Here's an interesting new tool from Proaim. The Proaim Rectopole is a Carbon Fiber telescoping pole that can reach 14' high, comes with a motorized pan / tilt head, Remote with SD monitor, and a 12' long Dolly Track. In photography terms this is often called Low Aerial Pole, or Mast Pole Aerial Photography typically used for Real Estate or anything that benefits from a birds eye view.
The RectoPole can be used in sections if you plan to work at lower heights and looks to include a guying kit (tie down wires) for extra stability on the mast. For those in Real Estate who want to step up their game, or those who plan to shoot their kids next sporting event out on the baseball field, or you can check out the new Proaim RectoPole Telescoping Mast via eBay (Click Here).
ProaimRectopole
It won't give you you the same stabilization and precision as a motorized system on a track dolly, but for my Aerial shots, I use a simple painters pole and a Palo Alto Adapter (seen here).
Chi Lee
@Emm - my point is not the height of the pole, it's that there's nothing securing it to the ground. The guy wires connect to the dolly cart, which isn't attached to the track, it just rolls on the top. One gust of wind and the entire thing will fall over.
The pole itself is an OK idea (very expensive with all the remote-monitoring gear included, but real estate agents could get the cost back in a few months) though only if it's being carried or it's actually fixed to something solid.
Lee Mullen
Just get one of these!!!
https://youtu.be/xQA161kcxok?hd=1
Lee Mullen
$1400 for a glorified painter's pole?? I'll pass. lol
JustinJenny
After doing a lot of GoPro experimentation for interesting angles and shots using extension poles as long as 30 feet I decided to order the "Palo Alto" adapter after seeing it here on your page Em. Much to my dismay when the adapter arrived I spent more then 30 minutes simply trying to get it to screw onto both my different paint poles threading. I am not sure if they sent me a bunk one but I was really disgruntled that the company wouldn't even practice Quality Control and make sure there products work before sending them! Anyways this isnt intended to be a rant I just thought people should know that. At this point I just stick to the GoPro bike handle-bar adapter and put it around the pole at the top, just about the same thing!
http://www.youtube.com/GoProBrosVT
Neil
Proaim isn't exactly known for great build quality in their products (about as good as their naming policy it would seem) so I wouldn't touch this piece of gear with- well, a 14' pole!
sigmund
love that idea. the wind is the problem here in california
apostolos
I think "Prostateprobe" would have been so much better...
Emm
Post author@apostolos - Agreed, terrible name haha. I'm curious to hear what other names would be suggested.
apostolos
These guys need to spend a couple of bucks on their marketing, naming schemes, etc. Seriously, rectopole?
Victor
wow this seems pretty cool! i like doing a bit of event coverage so this would be really neat to have. maybe i should start toying with some sort of diy. like the motorized head though!
Todd O.
Sounds like a pain in the ass to me!
MovieBuff
1400$? Really?
Emm
Post author@Chi Lee - I often use a cheap 10ft Painters pole with my Canon DSLR. This one has an Aluminum base and is only 14ft. Not as tall as it sounds.
Joseph W. Bourke
Looks to be a pretty cool product, but whoever chose the name should be shot! It sounds like something I'd get at the doctor's office when I'm over 50. Whew!
Jack
Wow, could they have picked a worse name for the unit... I thought that's what doctors used for prostate checkups 😉
Chi Lee
Putting a 14ft top-heavy pole on a narrow-track dolly, outdoors... hope your camera's insured.