Back in 2012, I purchased my large format custom-built Star Camera from Ray Morganweck. Shortly after, my good friend, who turned out to be incredibly talented, Eddie Goode, believed I needed a custom-designed and expertly crafted field tripod to complement the camera. His design was immaculate in every detail, but there was one notable flaw: I had to thread a screw through the top plate of the tripod and align it precisely with a corresponding nut located on the bottom center of my camera. This led to many, many days filled with frustrating attempts to hit that extremely tiny screw hole on the bottom of the camera in order to tighten it securely to the tripod. As a result, there were numerous failed tries and unfortunately, the metal screw ended up scratching the bottom surface of my beautiful camera.
This particular camera was essentially built for studio use and not really intended for fieldwork, but here I was, needing to make it work outdoors nonetheless. To solve this, I had to create a stable mounting plate that would attach firmly to my tripod, allowing me to securely rest the camera on it without risking damage. I’m sure this type of accessory has a proper name, but it escapes me at the moment. The project itself was quite straightforward: I started with a 1-inch pine board and cut it precisely to the size of the underside of my camera. Then, I attached wooden runners along three sides to hold the camera snugly in place and added felt padding for extra protection. The plate fastens to the tripod using a screw and wingnut, and I gently set the camera on it while carefully maintaining a mostly level position. I am very cautious when working outdoors with this setup, avoiding extreme angles or any movements that might put the camera at risk. So far, this solution seems to be working perfectly, providing the stability and security my camera needs for field use.
