Set up your video studio with a PVC Pipe Camera Mount. Great for overhead shots, or straight-on filming.
Complete step-by-step instructions and video tutorial below!
I have to say I am mighty proud of myself for this project.
Several weeks ago I attended a Bloggers Retreat at Ponderosa Ranch near Zion's National Park. The entire week was absolutely amazing.
Throughout the retreat, there was a big emphasis on video and how to capture your adventure. So we went on many adventures including horseback riding, four wheeling, and I even got to go on a helicopter ride. Now that was truly amazing!
Anyways, we also had classes on video, and how to do lighting, sound, and editing. The weekend was indeed an awesome adventure and when I left I had a new excitement for videos and decided I wanted to take the leap and do more videos on my blog.
I do hands-only videos at work (meaning an overhead shot and all you record is your hands, no front shot of your face) and I have really enjoyed doing them. I began to think about how I could do that at home.
At work, we have a really nice setup that probably cost several thousand dollars, if not more. But I need something on a smaller scale but still produced a high-quality shot. After exploring online and seeing what others have done, I came up with this setup.
Supplies Used to Make a PVC Pipe Camera Mount
I purchased my supplies at Home Depot, but I have included links to where you can find them online. Usually, the hardware store will have supplies for cutting onsite, so if you are purchasing online you will need to get a PVC pipe cutter too.
Items linked below may go to similar items when exact items couldn't be found online. Links are affiliate so when you purchase, I will get a small kickback to help fund the next tutorial!
- 1, 10-foot piece of ½" PVC Pipe
- 2, ½" PVC Caps
- 3, ½" PVC Elbows
- 2, ½" PVC Tee
- 1, ¼-20 x ½-inch bolt
- PVC Pipe Cutter
(optional)
- Hand-Held Drill
- Smartphone Mount (optional)
PVC Pipe Camera Mount Video Tutorial
Like videos? I have a video tutorial for you! Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you don't miss out on any future video tutorials!
Cutting the PVC Pipe
I got my PVC pipe at Home Depot, and the best part was that they cut it for me. So I didn't even have to mess with a hack saw.
While I had a good idea of what I wanted I had them cut a couple extra pieces so I would be able to place around with what I had envisioned.
- 1, 21" piece
- 3, 13" pieces
- 2, 11" pieces
- 1, 7" piece
- 1, 3" piece
A Screw for the Camera Mount
Have you ever noticed the little screw hole in the bottom of your camera?
That is so you can screw it onto a tripod. Since I am creating a tripod, I needed to find a bolt that would fit that hole so I had a way to attach my camera to the mount.
I took my camera with me to Home Depot and found that the ¼ - 20 x ½ bolt
Keep in mind that you don't want a pointy ended screw but a flat-ended bolt.
I wanted that screw to go into one of the PVC Pipe Tees. So I started by making a mark on the inside center with a black marker so I would know where to drill.
Using a 15/64 drill bit, I drilled a hole where that black dot was.
I found the 15/64 drill bit to be a perfect size. It allowed me to twist the bolt in and keep it nice and tight.
Twist the bolt in as far as it will go so the end is poking out of the tee.
That is really the hardest part of the whole assembly.
Assembling the PVC Pipe Camera Mount
The tall 13-inch piece in the back can be switched out with the 21-inch piece. It all depends on how far you want your camera away from your hands. The same with the 3-inch piece at the top, that can be switched out with the 7-inch piece.
You can twist your camera directly onto the mount, or if you want to film with a smartphone you can purchase a Smartphone Mount 
With my new setup, I did a practice video. Now I know this is really pretty lame, so remember this was a test for my new overhead camera mount.
Have you made other things out of PVC Pipe?
Our Crafting Essentials List:
- The Cricut Cutting Machine is easily our favorite crafting tool. We use it in so many of our tutorials!
- These MakerX Crafting Tools are perfect for keeping in the craft room, and are always ready when you need them!
- This Fiskars Paper Trimmer is easy to use and cuts nicely without frayed edges.
- These Scotch Precision Scissors cut like a dream and you get multiple pairs in a pack!
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jyl from @momitforward
How cool is this? So glad you're inspired to do more videos! You are genius to figure this out. I love it!
And PS: Your video is adorable!
Cucicucicoo
That is so great! Yesterday I was looking at tripods and they are so expensive. And that video is just hilarious! Ha! 🙂 Lisa
Christine
OMG I PIN'd this....what a genius idea!!!
Jess @ Chaos & Love
This is SO awesome! I am definitely going to try to make one!
Barbra
How impressive and creative. I just can't figure out where you ( and your sisters) got all of your creative talents from.
Katie
It's a mystery to us too!
Just kidding, Mom. Love you!
