Gitzo Loc: Indiana

I was just reading the thread someone had started about tripods; as I had already made one reply to it, I wasn't thinking of making another one; but when I noticed this piece of equipment I had recently acquired, I thought I would pass it along; whether or not it's a tripod, all depends on your idea of what constitutes a "tripod; it IS supported on three points, when used in one of it's two configurations.
I'll try to get some pictures of it ASAP.

After describing this item on the tripod thread, I realized it could be considered "off topic" on that thread, hence my starting this new thread; ( hopefully no one can now call it "off topic").

All this talk about tripods........I should probably tell you about this rather "specialized" "gadget" I found on eBay, (and was lucky enough to "snag")

As I live in an area with a LOT of rural, "back roads", I frequently miss out on getting some good shots of such things as coyotes and foxes crossing the road, lots of wild turkeys, etc. Because I almost never have a chance to get pulled off the road, get a tripod out of it's bag, set it up, etc etc etc, I was looking for a long time for a stable solution for shooting with a 200 or 300mm lens, out of the drivers side window of my car or P/U truck.

This thing does just that, better than anything else I've seen yet; I'll try to get a few pics of it in operation when I can; I saw something quite similar to it in one of Kirk Enterprise's catalogs, so maybe this thing was copied from Kirk's gadget, or maybe even Kirk copied THIS thing, I'm not sure which.

The guy who had it for sale had a terrible photo of it, that I couldn't tell anything about it from; I figured I was taking a gamble on getting a piece of junk, but something told me to bid on it anyway; I'm very glad I did !

When the thing arrived, I was quite surprised to see that it's in "like new" condition, not a scratch or mark on it; actually, it's made to be able to use it two completely different ways; partially supported by the top edge of the car window, and partly by the inside of the door; OR.......it can be folded down flat, then it's supported by three big rubber "feet", which could use any relatively flat, fairly level surface, such as the hood of a car, or even on a flat rock or concrete;

It was originally built and marketed by, and has a sticker on it with the name, rate, & horsepower of one Leonard Rue, whose website I visited prior to bidding, and It seems that Mr. Rue is a professional photographer, living at 138 Millbrook Rd., Blairstown, N.J. 07825 Phone # 800-734-2568, Fax 908-362-5808; email; rue@rue.com

When I attempted to contact Mr. Rue via email, I was advised that he was "currently on safari" and would be out of country for an extended period.

The seller also had a photo of it, taken by Mr. Rue; ( I remember thinking, I hope Mr. Rue's pictures from his "safari" are much better quality than his photo of his "gadget" that he apparently had built by a well equipped manufacturing facility, or he may have a lot of his safari pictures "left over" ).

Attempting to describe this thing would take all day; suffice to say, after looking at support gear for shooting from car windows for many years now, I really can't imagine anything that could be any better built or designed for that purpose, than this thing is; if you are familiar with products made by "Really Right Stuff", you have a fair idea of the way this item is designed and built; folded flat, it's "T" shaped, 11 1/2" wide, by 13" long; the camera platform is 3" X 11", with a 3/16" captive threaded stud for a ball head, in a 7" long slot. It's made from beautifully anodized 1/8" aircraft grade aluminum, and the 4 locking knobs are of a grade generally only seen on military surplus items.

On the few occasions I've had a chance so far to use it, I'm convinced that it will be an invaluable tool to help me accomplish several different types of tasks; one, as I mentioned, is wildlife, and the other is lightning photography; for doing lightning photography, because it's almost always during a downpour of heavy rain, I'm designing a light weight 1/8th thick aluminum rain guard, which can be quickly attached to the car roof by means of 4 suction cups, and which can be adjusted to extend out over the car window whatever distance is necessary to preclude rain from coming in through the open window.

Lightning photography can be, and IS quite hazardous, all depending on where one is parked while taking the pictures. From my experience, I think the safest place is to be "shooting out" from a very large cave; seldom having a suitable cave "handy", the next safest place is shooting out the open window of any tall building, ( hopefully NOT from the top floor.) About the third best option, is from an automobile window; ( forget convertibles, obviously. ) Also, if you are contemplating shooting from a window mounted support, it's always best to leave the "kiddies" at home; (wives are O.K., depending on their ability to "sit still", and "keep quiet").

Even from the relative safety of a steel roof vehicle, a lot depends on "what" the parked vehicle is near; (avoid parking near metal flag poles, antenna towers, or tall trees). Next to the top level of a concrete parking garage is good.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

How about a picture of it?

wilikioti Loc: Deep South, USA

Sorry, it it's over three paragraphs I quit reading. Too old and crotchety. I also only look at three pictures.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Something like this? http://www.opticsplanet.com/burris-window-mount-large.html?gclid=CLzFyv2J1rgCFfBcMgodcjgA_w&ef_id=UfQCFAAABX02VJkW:20130730013528:s

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

I'm thinking more like this:

http://www.rue.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_5&products_id=6

Another photo:

http://www.naturephotographers.net/ejp0801-2.jpg

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Matches the description better, but probably more then I am going to spend. I think I will try bean bags.

