A main strength of HandlePod is the ability to attach it to just about anything with the elastic cord. Securing it to the handlebars of a bicycle will give you fabulous motion video of your favorite bike path. There is just one problem. The four feet of the HandlePod are too wide and the rubber tips will not engage the handlebar for a firm grip.

Mounting Putty Makes HandlePod a Reliable Bike Mount

Loctite Mounting Putty will turn HandlePod into a reliable bike handlebar mount.

But there is a simple, inexpensive solution. It’s called Loctite Fun-Tak Mounting putty. It’s available in many hardware stores for just a couple of dollars. Other mounting putty products discussed in a previous blog will also work.

But Loctite is well suited for this purpose. It comes in strips of blue material that you can easily attach to the underside of the HandlePod feet.

HandlePod attached to a bicycle with strips of Loctite Mounting Putty holds a smartphone.

Strips of Loctite reduce the diameter of the feet and provide an adhesive surface that will firmly adhere to the handlebar. The adhesion is not enough to hold the HandlePod, but a few wraps of the elastic cord will secure it solidly. Now you can mount an action cam or your phone to your bicycle and shoot great motion video of your ride.

Of course there are dedicated handlebar mounts for GoPro and other action cameras. But if you don’t have a handlebar mount or want to use your phone as an action cam, the simple addition of Loctite Mounting Putty will turn HandlePod into a solid, reliable bicycle mount.

Video yourself as you ride with the camera phone in selfie mode

And there are other advantages to using HandlePod as a bike mount. With HandlePod the action cam or phone can be aimed in any direction. Point the camera anywhere you want or switch the phone to selfie mode to see yourself on your epic ride. Or get a unique perspective by mounting the camera on the forks or other parts of the frame.

When you are finished recording your bicycle adventure with HandlePod and your phone the whole setup comes off easily. Leave the Loctite putty in place or take it off the HandlePod. It separates easily and leaves no residue. It is a simple way to make HandlePod attach to small diameter supports.

Time lapse video requires a moving subject to be effective—clouds, ocean waves, people, traffic, all make fascinating time lapse scenes. Another requirement is camera stabilization. A tripod or other reliable camera support is essential. Hand held time lapse would be far too jerky.

Another option is camera movement. Panning creates a much more compelling time lapse video, which is the subject of this blog.

Muvi X-Lapse camera rotator is inexpensive and does an excellent job.

Add a Time Lapse Rotator
There are many time lapse camera rotation devices available in a range of prices. The unit described here is the Veho Muvi X-Lapse available from Amazon for $17.59. It is inexpensive and works extremely well with some limitations. One is weight. It will support a smartphone, action camera, a point-and-shoot or small mirrorless. Maximum camera weight is 750 grams or about 26 ounces. A DSLR would be too heavy.

It comes with a smartphone holder that is useful but does not solidly grip the phone and is subject to wobble. A strong wind could shift it. A more reliable tripod adapter for smartphones is recommended.

AKORAK mini ball head is useful to point the camera up or down while the rotator remains level.

Use a Mini Ball Head
Another useful accessory would be a mini tripod ball head. A small one such as that pictured can be had for as little as $5.99 on Amazon.

The reason for adding a ball head is because the rotator must be level or it will tilt the camera up or down as it turns. If you want to point the camera in a direction other than horizontal, it must be done with a mini tripod head while the rotator remains level.

Options are Limited

There are not a lot of options with a device this simple and cheap. Speed of rotation is fixed at one hour for a 360 degree rotation. It can be set for any degree of rotation and there are markings for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. Also it will only turn from right to left. Left to right rotation is unavailable with one exception described later.

Three fold out feet make the X-Lapse more stable on a flat, solid surface. But what if a level surface is unavailable and you don’t have a tripod? That’s where HandlePod is a useful alternative support. It will attach firmly to any object that the elastic cord will wrap around.

Another approach is to attach it with sticky putty as described in a previous blog. This will easily hold a smartphone or small action cam. HandlePod can be attached to horizontal or vertical supports like railings or poles.

Muvi X-Lapse mounted on HandlePod and attached to a gate post.

On vertical objects like the gate post pictured here, the slotted camera mount leaves plenty of room to hold the rotator and the smartphone. It allows full rotation without interfering with movement of the smartphone as it turns.

Muvi X-Lapse mounted on HandlePod upside down will reverse rotation from left to right.

As mentioned earlier, the X-Lapse only turns from right to left. This can be reversed on a vertical support by mounting the X-Lapse on the HandlePod upside down as pictured. Now it will turn in the opposite direction from left to right.

There are many time lapse apps for smartphones that work extremely well. An earlier blog talked about Framelapse Pro. Another app for Android is Hyperlapse. These work extremely well and are easy to use. A rotation device such as X-Lapse mounted on Handlepod allows compelling time lapse video panning with a minimum of equipment weight, bulk and expense.

