller]

I'll make you one

[Gadgets]

I need one too! Do u need my camera measurements?

[dbartco]

http://www.melevsreef.com/topdown.html

[Almon]

I'll make you one

Really? That's awesome! Sending PM.

 

http://www.melevsreef.com/topdown.html

Yes, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

[jnguyen4007]

Any chance anyone know where we can buy the black acrylic?

[flowerseller]

You can also use clear and then apply some window tint.

Works great!

[BeltwayBandit]

I made one very easily. I took a 6" pvc union and glued a 1/4" piece of scrap acrylic on to it. Here is an example of a pic I took with my box.

 

 

 

I do miss that clam.

[ErikS]

I need one too! Do u need my camera measurements?

Really depends on what you want - want enough room for the entire camera or just the lens?

 

If Chip doesn't set you up shoot me a PM of what you want. Got a few nice chunks of black laying around.

[Almon]

So I took Chip's suggestions and went to Lowe's and bought a sheet of clear acryllic (they didn't have black) and some Weldon.

 

I cut 4 sides of the box and glued them together

 

I painted it black

 

I cut the bottom, glued it on, and drilled a hole to secure the camera the box

 

And here's that Green Tort again, this time, Top Down

 

[Highland Reefer]

Almon,

 

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you use this box for top down pictures?

 

Your pictures look great.

[Almon]

The camera is secured at the top with a screw and the camera lens goes in box towards the clear bottom pane. Put the clear bottom of the box in the water and presto, everything becomes crystal clear. The box is water tight (unless you push it too far under water) so your camera and lens are essentially under water.

[ErikS]

Question -

 

Dimensions? Any issues with having to "push" the box into the water?

 

Wondering whether a larger box is easier to make vs smaller being easier to use?

 

Nice job

[Almon]

The box is 4" x 7" with the back peice extending out an additional 3" to support the camera. I considered making is less wide, like 4 or 5 inches instead of 7, but I'm glad I didn't. I need room to stick my fat hand in and adjust the zoom on the lens.

 

You don't really need to "Push" the box in the water. Only the bottom pane needs to be below the surface. It's own weight will do that.

Edited April 13, 2008 by Almon

[ErikS]

The box is 4" x 7" with the back peice extending out an additional 3" to support the camera. I considered making is less wide, like 4 or 5 inches instead of 7, but I'm glad I didn't. I need room to stick my fat hand in and adjust the zoom on the lens.

 

You don't really need to "Push" the box in the water. Only the bottom pane needs to be below the surface. It's own weight will do that.

Excellent, thanks.......I'll have to remember the access, for this test it wasn't an issue.

 

Under an hour w/ scraps - Version 1.0 prototype before the actual build....................

 

 

 

 

[Gadgets]

Looks Awesome Erik!!!

[ErikS]

Looks Awesome Erik!!!

Nah, actually those seams look like @#$% If it weren't a prototype I'd have tossed it..........of course I was just slapping it together to get a feel for the process.

 

(got $10 that says it still hold water - doesn't take much for this application )

[ErikS]

Well, what do ya know it works - a couple of quick & dirty shots

 

Squammy -

 

 

Frogspawn -

 

[Gadgets]

Well, what do ya know it works - a couple of quick & dirty shots

 

Squammy -

 

 

Frogspawn -

 

 

[ErikS]

Ya know I'd bet those pics would look better if my ID10T butt had remembered to set the ISO back to 80 or 100 instead of the 400 used on my last pics

[zoozilla]

Erik-

 

Taking any orders yet? PM coming...

Edited April 15, 2008 by zoozilla