Arca desk clamp for a heavy smartphone
I’m a clumsy clot and I’m always knocking my phone off my desk. OK it’s ruggedised and the floor is carpeted. Nevertheless, ruggedisation has its limits. Also my phone is a heavy old beast, weighing some 360 grams. That’s around 3/4 lb in “old money“. Which means that those flimsy plastic phone holders you see on eBay would not be strong enough or deep to hold this thing securely. Besides, I was buying Arca stuff for another project when the idea just crossed my mind.
Basically it comprises of three main components
- unbranded 40mm Arca clamp
- Camolo ball-head assy
- Feichad smartphone clamp.
It also needs an M6 x 32mm countersunk stainless steel bolt and a “T nut” to secure the Arca clamp to the desktop. The whole shebang set me back just over twenty-five quid all in, including VAT and delivery.
The base Arca clamp thing is securely bolted to my desk with the M6 x 32mm stainless steel bolt, into a captive “T-nut” on the other side of desk. It ain’t going no place, as they say in this part of the planet. It has the added advantage I can use my desk as an impromptu tripod for any of my cameras. And with a simple Arca extension piece, there’s just enough clearance to use the phone as a quick-and-dirty A4 photocopier/scanner.
I’m pleased to report that it works a treat and is very pleasant to use too. All parts are available from Ali Express and most similar “direct from China” type online markets.