CA1204014A - Camera support - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment of the invention, a first elongate member is slidably associated with a second elongate member, and the second member is extendable relative to the first member. The second elongate member is arrestable and securable in various positions relative to the first member. An angle-shaped camera support has tubular members attached to each leg of the support, and selectively each tubular member slidably receives the second elongate member. A camera is mountable on one leg of the support and may be releasably arrested and as desired secured releasably in various locations on the second elongate member. In another embodiment of the invention, a main body portion has an extending arm to which is pivotably mounted a camera support shelf. The main body portion is slidable upon the second elongate member, and it is releasably arrestable and securable as desired in various positions on the second elongate member. The camera shelf is pivotable from a first horizontal format picture taking position to a second vertical format picture taking position, and a detent holds the shelf in the first position. Supports are provided for mounting an electronic flash gun to the camera supporting brackets.

Description

:E3ACKGROUND OF T~!E INVFNTION
,____ The present invention relates generally -to pilo-tography and,more particularly, to extens:ible supL)o:rts fo:r cameras.
For many years; photoyraphers relied on the conven-tional tripod to support their cameras, both in the st~dio and in the field. That was when camera film was too slow to allow the use of fast shutter speeds, and also wherl -the lenses used were not like the gas-t lenses that are available tod~y~
So, a rigid camera ~upport was essential ~o every photograper's needs and the tripod provided that supportO
Today, however, with camera film speeds approachlngASA
1000 and with the very fast lenses available, the cumbersome tripod is no longer necessary for supporting hand-held 35mm camPras that are fitted with fast lenses. Yet, when a photo-grapher uses a 35mm camera e~uipped with a long ~elephoto or a zoom lens of 35-200mm, 50-300mm, and 100-600mm focal length, it becomes necessary to have some camera support. Using a tripod to support cameras fittèd with such lenses is in many instances not convenient and practicable. Where the subject matter moves rapidly and where a macro lens is fitted -to ~he camexa, a tripod can be very inconvenient to use.
The prior art is replete with c~nera supports of various types; one such type having a neck strap and one or more xigid legs that join a camera support. Another -type in cludes a single leg with a camera mount and a connection ~o a belt worn about the photographer's waist. Another form of camera support is a long telescopic tube with camera moun~ed on one end. Yet, another type comprises a cart and step ladclerO
Clearly, such types of camera support devices have limi-ted adaptability inmanyinstances when a photographer -- 1 ~

uses a camexa fitted with lenses like those men-tionedpreviously~
When photographing wi.ld l:ife such as animals or bir:ds, a camera support of the type described in the prior art i~ not very satisfactory and cannot be adapted to thè diferent con-ditions experienced when pho~oyraphing such subject matter.
Some cf the camera supports k~own from the p~ior art are represented by United States Patent 2,703,691, issued March 8, 1955 to Luther W. Minnis which discloses a camer2 support comprising a frame and a sw.ingable camerca pos-t mounted adjacent one end of the frame. A leg member i6 telescopable and extensible from the other end. An actuatincJ arm is pivot-ably mounted to the post. Means is provided wi-thin khe post, actuated by a lever portion to hold the swingable camera post in a selected angular position relative to -the frameO Another prior art device is.known from United Kingdom Specification 687,588 which discloses a supporting device for a camera compxising two parts, one part ~eing formed by a telescoping support or tube p.rovided with a clamping device for securing its elements in a selected relative position and the other being formed by a handle provided with element members co-operating with an ~lement of the support for being secured in a removable manner to the latter in a~ least two different po~ition~. The handle also includes an element that cooperates with the camera for securing it to the handleO Another prior art patent, United States Patent 3~289,563,issued December 6 1966 to Owen Kent, discloses a support for a camera and a flash gun comprising a -telescopic tubular support to which is adjustcibly mounted a bracket. The bracket is adc~pted to support a camera in an operative position, and the bracket may be moved upwards or downwards on the tubular suppor-t or boom~ The tubular support or boom also carries a support mount for the conventional flash gun or strobe light.
In contrast to the a~orementionedprior ar-t, the - c~nera support of the present lnvention has many features and advantages thereover that will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following descrip-tion and the drawi~gs.

SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
A camera support~ .in accordance with one embodiment of the presen-t invention, includes an angle-shaped base with means thereon for.supporting a camera. The angle-shaped ba~e is releasably mounted to an extendable telescopic tubular leg member with means fox securing both the angle-shaped base and the extendable leg member in selectable positions.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes an arm extending outwardly from a sleeve slidably carried on the extendable telescopic tubular leg member, to which is pivotably mounted a plat~orm supporting a camera. Means is provided for securing the sleeve in selected positions on the leg member and for pivoting the platform with camera at~ached from a horizontal ~ormat pictuxe taking position to a vertical foxmat pictuxe taking position..
For a further lmderstanding of the invention and for features and advantages ~hereof, re~eronc~ may be made to the following description and to the drawingsO

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

~ _ .. . . .
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a camera support in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

~z~

Figa 2 is a schematic view in ~levation of the camera support bracke-t portion of -the apparatu~ of Ficl. l;
Fig. 3 is a view alony lin~ -III oE l~'iCJ. 2;
Fig. 4 is a view along line IV-IV of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the apparatus ofFig. l;
Fig. 6 is a view along line VI-VI of Fiy. 7;
Fig. 7 is a view of a po~tion of the lower end ~f the support of Fig. l;
Fig. 8 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the camera support of the presen-t inv~ntion shown in one oper~t~ve position;
Fig. 9 is a schematic view of the camera support of Fig. 8, but showing it in another operative position;
Fig~ 10 is a view along line X-X of Fig~ 8;
Fig. 11 is a view along line XI-XI of Fig~ 8;
Fig. 12 is a view along line XII-XII of Fig. 8;
Fig. 13 is a view along line XIII-XIII of Fig. 8;
Fig. 14 is a vie~ along line XIV-XIV of Fig. 8;
Fig. 15 is a view of a camera holding screw;
20 , Fig. 16 is a view along line XVI-XVI of Fig. 14;
Fig. 17 is a sectional view of a support for a flash gun attached to the camera support of Figs.8 and 9;
Fig. 18 is a plan view of the flash gun support of Fig. 17; and Fig. 19 is a view alony li~e XIX-XIX of Fiy. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ~HE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig, 1, a camera suppor-t 11 of -the present invention comprises two portions, one beiny a tele-scoping shaft or leg 13 and the other being a camera mountiny bxacket 15 releasably mounted to ~he telescoping shaf~ or leg 13.
The telescoping shaft or leg 13 includes an upper slide section 17 and a lower ~ase section 19. The upper slide section 17 is an elongate mel~er, preferabl~ a hollow tubular member 21, bu-t in some instances it may be an elon~ate solid wooden or plastic xod. The lower end portion of -the member 21, when tubular, is fitted with a wooden or plastic insert 23 which is held in place by means of conventional fasteners 25.
The insert memher 23 is made about eight or ten lnches long for a purpose tha~ will be disclosed hereinafter. The top end of the member 21, wh~n tubular, is plugged as at 27 in Fig. 1, in any suitable manner.
The lower base section 19 is, preferably a hollow plastic ~ubular section 29, to the bottom of which is fitted a conventional rubber cane tip 31~ The upper end of the base section 19 is slottQd longitudinally (Fig~ 6) preferably in four places 33. The t.ubular plastic member 29 at the slotted . end is also grooved peripherally, as at 35, to receive the band portion of a con~entional screw-type hose clamp 37, Be-tween the slots 33a and 33b~ as shown in Fig. 6 r ~he t~ular memher 29 is cut at the top of the groove 35, as at 39, thereby making each di3metrically opposed portion o:E the plas ~ic membex 29a, 29b r~spectively, bendable inwardly toward the upper slide section 17, when .it is .inserted into the hase section 19, and when pressure is applied to it by ~he screw- type clamp 37.
Fi~. 7 also shows a collar 41 -that is adapted to fit abl~ down over the llpper slotted ~nd of the plastic mem~er ~ 29 . A slot 43 in the collar 41 i6 provided ~o fit around a 30 ~ portion of the screw-type hose clamp 37.

