3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Review
The 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Kit 1A is supporting an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II with a 60mm lens for an overhead shot here.
Summary Verdict
The 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System offers a versatile and sturdy solution for content creators, particularly in live-streaming and overhead photography. Its build quality is solid, though the side arm's clamp can only be used on the lower two sections of the main pole. It performs well within its load limits, but may struggle with heavier gear. Overall, it’s a reliable and flexible option, with room for future enhancements. Given 3 Legged Thing’s high-quality manufacturing of tripods and monopods, I would opt for its Camera Desk Mount System over the usual Amazon fodder.
Score: 4/5
For
Quick and easy to set-up
Compact for storage
Robust clamps and tripod locks
Against
Maximum load of 1Kg an issue for some full-frame camera set-ups
Main pole top section too small for the side arm clamp
Side arm and auxiliary pole ‘length’ not adjustable
What is the 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System?
The 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System, or CDMS for short, turns a desk or table top into a camera support making it useful for live-streaming, Zoom meetings, video creation and top-down photography. It’s currently available in three kits, the CDMS Basic Kit, the CDMS Kit 1A and and the CDMS Kit 2A. The Basic Kit has a vertical pole with a table clamp and ball-head, the CDMS Kit 1A adds a side arm (and ball head) that can be attached to the main column, while the Kit 2A has everything in Kit 1A plus an additional arm (and ball head) that can screw onto a ball head mount.
This images shows the 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Kit 2A. Kit 1A includes just the main vertical pole with its table clamp and mini ball head on the left of the image. Kit 1A adds the side arm - the vertical section in this image, and the Kit 2A adds the vertical section with ball head on the right.
3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Price and Availability
The 3 Legged Thing CDMS Kits go on sale immediately at the following prices:
CDMS Basic Kit £26.99 / $34.99
CDMS Kit 1A £38.99/$49.99
CDMS Kit 2A £46.99/$59.99.
3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Specifications
Height: 40 - 85.5 cm / 15.7 - 34 inches
Weight: Basic Kit: 628 g / 1.4 lb, Kit 1A: 831 g / 1.83 lb, 1.01 kg / 2.23 lb
Load capacity: 1 kg / 2.2 lb
Threads: 1/4-20
Material: Aerospace-grade magnesium alloy
Colour options: Black with copper and blue accents
The auxiliary pole in the Camera Desk Mount System kit 2A is useful for supporting accessories such as a light, external monitor or microphone. The main pole is supporting a Nikon Z7 II here.
Key Features
The 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System Basic Kit is essentially an extendable pole with a clamp at its base and a small ball head at the top. Anyone familiar with Three Legged Thing’s original tripods will recognise the rubber grips on the poles two locks from the company’s first generation tripods.
At its shortest length with the ball head upright, the pole measures 40cm above the table top. It can be extended to a maximum height of 85.5cm. At the shortest height, the pole is useful for mounting a camera on a desk with the camera being at around eye-level when you’re sitting in an office chair. The extension range gives you scope to use the CDMS Basic Kit to support a camera on a low-level coffee table and still be able to look into the lens as you sit.
As mentioned earlier, the CDMS Kit 1A has everything in the Basic Kit plus a side arm. This side arm features a claw-like rod clamp that can close around either of the bottom two sections of the main pole (or a tripod leg). At the opposite end from the clamp, there’s a mini ball head. When fixed to the main pole, the side arm extends out by around 25cm.
This side arm makes the CDMS Kit more versatile. For example, it gives you the option to bring a camera further forward on a desk if its clamped at the back. Alternatively, the camera can point down for top-down shots, making it useful for flat-lays and food photography.
The CDMS Kit 2A has everything that’s the Basic and 1A Kits, plus an additional arm. This arm has a 1/4-20 thread in its base, which means that it can be screwed on to either of the mini ball heads in the kit. There’s also a mini ball head on the extra pole which means it can be used to mount a camera or an accessory like a light, monitor or microphone.