Robin
Thank you so much for this posting on making a camera mount for hands only video making! I'm thinking this will come in handy - no pun intended! I am a constant viewer of your blog stalking. This posting just makes me admire you even more. You are one fantastic digital friend!
Katie
Oh, thank you for such a kind comment!
I haven't done a lot of videos with it yet, but I am excited about the possibilities.
Ricki @ The Questionable Homesteader
OK this is great. Really love it. I don't have much experience with videos (might need to do a retreat to learn) but I can definitely see this as being very useful.
Thanks for sharing at The Weekend Social. Looking forward to seeing what you have for us next week.
Ricki @ The Questionable Homesteader
Nancherrow
What a great solution for those hard to manage angles! Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!
Alison
Nancherrow
Nancherrow
...In fact, you're one of this week's features! Congrats!
Alison
Marti
I love this set up.....it's perfect for doing videos and affordable!! Pinning
Miranda @ Someday Crafts
This is such a great idea! It can be hard to get a good overhead shot, and this is genius! We'll be featuring this over at Someday Crafts tomorrow! 🙂
Carmody
What a clever idea!
Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts
GENIUS!!
Amy | The Happy Scraps
I love this! It is so inexpensive. It would also be great for taking tutorial pictures if you don't do video. 🙂 I'm assuming that you stand behind it, with your arms around the upright while filming?
Katie
Thank you, I am glad you like it. I put the straight up pole away from me when filming so I don't have to reach around anything, but I think either way would work.
Carrie Groneman
AMAZINGLY CREATIVE!!! Thank you for sharing this awesome tutorial. Wish I could have been to the retreat, it looked so fun. Maybe next year. Carrie, A Mother's Shadow
Patti
Pinned and stumbled!
Bobbie
Such a great idea I pinned for later and Shared it on this weeks The Creative Exchange Features. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I featured you this week on The Creative Exchange Link Party Highlights
Alexis @ Persia Lou
Oh wow! This is so smart! I need one! Off to pin... (If you had a second to come by and link up with us at The Makers link party, that would be great!)
Erlene
Omgosh this is so amazing. Pinned!
Randi Sowders
This is an amazing project! I did 31 days of crafting with PVC pipe last October and this would have been a great addition to my month of crafts! I would love it if you linked up with us this week, I could totally see something like this being featured!
Joy@aVintageGreen
Pinned Katie, great tutorial, great idea.
Joy
Katerina
Such a great idea! Amazing! Thanks for coming and linking up at The Weekend Social. Please be sure to come back next week starting Thursdays at 9PM EST on culinaryflavors.gr ! I hope to see you there!
Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner
Great idea - thanks for sharing with us at BOTW! Pinned
Shanice
Thank you for sharing this post at City of Creative Dream's City of Links last Friday! I loved this post so much that I chose it to be featured for this weeks party. 🙂 Go grab a button you deserve it!
Ginnie
What an awesome tutorial! I take a lot of overhead photos for my blog, and my hands are so shaky that I have to take a million pics to get one focused shot;) Thanks for sharing this!
Kayla
Oh my gosh I love this! Featuring it on SSM this week. A few weeks ago I was trying to rig up something just like this to photograph the planners I make. Just one little nit-picky detail: flat ended screws are called bolts. That might help to make sure people understand what you're talking about! (I could totally see myself missing that detail and damaging my camera!!)
Katie
Thanks for the "bolt" tip. Good call!
Marni @ haberdashery Fun
Good work! You nailed this one 🙂
Chloe Crabtree
This is great! I am going to have to take on this project myself! Thank you for your inspiration and the detail in showing how to do make this!
Brandy dunaway
This is GENIUS! Thank you for sharing!
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes
Such a brilliant idea!!! Pinning for sure!!
Katie @ Upcycled Treasures
Wow, this is so clever! I'd love it if you shared this over at The Makers link party going on at my blog right now, UpcycledTreasures.com. Hope to see you there!
Natasha in Oz
Thanks for sharing at the Say G’day party. I’ve just pinned your posts to the Say G’Day Saturday Board.
Hope to see you again this weekend!
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
Helen bradley
OMG THAT IS TOO SIMPLE AND WHAT A SMART IDEA. I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE TRIPOD TO DO THIS WITH BUT IT IS HEAVY AND HUGE! THIS IS SIMPLE ENOUGH TO MOVE ON AND OFF THE DESK. IT'S JUST WHAT I NEED TO START DOING SOME DRAWING VIDEOS. I AM INDEBTED TO YOU FOR THIS.
C4G
Won't your video be upside down then?
Katie
It actually won't be, but you can flip it if needed when editing.
