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Extending your Arm

You see it all of the time – an excited picture-taker is pointing her camera at herself with an extended arm. She’s taking her own photo.

She could have used a QuikPod. I first saw a demo of the QuikPod at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January and recently ordered one through Amazon.

The people at QuikPod designed a neat device that helps these photographers take better self-portraits.
The QuikPod is small and is packaged in a lightweight net carrying case that fits in a coat pocket or purse.


Here you can see the size of the QuikPod when collapsed next to this point-and-shoot camera.

Like the legs on a tripod, the QuikPod has three extendable sections which slide out from its body. Fully extended, the QuikPod adds 18″ to your reach.


To mount it, you first extend the legs and then screw the QuikPod into the tripod socket on your camera.

The hardest part of using the QuikPod may be setting your camera to its self-timer mode. My point-and-shoot camera has both a 2-second delay and a 10-second delay. I chose the 2-second delay.

When you’re ready to take your self-portrait, press the shutter and quickly move the QuikPod and camera into position and don’t forget to smile.


Below, you can see my arm holding the QuikPod in the photo on the left. To make it disappear, I slanted my arm upward so that the QuikPod stays out of view.
I had to take a few shots to get it right. My camera has a zoom lens so I zoomed the lens in slightly so that it has a wider view. If you zoom in too closely, you may cut off part of the head.

Here’s another example of using the QuikPod to take more than one subject.

You can also use the QuikPod as a vertical arm extender. Instead of holding the camera horizontally, you can swivel the camera on the QuikPod and be able to shoot over a wall, fence, etc.

Here Scott is taking a photo over an office panel.


The QuikPod works extremely well with several of my lightweight point-and-shoot cameras. Because it’s so compact, it’s very convenient to carry this accessory. The cost is an affordable $25. For more information, please see QuikPod.

The company also makes a heavy duty version of the QuikPod (Pro Star) which is can hold up equipment weighing up to 25 lbs. I word of caution to anyone that may want to hold more than a few pounds at the end of a pod – it won’t be easy.

 

Written by Arnie Lee

 


2 Comments »

  1. Arnie, you forgot to smile!

    Comment by Evan — March 7, 2011 @ 9:57 pm

  2. Love this tip — thanks for posting!

    Comment by Marilyn Harrelson-Hicks — March 7, 2011 @ 10:10 pm

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