At 35mm from its base to the top of the ball head camera mount, the auxiliary arms is 10cm longer than the side arm.
The main pole on the 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System has two chunky locks that are easy to loosen and tightened as required.
Build and Handling
3 Legged Thing’s manufacturing values are evident with the Camera Desk Mount System. Granted, the ball heads are of the simplistic and mini variety, but their single lock has a sensibly sized lever, which means they are easy to adjust and lock tight. Similarly, the two locks on the main pole are chunky, comfortable to use and effective.
One minor disappointment is that the top section of the main pole is too slender for the side arm clamp to close tightly around it. Consequently, you can only use the side arm on the lower two sections.
The clamp at the bottom of the main pole grips a table top tightly and the pole isn't prone to twisting.
The clamp at the bottom of the main pole has a large four-point knob, which makes it easy to tighten the clamp securely onto a table or desktop. My measurements indicate that you should be able to mount the 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System on table tops of up to 5cm thickness. Rubberised pads on both inner sides of the clamp help to give a good grip and prevent the pole from twisting on the table.
Each pole of arm in the kits has a mini ball head at one end. This has a single lever to unlock the ball and allow the head to rotate on the pole. It makes adjustments quick and the ball locks tight.
Performance
When used to hold a camera, the 3 Legged Thing CDMS Basic Kit performs very well. It has no problem bearing a camera such as the Nikon Z7 II with a Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens, which have a combined weight of 1.2Kg, over 3 Legged Things stated maximum of 1Kg.
The side arm clamp grips the main pole well when tightened and, when holding a load below the 1Kg threshold, it stands firm with only a slight droop. I mounted a Fujifilm X-T2 and 35mm lens combination that comes in at just 675g, and then an Olympus OM-D Em1 Mark II with a 60mm macro lens (760g), and the side arm was solid with both cameras. As you extend the main pole and move the side arm upwards, the arm droops a little more, but the camera feels safe. Arguably, this makes the issue of the top section of the main pole being too small for the side arm clamp moot.
If you nudge the table, you’ll have to wait a second or two for a little wobble to subside before you take a picture, but that’s not unusual for this type of set-up. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to use a remote release or the camera’s self-timer to trigger the shutter.
Wanting to push the Camera Desk Mount System a bit harder, I mounted the full-frame Nikon Z7 II with a Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens on the side arm ball head. Predictably, the side arm sagged a little and there was also more wobble when I nudged the table, but I’d still be happy to use this arrangement on the CDMS.
While the auxiliary arm enables articulation in the side projection from the main pole, the load becomes less stable the further it is from the centre. It’s most stable when the additional pole is mounted vertically on the side arm ball head.
Although the additional pole can be threaded onto the top of the main pole to give extra height, it’s pretty unstable. That’s an issue if you mount a camera, but it could be pressed into service to hold a light or microphone.
The side arm clamp locks firmly onto either of the bottom two sections of the main pole. It can also be attached to some tripod legs.
Verdict
The 3 Legged Thing Camera Desk Mount System presents a solid and adaptable solution for content creators, particularly those involved in live-streaming, video production and overhead photography. Its range of configurations, with the Basic Kit and the more comprehensive 1A and 2A Kits, ensures it can cater to various needs, from simple desk-mounted setups to more complex arrangements with accessories. The build quality is commendable, with robust locks and secure clamps, though it’s worth noting that the side arm’s usability is slightly limited by its inability to grip the top section of the main pole.
In use, the system handles well within its load capacity, but when pushed beyond, it shows signs of instability, something to keep in mind if you're working with full-frame cameras or heavier gear. That said, it remains effective for many set-ups, offering a good balance between stability, versatility and cost.
The three kits that make up the Camera Desk Mount System are a new venture for 3 Legged Thing and they are a solid start. I’d like to see the company introduce an accessory that enables a side arm to slide out to different lengths from the main pole. A short pole with clamps at 90-degrees to each other at either end might be one solution. And perhaps they could build on the system with thicker poles for heaver camera set-ups.