Joanne Perry
That was my concern too! So Katie, when you say "edit", what program do you use? Love how you came up with this set-up! I have a tripod small enough to put on my table, but was wondering how to get it to view from the same view as I see?
Katie
I have a mac so I started with iMovie to edit. It's really a good program and pretty simple to learn.
Christa Sterken
I see you posted this some time ago, but this is JUST what I needed today! Thank you
Johnny Self
you're amazing for sharing this! you have no idea..
Sherry
This is such a brilliant idea. Pinned and stumbled! Thanks for linking up and sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. Hope you join us again this week.
Sharnette
I started a blog, but haven't posted a whole lot. I have a tripod that I used to make my first video but the space underneath was very limiting. This is awesome. I will pick up some PVC pipe next payday. I want to do more videos.
Valerie W.
This is AWESOME! Thank you SO MUCH for doing this for us! I Pinned it!
Katie
Valerie, you are so welcome! I am glad that you found it useful.
ANGELICA
you blew my mind. I spent the longest time deciding what camera to get and researching on what overhead mount i had to buy/make. Now i dont need to buy a camera and saved myself more money with the mount. THANKYOU!
Katie
I am so glad that I could help Angelica!
Anny
This is so awesome, thank you for sharing. I'm planning on going out to get the materials soon!
Katie
I so glad that you like it, Anny! Thanks for stopping by.
Tuesday
I'm not pinning this, I'm MAKING IT TODAY!!! Thank you for this simple, yet genius design!
Katie
HA HA HA! I am so glad that you like this DIY camera mount. It has come in handy many times.
Patricia
I made this yesterday without the help of the Home Depot guy or my sons or husband. It was easy, even drilling the hole for the bolt.
I'm going to make another sturdier one for my DSLR camera.
Thank you for your clear instructions.
Katie
You are so welcome Patricia! I am So glad that it worked out well for you!
Kelli Hogg
Made this yesterday! SO easy! Thank you so much for your clear, precise instructions! I can't wait to get started shooting!
Katie
You are so welcome Kelli! I'm so excited for you! Will you use it for still shots or video?
Prerna Poojara
Absolutely what I was looking for. I just started creating some video tutorials and till is exactly what I need.
Katie
Happy to help!! I'm glad it you found the tutorial useful. 🙂
gary
OMG this is so simple and so brilliant
It will work well with a DIY PVC book "scanning" station
Katie
I am so glad you like my design! Thanks for stopping by Gary!
Connie W
I'm doing it!!! Yay!! An easy inexpensive starting solution!!. Sadly you didn't make a automatic desk cleaner. But I think I can use the kitchen table and leave my crafting desk au natural.
Katie
Do it, Connie! I'm sorry I can't help with the desk cleaner - I need one too! 🙂
Cyndi
Great idea!! I made it for less than $6. Thank you for sharing, it’s exactly what I needed! (I’ll post my photo after I screw the hole for the bolt).
Katie
Thank you, Cyndi! I am so glad this tutorial was able to help you!
Rachael Shedeed
Katie,
This is brilliant! I jut saw this last week and already made it today! I had to clean a little in my craft space first,LOL! But it is great! Like a lot of others, I just did not want to spend a bundle on an overhead set up! Because I purchased the pvc pipe cutting tool, I actually spent $28.35, without that I would have been in the $12.00 price range! Thank you so much, it has inspired me to star making videos! I might even send you my first one! Ha,ha
Thanks again
Rachael
Katie
I am so glad you were able to make your own camera mount so easily. I'd love to see your first video!
tjpk
is it just me or is your audio weird?
Katie
For whatever reason, it doesn't work on some devices. It works fine on a desktop or laptop but it goes wonky on some mobile devices. I'm sorry, not sure why it does that.
Danette
So many thanks!
My boyfriend found this for me today. We went straight to home depot after work, found all the parts and were out of there in 15 minutes, AND it was only $12! I'm so excited to try it out later!
-Danette
Katie
Yay!!! I am so glad it works for you too!
Sam
Awesome stuff, thanks for this, it gives me an idea on how to rig one up for an upcoming video I have to shoot soon.
Katie
You are so welcome, Sam! I am glad you found the tutorial helpful!
Alicia Simon
genius!!! I've been needing a top-down mount for months (years if I'm being honest) and kept putting off shopping for them because they seem so expensive. even shopping for one felt overwhelming! This is totally doable!!!! Thanks!!!!
Katie
Happy to help!
Rhonda S Hogarth
I am wondering, did you glue/cement any of the parts. I might have missed it, but did not see it when reading through again. I wondered if the camera would slip and pivot at the T if not anchored the T to the "pole"
Katie Adams
No I did not glue the pieces so that I could take it apart to for easy storage. I have not had any problems with the pieces slipping and have been using mount for years.