Tripod Attachment to mount camera

[Brian Sharrock]

I have a laser leveller which came with a tripod ... I also have a camera ... the tripod's device mounting bolt is the wrong size for the camera.

Does anybody know of any outfit that might sell an adaptor tripod-to-camera? [I've tried to Google and even tried talking to a 'yoof' in Jessops withj no joy] There seems to be a plethora of adjustable 'heads' for panning, tilting et al, cameras - but these all seem to attach on to a 'standard' camera bolt.

The tripod has a shiny 'bolt' which when unscrewed appears to be an 18mm o.d. fine threaded attachment to the tripod's vertical tube. On top of this bolt is a stub which appears to be 15mm o.d. with a coarse thread - [the laser leveller's plate screw onto this]. The camera screws onto a standard(?) 1/4"(6mm0 bolt ... at least it accepted a M&S mini tripod without problem.

I need to know - or phrase a question that camera shop folks can answer- how do I utilise the tripod (that I've got) with a camera?

Any help will be appreciated ... I can't be the first to have this 'problem' can I?

[dennis]

Unless you have a lathe or know someone who can turn and thread an adapter then it will be cheaper to buy a tripod. They start at about £12.

Photographic tripods will be a light lighter to carry about too.

*If* you can find a tube with the correct thread you may be able to araldite a 1/4" whitworth bolt into it to take a ball and socket head.

[manatbandq]

They would, it's a standard for cameras.

What makes you think the camera shop staff don't understand? Was the tripod intended to be used with a camera? Maybe you should ask in the shop that sold you the laser leveller with tripod. You'll probably have to make your own adapter.

MBQ

[Set Square]

Well, this *is* a DIY group - how about making something?

Get hold of a short length of 50mm square steel or aluminium tubing - a couple of inches will do. Drill a clearance hole for the 15mm stub in the middle of one face, and find a nut to fit it. Drill a clearance hole for a

6mm bolt (or 1/4" whitworth - or whatever a camera thread is) in the opposite face, and find a suitable bolt to pass up through the hole into the camera.

[Stuart Noble]

I'm sure you could araldite any combination of nuts and bolts into a section of copper tube to give you the connections you need. The length of thread might be the difficult bit. I have 1/4" bolts on the end of various bits of wood. Useful for macro work

[Peter Parry]

The "15mm stub" is probably a 5/8" 11 tpi (threads per inch) thread, a standard tribrach or theodolite fitting.

That is a 1/4" x 20tpi (1/4" Whitworth) standard camera fitting.

You might be best looking in a survey supplies shop for an adapter although any local engineering firm should be able to manufacture one for you (or a local Model Engineering Society member - in exchange for a few drinking vouchers).

[Brian Sharrock]

Thanks for your reply ... :)