I may try this over the weekend if I have time. One computer. Stability test with pipes. Brilliant!!

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Fairly straight 4 x 4 wood posts can also be buried with a simple metal angle bracket screwed to them and Eyes base duct taped to bracket, just heavier and less portable, why I chose PVC pipe and the connections with PVC can be set up and taken down and stored easier and easily driven into the ground by cutting a point on the end and a soft wood block to hammer them in, or you risk cracking the top, I live in Florida, so nothing but sand and easy staking just about anywhere.

Whichever is cheaper to buy or get in your area I guess.

We also have this material that's used for weed barrier, comes in a grayish or black color, that works well for a sun filter to shade the capture area and very light to work with and fairly strong and cheap.

What is done to attach it is to use 2 additional short pipes and drive those in securely at a slight angle, then use a Union coupling and a long pipe with the material affixed to it to raise it up higher to shade the required area, very easy, doesn't have to be pulled super tight either, any movement of fabric doesn't affect the shaded area and don't have to wait for cloudy days.

I would still recommend at least one or maybe two cams directly overhead in my opinion for better tracking of multiple actors with 6 cameras, so setting that up outside may take additional methods and configuring, but not hard.

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I don't suppose you have some photos of this setup? Especially the very descriptive parts so I know what to buy. The DIY part I may screw up but I love the idea of it because in the outdoors, I'll easily find all of the space I'll need. Part of me wants heavy tripods and sandbags. I wouldnt shoot in a hurricane of course but I might with light wind...not my choice, mother natures. This DIY solution sounds promising but for mobility sake, I might need to know what I'm getting into. Thanks!

Actually, it sounds like I just need pipes and a block of wood for hammering. Sturdy pipes. Would rather do the pvc solution. The shading setup confused me a little. I may not necessarily need that but it sounds like a helpful item to keep colors for tracking overexposed. Braces for pvc pipes. Not sure if I need anything additional to keep them speared, but they should be thick, but not over 4" thick. I think that's what I took from your advice

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Here is a basic sketch of what you must do showing done with free standing PVC pipe or tripod to solidly secure them from any camera shaking.

Drive PVC pipe at least 12-18" or more into ground and use 2 screws on each end to connect brace to pipe and stake, may want to pre-drill smaller holes in pipe and wood braces, not through stakes, drive stakes in securely in ground first before attaching bracing to plumb setup.

Also basic sketch of the sun shield setup, lean pipes to an approx. 30 degree angle to shade capture area, and leave enough room to clear any cameras, top attachment pipes should be full 10 ft length and staked 2 ways like pipes below, use upright 1 x 2 brace stakes to support middle of pipes after leaned correctly, use additional pipes to extend width or make corners.

Be aware that sun moves, so setting up more screening is probably a good measure in advance, it disassembles very easily and just rolls up on the pipes when done.

A soft pine block can be whittled to fit tightly in top of pipe also to eliminate brackets.

This may seem like a lot, but it takes less than 30 mins. to get 6 cams and screen set up, before calibrating.

Remember, you need enough USB cables to extend to the cameras and not run through your capture volume, kicking around cables while performing ins't a good setup.

Hope this helps

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thank you for the drawings!
I made crude 3d of your schematic. Does it look like what's in the attachments here? I see this as a tripod with offset screwing in of the legs at an angle. also straight for the plank holding the ps3 camera. no way I can't assemble this too quickly, but for appearances, is this kind of what they should look like? a couple would be taller like you said for overhead.

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Yes, looks like would work, maybe rear legs spread further apart to me, I used a 90 degree leg brace attaching method, but you may need 2 connecting screws on each end of legs most likely, or it will allow movement, unless you can use longer through bolt method and crank them down tight may work.

I am not sure PVC for the legs would be as good as 1 x 2 wood, just not as stiff, but you can try just one set up like you have it first, if that works out, good deal and no worry with leaving set up out in weather is another plus.

Larger dia. pipe will suppress movement too I am sure, but cost goes up also.

I have actually never used a directly pointing downward cam(s), I use them high and closer to center, but I know it works from the guy that made the rock climbing videos when I suggested it for him to try and it is used a lot on other camera based systems.

To get a stable setup 12 ft high which is basic minimum needed for direct overhead, may be a bit tricky, his was attached to the top of a solid climbing wall, so was stable, would just be something you would need to work on if wanted to try it.

That top plate is nice, but the less weight you have high the less wind will affect it, maybe just an end cap with flatter top, or filing a flat area if needed, if gonna use your design make it out of 1 x 4 PVC plank for weather resistance if leaving setup stay a long time, can make stakes out of that also, that stuff is stronger than wood even, but flimsier on linear length.

Give it a go with your drawing, I know you need the legs, positioning of them in ground is a basic what feels good thing, but you need the right to left chatter to be stopped, so whatever you do, that has to be achieved.

Shading that large of an area may be tough, but nothing is impossible if want to figure it out.

Good job, you got the right idea!

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I think you're right about the PVC legs. that might be a bad idea, especially since they're going to be thinner than the base pipe. weather proofing is nice, but in the end, I'm going to be shooting and packing my bags in the same session.

I don't think I'm going to do a top-down view rig. Higher up in the air is what I meant I think. In pretty much every recording I've done, it's been a good idea to get at least 1-2 cameras higher up than the others. In my case, I wedged them on ceiling pipes, bookshelves, anything taller than the actor.

The top plate has me wondering about how I drive the base into the ground if it's there. I think your idea of a cap is a good idea. May avoid the plank because that's one more thing to make that I'd rather not and probably don't need. Just need the pole to stay the hell put.

"but you need the right to left chatter to be stopped, so whatever you do, that has to be achieved." chatter? not sure I know what you're referring to.
....after all of this discussion about bracing. Do you think these extra legs will be required if I drive the main base into the ground deep enough? no extra legs. Would have to sharpen one end of the PVC base. Would the base hold up such pile-driving if I were to drill in my back-yard dirt driveway? it's not pro like the 3d model and schematic you sent, but for speed in setup......I just wonder is all. How much of a difference do the legs make if you make a deep enough impact in the earth....or is the base pole completely above ground and the braces are what you hammer?

I know I'm going to regret not making a shader. Only one time did I successfully record outside but I might have been lucky because it was in my backyard driveway and I think the trees around me helped. This was just 4 cameras and perfect weather with no wind. My tripods aren't tripods; they're light-stands that go up about 9 feet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0-RNRAhF1A Thanks for all of your help!

Just walked out of a hardware store asking about this. He said the base with no legs may be ok depending on how deep. He said it may move a little...which in mocap is a lot. If the base pipe was thick enough, hacksawed to be almost spear-like, and driven 8-12 inches in the earth...thoughts?

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Well, if absolutely no wind you may not need brace legs, but even a little breeze will chatter the camera, (chatter is very fast slight motion), will cause motion blur in recordings if using smaller dia. pipe, I can't say on 4" or larger pipe, never used it.

Give it all a try, best way to learn is to find out on your own, and you may get lucky on a dead calm day.

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