Referring to Fiys. 1-~, the camera moun-ting bracke-t 15 of t~ie pxesent invention .includes an angle-shaped hase .member 45 to which is fi-tted guide tub~s 47, 49. One t~e 47 is fitted to one leg of -the angle-shaped base member 45, and the other tube 49 is f.itted to ~he other leg of the base member 45.
The guide tube members 47, 49 are each slzed to slidably receive the upper slide section 17, as shown in F'ic3, 1.
The qhell of the gui,de tube 47 is partly cut away loncJitudinally, as at 51, thereby forming two short tubular portions 53a, 53b connected together by the portion of the shell not cut away.
In like manner, the shell of the guide ~ube 49 is partly cut away~ as at 51, fQrming thereby two short guide tuhular portions 55a, 55b connected toge~her by the shell portion not cut away.
The guide tube 47, 49 are purposely cut away so as to afoxd finger contact with the upper slide section 17, when a photographer grasps the mounting bracket with his hand. ~ha-t is, when the camera and the mounting bracket 15 are raised to a selected position on the upper slide section 17, finger con-tact with the upper slide section 17 will hold -the bracket , and camera in that position long enough for the photographer to take a picture. Then -the hra~ket and camera can be s:L:idably raised or lowered to another position on the upper slide secti.on 17, and held in that position by firlger contact with the upper slide.section, ~ s shown in Fig. 2, the tubular portion 53a is slot-ted, as at 57, and is grooved peripherally~ as at 59, to receive the band portion of a screw type hose ~lamp 61, In li}ce manner, the tubular portion 55a is provided with a slot 63 and the periphe~y is grooved at 65 to xeceive the band poxtion of a screw-type hose cl~np 67~
As shown in Fic3s D 2 and 4, the horizontal leg of -the angle-shaped base member 45 is fitted wi-th two shaped members 69, 71, that are connected to the tube member 4'7 by suitable fasteners 73. Each shaped member 69, 71 is also secured to the horizontal leg portion o~ the member 45 by means of suit-able fasteners 75, 77 respectively~ The members 69~ 71 are made of wood in one embodiment of the invention, but -they may be made of any other suitable mater~al as desired, Each member 6~, 71 is provided with an upskanding lip portion 79 -that en-gages the back of a camera body 81 mounted on the bracket 15 to prevent the camera body from twis~ing around relative to the base memher 45 once the camera is secured to the member 45 by a conventional,mounting screw 830 Referringnow toFig. 3, the upstanding leg of the angle-shaped base member 45 is fitted with a hand grip comprising two members 85, 87~ shaped about as shown in Fig~ 3. The -two ' members 85, 87 are disposad one on each side of the upstanding leg of the base member 45. In one en~odiment of the invention~
the two members 85, 87 are mada of ~ood, but each member may be made of other suitable materials as desired. The two mem-bers 87, 89 are fastened to the base leg by means of conven-tional ~asteners 89, A lea-ther or plastic st~ap, shaped as a loop 91, is also secured to the top and bottom end po~ions of the upstanding leg o~ the base 45, particularly to -the shaped me~ber 3?, by means of the fasteners 89 D
In use, a photog~apher first mounts ~le camera to the support bracket 15~ threading the screw 83 into the conven-tional threaded hole in the bottom of the camera body 81.

