Core77

Product Tank Prototypes a Slick One-Handed Camera Tripod

The UK-based ID'er continues his tradition of well-conceived, inclusive product design

By Rain Noe - August 18, 2015

in Photography

The industrial designer known only as Product Tank is a frequent contributor to the Core77 boards, and we always enjoy looking in on his work (see list at bottom). PT's latest: A camera tripod that can be operated with one hand.

Your average tripod is a real pain in the ass to set up, having three legs and two latches per leg that must all be individually adjusted. PT figured he could do better and started with the user experience, envisioning a system that could be worked one-handed, then building his design around that principle:

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I love that he's worked out the mechanics with plywood and commonly-available materials; it reminds me of Prototyping class at ID school, and shows how doable it is to work out complicated mechanical problems even if you don't have access to a high-tech lab.

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In terms of design, the fact that you can release the legs down onto uneven terrain is brilliant, and the one-handed operation/adjusting would surely be a boon to those missing a hand or arm. We're looking forward to seeing where this project goes.

See more of our Product Tank coverage:

- Clothes Pins for the Arthritic

- Ruler for the Visually Impaired

- The Clamp Lamp

- Wristwatch Concepts

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Mark Thomas

9 years ago

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As he said, "you can guarantee, as soon as you take the lens cap off, they [birds] fly away". I'm waiting for his solution to that!

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- Mathew Henry
  
  Mark Thomas
  
  9 years ago
  
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Matt Chapman

9 years ago

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The mechanism should really be very much like an automatic umbrella. Would be really nice if the legs opened and extended using a compressed spring system. To close you them press the button which pulls the legs back in and the spring is then compressed as you push down to collapse the legs back to normal. However the noise might make the birds fly away anyway!

I like the idea, but the comparison on the video between this and opening up a traditional tripod is a little harsh though. Having experience of opening a tripod to full height at speed myself, I know that you extend the bottom of the legs first, then the top and then spread them. You can then do it in less than a third of the time he is suggesting.

The one advantage of the traditional tripod is that once set it's harder to accidentally adjust. If you manage to knock the trigger on this one, the tripod will re-adjust (i.e. if the camera is heavier than the extension force of the legs then it will sink, and if its lighter it will rise).

It will be interesting to be the next stage of development when its taken the the design for manufacture stage. Its quite important that all the complexity of the legs is protected from damage but also easily accessible if there is a problem (1 leg gets stuck for some reason). The traditional tripod design has the advantage of being simple and relatively easy to fix if there is a problem. You don't want to have to carry a spare tripod as well "just in case".

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Mike Cheung

9 years ago

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Very cool idea, especially on rough terrain. I do think the awkward "old timey" tripods are much easier to open than illustrated by extending the legs first, then spreading them out. Just rotate it between your knees to do a 1-handed deployment. I also think someone living with the use of one arm would be much faster than someone trying it out for the first time.

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