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

If I was going on safari in Africa it looks like a must have item....I hope the OP lets us know the price paid.

Saw it used on eBay...BIN $150.00 + $10 S&H:
Item #181153610253

TNmike Loc: NW TN

Since the OP has one in hand and likely a camera I wonder why it is so hard to post a photo of this item????

I learn a lot from visiting the UHH and it is not always about photography. :) TNmike

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I can make bean bags for under $5. :) But I guess if I was fortunate enough to go on Safari I would cough up the money for something like this.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

Surely you jest ! That thing's a toy; You sure won't see RRS coming out with something like that. That thing might hold a little P&S camera, but you sure couldn't use it with a full size D SLR with a 300 or 400mm collared lens attached.


As soon as I can get to it, I'll mount my F-5 with a long lens on it and take a few shots of it on my car door.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

I'm thinking you hit the nail right on the head, Mr. Roberts !
WWW.rue.com

The seller I bought it from called it a "Groofwin"; the photo on that brochure shows it in the closed position, for shooting on a car roof or a hood; I thought maybe it would handle a 600mm lens, but I wasn't sure; it's the first thing I've seen that will support a heavy load solidly on a car door.

That's also about what he said he paid for it new; I'm amazed that I got it for what I paid for it! It looks like Mr. Rue must have made it back from his safari !

Thank you for finding that photo; now I'll have to get one of it mounted on the car door.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

Hi Mike ! Being the OP, I can answer that question; unlike most old geezers my age, I don't have nearly as much time to play with my cameras as most do; I've been pretty busy sawing logs on my saw mill, getting ready to build a two car addition onto my garage, also building a 14' X 40' lean-to on the back of the garage to house my saw mill and a big CNC machine, helping my wife (who does at-home dialysis) manage all of her dialysis supplies, and I'm trying to get caught up long enough to drive about 175 miles from here where my friend and neighbor is currently rebuilding a 150 year old wooden covered bridge for the State of Indiana, and he needs me to take a bunch of pictures of it before, during, and after his crew gets it rebuilt. So I don't get too much time to take pictures around the house.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

Thank you Country Mama ! That's the same gadget Mr. Roberts posted the link to; The fellow in that shot has it mounted with the lower supports resting on the outside of the door, so as to give him more room inside to manage that big lens, which I'm guessing is probably a 600 mm/ f4, or possibly a 400 mm/ f2.8. When I first tried mine out, I had the door support on the inside of the door, as I was using it with a D-300s mounted to a collared 300mm/f4, which is a smaller lens than the fellow in you picture is using. That's the beauty of this thing.....it can be used in so many different ways, depending on what one is working with.

I still don't know if L.L. Rue is still in business, but it would be easy to find out; the fellow I bought mine from paid about $260 for it new; I'm a bit hesitant saying what I got this thing for on eBay, but if you are seriously interested in purchasing something like this, feel free to drop me a PM; I have been buying and selling things on eBay for a long time now, so I may be able to give you some advice.

As I mentioned in my first post, I was initially reluctant to even bid on this thing because the photo of it was so bad I couldn't tell anything about it; now that I have it and have used it a few times, I would gladly give someone $200 for one in this condition (if I had to), but fortunately, I didn't have to.

I need to point something out here; I have been fooling around with cameras and camera gear now, since the early 1950's; of the many things I've learned, I think one of the most important things is.........because cameras and camera accessories are SO expensive, it pays BIG TIME to have as much knowledge about prices of things, and sources to get the best prices, in YOUR HEAD at all times! Only when you are very familiar with things, can you make an intelligent, and "informed" buying decision. As many hundreds of hours as I have spent on eBay, I had never seen a window mount like this one; had I not noticed something fairly similar to it in a Kirk brochure, I would never have even considered bidding on it; That's the SOLE reason I started this thread; at my age, if I haven't seen something before, I'm assuming there are a lot more people "around" who haven't seen it either. I am simply trying to pass along my first hand knowledge of something that I consider to be an extremely useful tool to anyone who is doing the sort of photography that I do, (when I have time to do it) One person thought my original post was "too long"; I can only say to that.......no one is holding a gun to your head, forcing you to read it. I see many things on UHH that are un-interesting to me; but I never waste MY time, or OTHER PEOPLE'S time complaining about it; I simply continue looking until I notice something that IS interesting to me. Please don't take this as "complaining"; I only mean it as friendly, useful advice.

djtravels Loc: Georgia boy now

Where would you place it when on the back of a camel?
:lol: :lol:

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

This thing is probably the best car mounting but personally, I would feel more comfortable with a modified monopod out the window stabilized on the ground