Help with dyi project

[MarkKlier]

Thinking of getting a canon s3 camera, besides the hobby, I want to use this to take standard pics of my patients moles, that I will then burn to a disc as part of their medical record.
I need a structure that I can set the camera on/in that supports it say 3" from the skin. I also need a millimeter standard scale that will set near the target image....
any help would be appreciated. MK

 

[scaryperson27]

your taking pictures of moles? Have you thought about using PVC?

 

[spline9]

You could make an apparatus that would attach to the camera's tripod mount. From the tripod mount, a bar would stretch forward to your desired focus distance (I'm gussing roughly 1' maybe) and would hold your millimeter scale. The milimeter scale would also serve as your guide for camera/subject distance since you'd have to hold the scale next to the mole for an accurate representation.

This way you can just leave the camera on manual settings without having to adjust anything. This ascii-art pic may help some confusion if my description sucks.

[]=___i :.)

key:
[]= <-- camera
___ <-- tripod mounted bar
i <-- milimeter scale
:.) <-- face w/ mole

 

[gregr]

I can imagine something using some basic grip equipment ('grip' as in movie production hardware)- like a C-stand with an arm; at the end of the arm is a knuckle with a another arm dropping down, and at the end of that arm would be a bracket (some kind of flash bracket- look at Stroboframe brackets) that holds the camera. With a set-up like that you could easily swing it in and out of the way. Not cheap- cost you a little more than the camera itself, but it would be pretty slick.