Then, after ex~ending ~he upper slide sec~i~n 17 to a desired length and securing it by tiyhtening the screw-type hose clamp 37~ the photographer moun-ts the bracket 15 on the upper slid~ section 17 by passing the upper end ~hereof through the tubular members 53a, 53b for a vextical format picture, and throu~h tubular members 55a, 55b for a horizon~al format picture, as shown in ~ig. 1.
The photographer slides his left handt if he is a right handed person, through the loop of`strap 91 and grasps the hand grip 85, 97 with his finge~s csntacting the upper slide section 17~ Then the Gamera and the mounting bxacket 15 may be moYed up or down on the slide section 17, the photo-grapher's fingers exerting pressure on the uppex slide section 17 to hold the bracket and camera in any desired position thexealon~. While the camera bracket is held in the desired position b~ finger contact with the slide section, the photo-grapher's right hand can manipulate the camera mechanism and r~lease the shutter control.
The bottom tip 31 may be set upon the ground or other support surface an~ the camera support 11 may be manipu-lated through an infinite nu~ber of angles relative -to a ver-tical ~hrough the tip contact point with the ground or othex supporting surface~
~rresting means is provided to releasably secure khe mounting bxacket 15 in any selected position on the ~Ipper sl:ide section 17 by means of the screw-type hose clamps 61~ 67. It is a simple matter to reposition the bracket by xeleasing the screw-type clamps and moving the support bxacket and camera to another po.sition whereat the clamps may be tightened again.
As the upper slide section 17 is being extended, it may be ~xtended too far and withdrawn completely from the lower base section. ~o prevent this, the photogr~pher is alerted when the wooclen bottom porti.on of th~ slide section appears above the top of the base member 19. The photographer then knows that the upper slide section 17 may be wi.-thdrawn only a few moxe inches, abou~ eight or ten say depending on the length of the wooden portion 23. Those skilled i.n the ar~ wi.ll recognize that o~her form of indicia may be prov-ded to alert the photographer when the upper slide sec-tion is being withdrawn -too far.
In some instances, the upper slide section 17 may be used independently of the lower base section 19, as when photogr~phing flowers or insects at ground level.
In other instances, the upper slide section may be fully extended and the camera bracket mounted thereon ups,ide down. Then using,a conventional cable release, the shutter may be released and a picture taken with the camera well above the photographer ' s head.
Figs. 8-16 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. The,embod.iment of camera support bracket includes a tubular main body portion 91 that is slidably received on the upper slide section 17 o~ Fig. 1, and an outwardly extending leg portion 93 which is secured -to -the main body porti~n 91 by means of conven-tio~al fasteners 99.
camera suppor~ shelf 95 is pivo-tably mounted to the outwardly exten,ding leg portion 93 as at 101, abou-t where shown in ~ig. 8.
Longltudinally disposed within the main body pox~ion 91 is a tubular member 9'7, preEerably of plastic through which the upper slide section 17 passes.
The camera suppor-t shelf 95, as shown in ~ig. 16, is angular in cxoss sec-~ion and may be made of aluminum or any other suitable material~ Located about where shown in Fig~ 8, there is a conventional detent 103 tha-t coacts with a hole 105 near one end of -the support shelf 95. The sup-port shelf 95 also has another hole 107 near ~he other end, as shown in Fig. 8~
The top of the shelf 95, as shown in Fig. 14, has an elongate slot 109 having at one end an enla.rgecl circular-shaped opaning 110. The width of the slot 109 is large enough 10 to all)w a camera holding thumb screw 11~ ~o slide longi tu-dinally therein. The circular-shaped opening 110 is large enough to pass the ~humb scxew 112 when it is partly threaded into the Gamera body 81. Then, the camera may be mounted to the shelf ~y moving it to a clesired positio~ and tightening the thumb screw 112.
As shown in Figs. 8~ the main body po.rtion 91 carries, pivotally mounted therato as at 113, an elongate planar member 115 to which is fastened, top and bottom, a leathar or plastic hand stxap 117 with or without a buckle 119, as preferred, for ad~usting the strap ~o fit the photographer's hand.
The elong~te planar mem~ex 115 and the main bocly portion 91 have ~ coacting deten~ and hole 116 ~o hold the hand strap 117 and the member 115 in one position, but ~he elongate ~ember 115 can pivot about the pi:n 113 when desired for more comfortable holcling of the camera s~ppoxt device 91 on the ~pper slide section 170 Referxing to Figs~ 8-11 and 13, the main body portion 91 is provided with a longitudinal slot 121 in which is pivo-tally disposed an elongate bax 123 that is pivotable about a - :L () pin 125 in the main body portion 91 about where shown in Figs. 8, 9, 13O Adjacen~ ~he top of the elongate bar 123 and about where shown in Figs. 8, 9 there is a thum~ sc~ew 127. The thumb screw 127 is threaded -through the elongate bar 123 and, when it is tightened, bears against the tl~ular member 97, thereby pivotincJ the elongate bar 123 and causing it to engage the slide section 17 to secure the camera support bracket ln a selec-ted posi-tion along the slide section 17 About midway along the length of the elongate bar 123 is a protruding portion thereof 129 which extends ver-tically, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, and which protrudes -through a slot 131 in the tubular member 97~ When the elonga-~e bar 123 is pivoted by pressing thereon, it is the protruding por-tion 129 that contacts the upper slide section 17 to secure the support bracket in selected positions. The face of the protruding portion 129 that contacts the upper slide section may be covared with leather or other material to increase the fric-tional hold on the upper slide section. Numeral 133 refers to the covering.
