Lowdown 2

The Lowdown was a novel camera mount I invented close to 2 years ago now. Its original design goal was to provide an adjustable mount that could get a camera closer to the ground than existing solutions. 

Since then I've used it many times and made quiet a few changes for this second iteration.

Jack of all trades, master of one. 

The Lowdown is a multitool, being useful for a few distinct things of varying levels of usefulness. 

Best use: Getting Down Low.

The best use for the tool is the problem it was originally designed to solve, getting shots as close to the ground as possible. 

Unlike a high hat, sandbag, or low tripod, the Lowdown can get extremely close to the ground without compromising on control. Using a mix of its front legs, rear foot, and rounded ends, the Lowdown can level and position itself while keeping the lens as low as an inch off the ground. The choice to not use threads to adjust the feet was intentional as I found them to be painfully slow to use. 

Use 2: Travel Companion

A second use and how I've probably used the tool the most is as a travel tripod, of sorts.  Being compact and light weight I found the Lowdown to be an ideal hiking companion, allowing me to capture a range of shots without having to carry around a separate piece of kit. The tool is small enough to live on my camera in its  bag making taking it out quick and easy. Because of its low stature I've found its ideal for taking time lapses and video even in windy environments where a tripod would most certainly shake. 

Use 3: Weird and Wonderful Camera Positions

Aside from going on the ground the tool can also be used to setup cameras in all sorts of compact spaces. Under cars, in cupboards, or down a pipe, having a way to setup cameras in small spaces can be invaluable when these weird shots are needed. Removable rail points on the front of the tool allow for attachments like a follow focus to be mounted to the rig.

Ever needed to pull focus from behind some cans? Me neither but it'll feel awesome the first time I get to do it :)

In the same vein as this is a new feature for the Lowdown 2.

6 tiedown points for 1 inch straps have been added around the base. When combined with a ball head this turns the Lowdown into a versatile platform that can be strapped to a variety of things.

I cant imagine this being the most used feature of the tool but its nice to have and I can think of times where it would have been nice to have on hand, like on a recent job where I had to setup a time lapse for an arborist... at the top of a tree. I can also see myself using this for small lights or props, in the right conditions.

Use 4: as a Basic Camera Rig

Another feature that's not the main selling point but is nice to have is how the Lowdown can function as a simple camera rigging platform. Using either the feet mounted in a forward position or using the front rail points, attachments like a follow focus or matte box can be added to the setup. The rails are 10mm and require a printed adaptor to the 15mm standard. The front rail points follow a standard 60mm spacing. A 1/4-20 CNC Kitchen heat set insert in the front of the tool allows the whole thing to be easily mounted on a tripod. 

The Lowdown-Breakdown

The Lowdown is a cheap and easy build. Consisting of just a few printed components, it requires only a small amount of easy to remove supports, and maybe $10 in hardware depending on where you source parts.

Parts list:

Numbers in Italics after a bolt or nut description refers to the width across flats of a hexagon.

2x 18mm+ (can be longer) m4 bolts, hex head (7mm)

2x m4 nut (7mm)

6x 50mm m3 bolt, dome head

6x m3 nut (6mm)

1x 65mm m8 bolt, hex head (13mm)

1x m8 nut (13mm)

2x 100mm lengths 10mm metal rod OR printed alternatives.

1x 1/4-20 CNC kitchen heat set insert (optional)

1x 1/4 tripod screw, for mounting camera to central track. 

Front rail hardware (see optional build notes)

Optional Build Notes:

Between the foot and the body sit 2 2mm spacers. One of these can be substituted with a 1mm spacer and a ring cut from bike tube or similar thin rubber for some extra grip. Using metal washers instead of these spacers also can help.

Front rail build notes:

The front rails, used for turning the camera into a basic rig, require some extra hardware and work. Into the body a 3mm m3 heat set insert is installed, followed by a 35mm m3 bolt. To mount the rails to this a 2.5mm hole must be drilled and tapped into the metal rail. Currently I have not designed a printed solution for this setup.