MsJudi wrote: 
Okay, crazy idea here (I know, you're shocked). What if you could take the center post out of a tripod and put it back in upside down? With the camera platform on the bottom? Probably not possible with most tripods, but maybe a cheap one could work. Goodwill seems to have tripods pretty regularly.

You might still have a problem getting the camera perpendicular to your table, depending how far the platform tilts.

 buzz wrote: 
I've been looking at the Oben line... and that's a great price, too, thanks buzz!

 MsJudi wrote: 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/687328-REG/Oben_AC_2320L_AC_2320L_3_Section_Aluminum_Lateral.html

I have never heard of this brand, but it has good reviews. If I was looking for a new tripod, I would consider this.

B&H is a good place to buy. Good prices and good service.

Ok, I've decided that I want to start shooting art tutorial videos with my camera and I have an awesome tripod but I need to do top-down shots and my tripod just won't go in that direction. Anyone have any suggestions beyond buying an expensive lateral tripod??

 katzendogs wrote: 
Oh, that's right. Well I guess I should google and see if it's fixable.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
I have the S3IS. same as you. Zoom very slow to a certain point and then *poof*. Restart, shot is gone!

 katzendogs wrote: 
OURS is old & worn out. Had it several years and beat it up, really. Just thought it was interesting that ours does the same thing as yours. We can zoom verrry sloooowly and it'll stay on. But just bump the zoomer button all the way over and it shuts off. Ours is a Canon.

 Manbird wrote: 
I'll look into that. thanks.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
For $350.00 how do they wear out? If I want a disposable then shit! I'd have bought one. Cameras. Can't have anything nice.

 katzendogs wrote: 
FYI - If you zoom in low light, you'll really slow down the shutter speed and get jpeg artifacts and motion blur. 

 katzendogs wrote: 
Our camera does this too. It's old and worn out, IMO.

 katzendogs wrote: 
The zoom part isn't normal, obviously.  There's a tiny little chance that some sort of firmware upgrade (do-it-your-selfable via your memory card and your computer) might fix it.  Might be worth some Googling.

 Xeric wrote: 
except for the zoom part, which makes me have to get up off my lazy ass, I think I'm getting it under control. thanks for her compliment. I hope to have more later.

 katzendogs wrote: 
As Scott said, the only hope is to force a lower ISO.  Except for the other hope, which is to get more light on the subject.  Haul the kid outside, or turn on every light in the room and then some, and/or force the cameral to flash whether it wants to or not.  (This is really a second way of doing the same thing—more light will let the camera pick a lower ISO.)  Damned cute kid, though!

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
When I zoom in the camera shuts down. Well goes black. I have to shut it off for the lens to retract. Geez I really slacked off on using this camera.

 Leslie wrote: 
... eggs. I know. You told me about 315 times already, thank you. 

 Manbird wrote: 
You suck, too.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
my camera sucks. there's no way around low light grainville. 

 Manbird wrote: 
Maybe it depends on the camera but sometimes if I can keep the ISO low enough it all works out. 
 
edit: eh, yeah, I can't find a good example so maybe it's 999 out of 1000 are noisy junk. 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
.s. with a butt load of jpg artifactos