Referriny to Figs. 8, 9 and 11 9 the periphery of the main body portion 91 and the base member 115 may be recessed, as at 135 on one side (Figs. 8,9), and a-t 137 in the base mem-per 115; a thumb re~t 139 ~Fig. 11~ is provided to suit the photographer's hand as he holds the camera bracket 89~
In usin~ tha embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs~ 8-16~ a photographer fi~st mounts the camera -to -the c~mera support shelf by partly threading the thumb screw 112 into the con~entional threaded hole in the camera body base, and then passing the thumb screw 112 through the hole 110.
The photographer then slides the camera along the shelf 95 to a selected location. At such position, he tightens the -thumb screw 112 to secure the camera on the suppor-t she:lf 95. The upperslide section 17 ls then ext~nded to a desired length and the clamping device is tightened to secure i-t in place.
The upper end of the slide section 17 is inser-ted and passes throuyh the tubular main body portion 91. The camera support ~racket 89 may be arrested manually at any selected location by manually pressing the elongate bar 123 with the photoglapher' s fingexs, or it may be arrested and secured in such position by tightening the screw 127, When the camera is removed from the shelf 95, the thumb screw 112 may be st~wed or further use by threading it into the hole 107, or into another hole (not shown) in -the shelf 95.
Ref~rring to Fi~. 8, the ca~era is shown in p~sition to take a horiæontal format picture when the bracket is held by a right handed person. Pxessing down on the left hand end of ;the shel~ 95~ as shown in F.ig. 8~ the shelf 95 will pivot about the screw 101 and assume the position shown in Fig. 9, which is the position to take a vext1cal ormat picture.
When the photographer uses the support device shown in Flgs. 8, 9, his left hand passas through the loop of -the strap 117 and the fingers of his left hand grasp the elongate bar 123, ~hile his left thumb rests in the depression 139.
Then, by re3ea~ing -the elongate bar 123~ the camera suppo~t shelf and the camera ma~ be moved up or down on the upper slide section 17 as desired. The right hand of the photographer is free to ~anipulate the camera controls at all times. Should it be desirable to take a vertical format picture, the pho-t-grapher's right hand merely presses down on the end o~ the l2 shel~ ~5 and it ~ui~kly assume~ khe position shown .-.in Fig. 9, and the right hand is still free to manipulate the camera controls.
When the camera support device is elevated above the head of the photographer, it is more comfortable to use the device by pivoting the elongate planar member 115 ~bout the pivot pin 113.
Figs. 17, 18 illustrate one form of electronic flash gun support that may be fitted to the embodimen-t of the in-vention shown in Figs. 8, 9.
The -tubular me~er 97 has a leng-th greater somewhat than that shown in Fig. 1 so that three projections 141 pro-vided thereon about where shown at Figs. 17 and 18 cooperatewi-th an octagonal shaped cap 143 that has three corresponding openings 145. The cap 143 fits down over the projections 141 and then is twisted clockwise so as to lock the cap in posltion, which, in e~fect~ is a bayonet t~pe of mount. The fit between the octagonal cap 143 and the projectivns 141 holds the cap in pQS i ti on, The octagonal cap 143 has an outwardly projecting arm 147 that has a conventional shoe 149 that receives the conv~ntional T-shaped foot on the bottom of a conventional flash gun.
FigO 19 illustr~tesanother form of ~upport for a ~onvention~l fla~h gun as fi~ted to the angle-shaped base mem~
ber 45 of FigsO 1-2, the top being flanged as at 45aO On the flange portion 45a, the conventional shoe 149 is attached~
From the foregoing description of embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize many fea-tures and advantages, among which the following axe significan-t Tha-t the camera suppor-t is ligh-~ in weiyht, easy to set up and a~just/ and is quickly adaptable to suit the needs of many photographers;
That the camera support may be ~uickly and easily raised and lowered, as conditions warrant, to suit the needs o~ most photographers;
That the camera support bracket may be arrested manually at any desired position, and then quickly and easily raised or lowered on the upper slide section;
10 That the camera support bracket may be quickly and easily fixed in a desired position on the upper slide s~cti.on, That the camera support~ with camera attached to the bracket, may be tilted through an infinite number of angles from a vertical through the ground suppor-t of -~he camer~ support;
That the upper slide section, wi th camera and support bracket mounted thereon~ may be used solely when photographing ob~ects at ground level;
That by mounting the camera support bracket in the inverted positi.on on khe upper slide bracket when it i~ ex tended full length, a picture may be taken at a l~vel well abo~e the head of the photographer;
That the camexa support bracket may be used solely and a camera mounted thereon may be easily and quickly posi-tioned for a vextical forma-t picture and for a horizontal ormat picture~
That the camera support o~ the in~ention is provided with asuppor* fox a conventio~al flash gun; and That the camera support device is simple to construc-t and is not costly~