It was over twenty years ago that my wife and I were driving along a narrow country road through the hill towns of Spain. The landscape was beautiful but there was no place to pull over to get a shot. I had a Hi8 video camera that I handed to my wife and asked her to shoot through the window as I drove. She’d never used the camera before, couldn’t see through the tiny eyepiece viewfinder, couldn’t hold the camera steady and it was a disaster. She soon gave up after a few seconds of shaky, useless video.

I remember being somewhat annoyed at missing video of the beautiful scenes through the car window. But I got over it. We’re still together.

HandlePod and Sticky Putty Solves the Problem

HandlePod attached to the dashboard with Sticky Putty holds smartphone firmly in place.

How times have changed! Today everyone carries a cell phone with a built-in video camera. Recording a scenic drive through the Spanish countryside or anywhere else is a snap. But holding the camera steady in a moving car is still an issue (and impossible if you are driving alone).

That’s where HandlePod comes in. As described in a previous blog, it is a simple matter to fix lumps of Alcolin Sticky Putty (or similar material) to the feet of HandlePod. Then press the HandlePod onto the dash, attach a smartphone tripod adapter with your phone and start recording.

The Sticky Putty will hold the HandlePod solidly in place and the smartphone video is smooth and shake-free. This system will also hold a GoPro or other small action cam. A video capable point-and-shoot or mirrorless camera will also work.

Shoot Video Through the Side Window

Sticky Putty on HandlePod feet will adhere a camera phone solidly to window glass.

If you want to get a shot out the side window, that is also possible. Sticky Putty adheres firmly to glass. Press the HandlePod against the side window and mold the putty onto the glass. Now you can shoot out the side of the car as the world goes by.

HandlePod with Sticky Putty makes your car a reliable moving video platform. And you can turn the camera around to shoot the driver and passenger as well—perfect for vloging and travel commentary. The ability to stick your smartphone or action cam to any solid surface opens up a world of photo and video possibility. The car offers a major opportunity. More to come in future blogs.

The previous blog discussed three brands of adhesive putty that could be used to stick HandlePod on just about anything. They all more or less worked except for Dap BlueStik (too soft and minimal adhesion). Loctite Fun-Tak is a bit stiff and not real sticky. Scotch mounting putty was the best of the three and easily available. But the search continued for a material that would stick even more firmly.

The Best Material Yet!

Alcolin Sticky Putty provides superior adhesion to attach HandlePod to any surface.

Alcolin Sticky Putty has much better adhesion and is easily pliable. It is the best material found so far. It comes in a three-ounce package and the putty is a flat rectangle divided in half down the center. It is sandwiched between two strips of paper (save this paper for later).

Sticky Putty on HandlePod–Easy As One Two Three

Alcolin Sticky Putty attaches easily to HandlePods feet to stick your camera on any surface.

The Sticky Putty strip is split in half down the middle. Separate the two halves and cut one of the halves into four equal strips. Roll each strip into a marble-size ball. Then press each lump of putty onto the four feet of the HandlePod.

Group photo taken with phone on HandlePod attached to the wall with adhesive putty.

That’s all there is to it. Now you can press the HandlePod against any solid surface and it will stay in place. It will hold a smartphone, GoPro, action cam or any small still or video camera on just about anything.

Imagine the possibilities when a wall, a door, a window or any solid surface can hold your camera for whatever photo, group shot, self-portrait or video you want to shoot—no selfie stick or asking strangers to hold your camera!

Use a Remote Shutter Release or Self-Timer

Bluetooth remote shutter release.

With your camera stuck on a wall you’ll need a remote shutter release to take the photo. A remote for a smartphone is the best method since you can fire the shot whenever you want. They come in a variety of models and prices and will work on Android or iPhone with a Bluetooth connection.

Another option is to use a self timer on the phone which will count down for a programmable number of seconds then fire the shutter. Most phones either have this option or it can be added with an app such as A Better Camera for Android.

Sticky Putty Comes Off Easily

When you are finished shooting it is easy to pull the sticky putty from the surface. It should come off cleanly but anything remaining can be removed by pressing the putty onto the residue and pulling it off quickly.

When you are finished you can remove the putty from the HandlePod feet the same way. Use the paper the putty is packaged with to wrap up the lumps of putty for future use. A small amount may remain on the rubber feet but this is not a problem. In fact it improves the high friction, non-slip properties of the HandlePod, making it easier to hold in place by hand.

Sticky putty on HandlePod is a perfect way to attach a camera phone, Go Pro, action camera or point-and-shoot to just about any available surface. Mirrorless, bridge cameras or other larger cameras will work but it is important to check adhesion first. Make sure the putty will hold on the chosen surface before attaching a larger camera.

Some surfaces work better than others and it is essential to make certain the putty will hold before trusting a heavier, more valuable camera to it. But sticky putty on HandlePod is a simple, inexpensive way to turn any solid surface into a reliable camera mount.