I have filled the bottom section of the legs with about 2kg of lead shot mixed with glue. Makes it nice and stable with low weight.
The upper sections have medium sized holes drilled to allow water/air to flow and aid drying post dive.
I have also replaced the bottom feet with eye bolts, the theory (un-tested) is that I can then use it at extreme angles or even upside down on and in wrecks by carefully using bungee cord.
To attach it to the housing I modified a large stainless steel bolt head on a lathe and then drilled though the housing. The Manfrotto quick release plate is then fitted on the under side of the housing. (Ikelite housing).
As for photographic results sorry still work in progress, as my teacher used to say "must try harder".
Cheers,
Richard B.
Just come across this thread, how did the system work out?
Do you have any pics of the legs with the eye bolts in place?
I too have a Ikelite housing and I was thinking of a quick release plate like you have.
Regards
Lee
Hi,
I was trying to work out how to support a 2nd strobe without too much expense & came across this link; I got my old tripod out & have now attached an Ikelite DS160 head with velcro in a figure of 8 under the tripod plate & over the head. With a weight on the tripod hook it worked great in the pool and I can tilt and move the angle of light, as well as adjust the tripod height! Not sure it's so great for diving, but velcro is my tip! (ok it was my brothers smart idea! So pleased to have a 2nd strobe it's on this facebook picture link!
Heather
I recently took a gorilla pod for SLRs and attached a Sola 2000 to it for illuminating parts of a wreck out of shot when shooting stills, works a treat!
I was thinking of casting resin around a snooker ball to make a plastic ball head, then realised I have any number of ball joints in flash arms. I bought a cheap tripod from a charity shop. cut off the pan/tilt head and ground down part of a TLC arm to glue into the tube. I removed the lower leg section and glued rubber feet on. I put a metal hook into the base of the column which I can tension to a rubber lever-suction cup attached to a pool tile with bungee cord. (In the sea you would need weights.) I cut a 6mm aluminium plate and drilled clearance holes for the 1/4" Whitworth machine screw and the 5mm metric screws in the corners of the plate, (for a NA-D800 housing). An 8mm countersunk machine screw and epoxy secured the 1" ball fitting to the plate. Bits of TIG rod silver soldered to the screws allows me to attach the plate without tools.
This is a commercial post, mods, please delete if inappropriate but since folks were asking about UW tripods...
You can contact me directly for pricing and configuration
thanks
Stewart
Hey Stewart
Unless Adam has concerns, we'll let you have this one
Thanks Tim, never post commercially felt this was on topic! lol
Anyone use a Gorillapod with Ballhead for Underwater Macro?
Im not sure about the legs for fine adjustment for Macro stuff.
I have recently purchased a very cheap but well-made aluminium tripod base from BGNing (on Aliexpress). I haven't tried yet underwater but it's quite sturdy on land. It was 40 Euro including shipping.
23 hours ago, gobiodon said:
I have recently purchased a very cheap but well-made aluminium tripod base from BGNing (on Aliexpress). I haven't tried yet underwater but it's quite sturdy on land. It was 40 Euro including shipping.
If used for macro, I would arrange the camera on the opposite side
7 hours ago, Davide DB said:
If used for macro, I would arrange the camera on the opposite side
Good advice, thanks!
I just received the BGNing plate mentioned above. Looks promising and cheap. I can recycle some of my older strobe arms and ball clamps. looks sturdy to either mount Gimbal/ball head or directly attach to my Aquatica housing which has standard 1/4 inch holes on the bottom. Macro would be the direct attach approach. clamps and/or a couple levels of short legs would let you tilt towards the subject. Can't wait to get out and try it
BGNing Aluminium SLR Diving Video Triangular Gimbal Tray Rig Bracket Mount for Underwater LED Light Stand DSLR Camera Tripod Su
$32.32 USD
I use Inon Carbon Fiber Telescoping arms (legs) attached to ball joints on a tray. Inon also makes an underwater tripod head you can attach those legs to. I haven't tried that yet because I don't pan underwater, but it would probably be pretty darned good if it is of similar quality to the arms. I wrap a weight belt around the legs for ballast.
As an aside, I also have a 17" dome port and attach 2 of the arms to that and 1 to the tray.
I have used a mid-grade land tripod in fresh water... works fine. I'd use it in salt as well, but only if I considered it to be disposable. (It's about 20 years old, so it kinda is I suppose)
10 hours ago, Manatee said:
Inon also makes an underwater tripod head you can attach those legs to.
I've got this and it's extremely high quality enabling all sorts of positioning. Mind you, it should for what it cost! I bought it as a stand for a strobe with a snoot.
I'd guess that this strobe/snoot combination weighs a good bit more than an SLR system essentially balanced for neutral or slightly negative buoyancy. So it should take the weight no problem. Various leg lengths - or telescopic legs - are available
For that price, it should go into the water itself and bring me the photos
Jokes apart, some of the DIY examples posted above are perfect and if needed they could be equipped with telescopic legs bought separately at much cheaper price.
On 9/15/2021 at 6:48 AM, Manatee said:
I use Inon Carbon Fiber Telescoping arms (legs) attached to ball joints on a tray. Inon also makes an underwater tripod head you can attach those legs to. I haven't tried that yet because I don't pan underwater, but it would probably be pretty darned good if it is of similar quality to the arms. I wrap a weight belt around the legs for ballast.
As an aside, I also have a 17" dome port and attach 2 of the arms to that and 1 to the tray.
Which length telescopic legs did you go for? I am about the buy the S (11in to 20in), wondering if that will be sufficient, these look longer in your photo maybe? Thanks!
Definitely looks interesting. Do you use it with a tray or anything or does it become a matter of choosing tripod footage vs tray footage? Where do you stick your lights?
If you have a Nauticam housing, you may be able to forgo the plate and just add some balls.
So pleased to have a 2nd strobe it's on 