-- 1.'1 --~2~ L4 Although the foregoing describes el~odiments o the present invention, it is understood -tha-t moclificakions may be made the:rein without departiny from the scope -thereof as set forth in the following claims.

Claims (20)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EX-CLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE. DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:

1. A camera support comprising:
a) a first elongate member;
b) a second elongate member so constructed and arranged as to slide longitudinally in association with said first elongate member;
c) means for extending and arresting said second elongate member in selected positions relative to said first elongate member;
d) a camera support device comprising a first arm and a second arm angularly carried by said first arm;
e) means for mounting said camera support device on said second elongate member in such a manner that a camera mounted thereon is positioned to take a horizontal format picture;
f) means for mounting said camera support device on said second elongate member in such a manner that a camera mounted thereon is positioned to take a vertical format picture;
and g) means for positioning and releasably holding said camera support device on said elongate second member.

2. The camera support of Claim 1 wherein:
a) said first and second elongate members are each tubular and are affixed to each other in such a way that said second elongate member is slidable over said first elongate member.

3. The camera support of Claim 1 wherein:
a) said means for positioning and releasably holding said camera support device on said second elongate member includes clamping means so constructed and arranged that when said clamping means is tightened, said camera support device is held in selected positions on said second elongate member; and b) said means for arresting said first and second elongate members in selected relative positions is a clamp.

4. The camera support of Claim 1 wherein:
a) said first elongate member is a tubular struc-ture; and b) said second elongate member is a rod slidably disposed in said tubular structure.

5. A camera support comprising:
a) an angle-shaped base member having two legs;
b) means on one leg for supporting a camera thereon;
c) a tubular member fixed longitudinally to one of said legs, said tubular member being slot-ted longitudinally and having a peripheral groove;
d) clamping means disposed in said peripheral groove;
e) an elongate member slidably disposed in one of said tubular members; and f) means for actuating said clampang means of said tubular member in such a way that said base member is releas-ably secured to said slidable elongate member at selected positions therealong.

6. A camera support comprising:
a) an angle-shaped base member having two leg portions;
b) means on one of said leg portions fox supporting a camera thereon;

c) a tubular member fixed longitudinally to each one of said leg portions, each tubular member being slotted longitudinally and having a peripheral groove;
d) first clamping means associated with each peri-pheral groove;
e) an elongate tubular first member having longitu-dinal slots in one end portion so constructed and arranged that the slotted end portion of said tubular first member is radically deformable when pressure is applied to said slot-ted end portion;
f) a peripheral groove in said slotted end portion;
g) second clamping means associated with said peri-pheral groove in said slotted end portion for exerting pressure on said slotted end portion;
h) an elongate second member slidably associated with and extendable relative to said first tubular member;
i) one end portion of said second elongate member being slidably disposed in one of said tubular members fixed to a re-spective leg of said angle-shaped base member;
j) means for actuating said first clamping means in such a way that said angle-shaped base member is releas-ably secured to said elongate second member at selected posi-tions therealong; and k) means for actuating said second clamping means in such a way that said elongate second member is releasably secured in extended positions relative to said elongate tubular first member.

