Just for Fun: Truly Objectionable Cube Porn

[dougpetersonci]

Let me first and foremost point out that this post is for fun. Though I do find and point out a very practical usage for this setup I think you'd have to be pretty crazy (or very well heeled) to purchase two cubes. One cube is enough for a lifetime.

Thanks to Charles Brown (forum member) for his photos of the setup below.



That, ladies and gentlemen is cube squared. Why? Well mostly because we could. However it does solve a long standing issue in all tripod head design:

The purpose of one cube is to level the platform of the camera EVEN if the tripod itself is not perfectly level. This is great because the process of leveling a tripod is imprecise, time consuming, and requires a lot of bending over, whereas leveling a cube is incredibly quick, very precise, and can be done without bending over. Imagine you're on a rocky cliff in the winter with heavy clothing/coat, and you can see where the difference can be anything but minor.

By leveling the camera base you can now pan your camera left and right along an EVEN HORIZON.

What if you want to take a shot with the camera pointed slightly down or up (for instance to place the horizon at a rule of thirds). A single cube makes doing this very easy for a single image. You can rotate the camera on the cube until it matches one of the axis of the cube, then use the cube's tilt to accomplish the needed rule-of-thirds composition and use the cube's other axis to level the horizon perfectly. Fast and easy.

The long standing problem is when you want to compose with a non-even horizon (e.g. at a rule of thirds) and then pan-and-stitch left-to-right. With one cube you can't do it! The camera will not remain horizon-level and you move left to right.

So you COULD just level your tripod - what any sane person would do in this situation. However, if you're crazy, you could use a second cube. You use the first cube to provide a level base and you use the second cube to tilt-and-pan to your hearts content.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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[Christopher]

You know there are pano heads for exactly that purpose :-P

[TEBnewyork]

I'm not even going to ask if this was my cube in Oregon. My tripod was out of my sight for a long enough period of time to be used for this misadventure

I see trees, and mountains and a Gitzo that all look familiar

[Guy Mancuso]

You guy's must have been waiting for the light. This is serious way over the top sign of a gear slut with way to much time on there hands. Since that is the case a highly important thread. The ultimate gear slut award has not been named this week, this does qualify.

[Guy Mancuso]

I think you guy's really invaded Terry's space and her Cube is feeling a little dirty about this whole adventure. I think your broke it in.

[Shelby Lewis]

wow... does this mean that if you tried this with THREE cubes, that a new dimension would open up and the world would be sucked in and destroyed?

I'm jealous... I don't even have one cube, lol.

[bradhusick]

Wow! Cube-on-cube action! I think this is a first!

[Don Libby]

I freeking love it! I’m also going to make certain I know where my Cube is from now on; I’m researching a LoJack device now.

Terry – are you considering therapy for your Cube?

Don

[David K]

Perfect excuse for a buy one get one free promotion for the Cube

[Guy Mancuso]

Originally Posted by bradhusick

Wow! Cube-on-cube action! I think this is a first!

Just wondering if we will see a baby cube down the road.

[TEBnewyork]

Hmmmm.....where is Doug??????

[dougpetersonci]

Originally Posted by Christopher

You know there are pano heads for exactly that purpose :-P

The pano head only works if the base is leveled and the camera is either tilted fore-aft level with the horizon or is tilted AFTER the pano head.

As I said, you could simply level your tripod and then use either a pano-plus-standard head or a cube. However, two cubes is clearly more elegant. Paying for two cubes to attain that elegance... well that would be nuts.

[carstenw]

I think a leveling head makes more sense here... not that I wouldn't love to have two cubes. Heck, I'd even settle for one, modest as I am.

[thomas]

;-)

[TEBnewyork]

I think Doug is avoiding me.

[Don Libby]

Originally Posted by TEBnewyork

I think Doug is avoiding me.

I think you're right. Come on Doug time to man up!

[Guy Mancuso]

Agreed what the hell did you do to this poor ladies cube. It's having clamping issues. LOL

With that I bid you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. Better be careful here I may just get a yellow card

[dfarkas]

Originally Posted by carstenw

I think a leveling head makes more sense here... not that I wouldn't love to have two cubes. Heck, I'd even settle for one, modest as I am.

Agreed. Just use a Gitzo Systematic like a GT3541XLS and drop in a leveling base. Level the base, then use any head that has a discreet pan control, level the camera and you're in business. Or, use any head and top it off with an RRS panning clamp adapter.

Either of these entire solutions (legs, base, head, panning adapter) would cost less than one Cube. But, hey, what is pragmatism worth these days anyway?

David

[dougpetersonci]

O Terry! I forgot to give you props!

TEB was enormously generous to me on the trip, letting me borrow her tripod at one point and her Arca Swiss Cube at another. She also let me play around with her Panosonic baby.

THANKS TERRY!! :-)

[TEBnewyork]

Whooooa buddy!!!!!!

Please don't pretend I knew about the porno!!!! It was raining which meant I was no where near there actually getting wet !!!

[carstenw]

Originally Posted by TEBnewyork

I think Doug is avoiding me.

Maybe he is out doing some "landscape" photography

[cmb_]

As the photographer of the cube image used to illustrate this enlightening thread do I need to be concerned about having my computer sequestered by certain authorities for having a hard drive loaded with cube porn?

This will be difficult to explain to my wife so Jack and Guy I hope you have a good cover story about how this could occur on a GetDPI workshop.

BTW - Doug and I were not alone on this misadventure (as Terry calls it) there were others involved! I can be quiet for a price!

[Rethmeier]

I better not get involved,otherwise I might mail from Stephen G again! LOL