" Find yourself a HOBBY you can still physically do ! "

OK , a short blurb  . Well it is  a blog after all  Holty  and knowing you it wont be short ...

HISTORY 

 If you know me at all  you already know  I only got back into  hobby photography  ( as in I dont wish  to earn money , its MY release )   a few years ago  after my Spinal Surgeon  and a few other  "wise ones "  suggested strongly  that  all that  good stuff was over , even playing any sport including golf   .  Hmm .  Worried , no not really I got to 60  and that's about  40 more than a lot of people gave me ....

BTW

The brain still works like Im about 30  and never stops  24/7  so for the last few years I have been looking at   various forms of remote shooting  for the cameras  . Even make a few  test rigs   and all the other usual stuff   . Sticking  GoPros  on base plates  or   poles  , pocket cameras  on  window washing  extension poles   and remote  Hahnel Captur Wifi triggers  for the DSLRs   , putting ladders on the back of the ute   and the list goes on .    All a bit of fun but not  even close to what was in my head  because I wanted  the  quality   photos off a DSLR   but nothing would hold  or operate correctly with the weight  ...I currently  have a Wireless Gopro  ,  Canon  wireless on the G7X mk2   , Camfi   , Camfo Pro   and have just started with using DSLR Controller  ( but only tethered to a tablet  or the laptop at present . )  Im also keeping an eye on  Arsenal   and  for WiFi  Pan and Tilt  heads   will wait until  1st Qtr 2019  to have a play with the new  CamRanger 2 

Now the STRANGE  part  and the reason for this blog 

  

By chance and at some ungodly hour on the net   I stumbled  across   the EXACT  SOLUTION  to one half of my challenge and that allows me to get off climbing up  ladders on the back of the  ute  .  Now the weird part  , been looking for years  and then  within  a matter of minutes find two almost IDENTICAL products  in  Europe  , even the same area  and at the EXACT  same  price  for the unit Im was  interested in .  Well they LOOK the same Holty ?  Yep we have ALL been there haven't we  buying sight unseen off the web !!!!

Same company  ?  different marketing strategies ?  different client base ?   Even went along the line of two brothers  / partners  fallen out ?     Anyway NOT my problem  , just want some information   BEFORE I  commit  to   "online "  purchasing something I cant see or test from the other side of the world  and with our  dollar being  down at present  a bit  rich for  this black duck ...

Bottom LINE 

Sent a few emails to both  and received a reply from one in  a very short time  and have had MANY more   back and forth  answering my myriad  of questions   since . The other ? NO idea as I  haven't heard back from either of the two  emails I sent a few days apart   !  

Like I mentioned in the 1st sentence " If you know me "   you  will ALREADY  know my answer  . Im not the slightest interested  in whats going on over there  , they are out of my space and not in my face  so each to their own .. 

The unit I went with is from John  at  PHOTOMAST  and is in transit  from the EU and currently in the air .  (  The link I used is the .com  ENGLISH  website )   Also if anyone is interested   there is a  demonstration  video of   the unit Im getting here .  I still smile watching it  that this is almost  identical to what has been in my head  , even down to a  " stabliliser foot plate " !!!! 

Photomast MK2- Pole Aerial Photography  video  

The mind is a wonderful thing  if we use it  and  NO , I wont  mention  the other brand . NO FREE advertising here for something I know NOTHING about ..

TESTING 

To be continued when I receive and field test it at a few upcoming events over the next   month or so   or more than likely I will do a separate  blog   save you scrolling through all this again    Holty....  

Footnote : Remember its Holtys Photos NOT Holties