7. The camera support of Claim 6 wherein:
a) said first and second clamping means are screw clamps.

8. The camera support of Claim 6 further comprising:
a) indicating means on one end portion of said elongate second member for determining when said elongate second member is close to being entirely withdrawn from said elongate tubular first member.

9. The camera support of Claim 6 including:
a) strap handle means fixed to one leg of said base member.

10. The camera support of Claim 6 further comprising:
a) means for closing the other end portion of said elongate tubular first member.

11. A camera support comprising:
a) a base member having means thereon for supporting a camera;
b) means on said base member for slidably receiving an elongate member in such a manner that said base member is carried by said elongate member; and c) means on said base member for releasably arres-ting and for securing said base member at selected positions along said elongate member wherein said base member is angle-shaped such as to form a pair of legs and each of said legs has means for slidably receiving said elongate member.

12. The camera support of Claim 11 wherein:
a) said releasably arresting and securing means in-cludes clamping means.

13. A camera support device comprising:
a) a main body member;
b) a leg member outwardly extending from said body member;
c) a camera support shelf pivotally mounted to said leg member;

d) means for mounting a camera in selected positions on said support shelf;
e) means for holding said support shelf in a predetermined operative position relative to said leg member whereby said support shelf is free to pivot from said pre-determined operative position to other operative positions relative to said leg member;
f) an elongate member slidably mounted to said main body member;
g) a hand strap secured to said main body member in such a manner as to enable said camera support device to be securely hand held with said elongate member disconnected from said main body member; and h) means for releasably securing said elongate member in selected operative positions relative to said main body member when said main body member and said elongate member are joined.

14. The camera support of Claim 13 wherein:
a) said means for mounting a camera on said support shelf includes:
i) an elongate slot extending lengthwise of said support shelf, said slot having an opening at one end thereof, and ii) thumb screw means partially threaded into a hole in the base of said camera whereby said camera is releasably mounted to said support shelf by passing said thumb screw means through said opening, sliding said camera along said slot and tightening said thumb screw means.

15. The combination comprising:
a) a first elongate member;
b) a second elongate member slidably associated with said first elongate member;
c) means for extending said second elongate member from said first elongate member;
d) means for securing said second elongate member in selected positions relative to said first elongate member;
e) a camera support slidably carried by said second elongate member and comprising:
i) a main body member so constructed and ar-ranged that it is slidable and releasably positioned on said second elongate member, ii) a leg member outwardly extending from said main body member, iii) a shelf pivotally mounted to said leg member, iv) means for mounting a camera in selected positions on said shelf, v) means for holding said shelf in one pre-determined operative position relative to said leg member, whereby said shelf is free to pivot from said predetermined opera-tive position to other operative positions relative to said leg member, and f) means for releasably arresting and for securing said camera support in selected locations on said second elon-gate member, said last mentioned means comprising:
i) an elongate bar disposed in a longitudinal slot in said main body member and having a protrusion directed toward and engageable with said second elongate member, ii) means for pivoting said bar in said slot whereby said bar is manually operable for pivoting said bar and causing said protrusion to engage said second elongate member whereby said camera support is arrested and held in a selected position on said second elongate member, iii) a thumb screw threaded into said bar in such a manner that when said thumb screw is tightened, said bar pivots for causing said protrusion to engage said second elongate member and said camera support is arrested and held in a selected position on said second elongate member.

16. The camera support device of Claim 13 wherein:
a) said leg member is removably mounted to said main body member; and b) said means for holding said support shelf in-cludes a detent in said leg member that is cooperative with said support shelf.

17. The camera support of Claim 2 including:
a) a support for a conventional flash gun carried by one of said elongate members.

18. The camera support device of Claim 13 further comprising:
a) means on said main body member for releasably mounting a conventional flash gun.

19. The combination of Claim 15 further comprising:
a) means on said main body member for releasably supporting a conventional flash gun.

20. The combination of Claim 15 further comprising:
a) means on an end of said first elongate member for releasably supporting a conventional flash gun.