This wallet-friendly desk mount is a creator must-have
3 Legged Thing's camera clamp has streamers and social stars in mind
Are you still filming your social media shorts or YouTube vlogs handheld? Investing in extra kit to level up your content game might sound expensive, but turning your spare room into a studio can be done on the cheap, too. British tripod specialist 3 Legged Thing’s new Camera Desk Mount System (CDMS) kicks off at just $35/£26 – which is a whole lot less than hiring a cameraman.
The entry-level model is essentially an extending camera monopod, with an omni-directional ball head at one end and a desk clamp at the other, for bolting onto a table and keeping your camera locked in position with its 1/4in thread mount. It can also act as a stand for a key light, microphone or video monitor, in case your setup goes a little further than a camera on its lonesome.
Got more than one bit of kit to rig up? 3 Legged Thing has two advanced kits with auxiliary arms, for not a whole lot more cash. Kit 1A ($50/£38) can be attached to the main pole using the built-in clamp, adding a second ball head mount for accessories. Kit 2A ($60/£47) then adds a second arm that connects to the auxiliary, for an articulated horizontal helper. Or you can buy the basic kit, then add either type of auxiliary arm later down the line as your setup evolves.
The whole lot is made from aerospace-grade magnesium alloy, so won’t weigh down your kit bag if you have to take them on the move, and are secure enough to support the weight of smartphones, compact cameras, and most small mirrorless models.
3 Legged Thing is targeting the Desk Mount System at Twitch streamers, vloggers, social content creators and online marketplace sellers. I’ve been using it for product photography, bolting my mirrorless camera to the main arm and adding a small key light on the auxiliary arm.
The desk clamp opens wide enough for even thick, butcher block-style tables, and it shouldn’t damage flat pack MDF desks either because it’s not holding up a serious amount of weight. The machined metal fixings and ball heads all feel a lot nicer than the price suggests, and I think the orange/blue/black colour scheme is a lot of fun. There’s plenty of height adjustment on the main arm, with two separate telescopic sections.
You can’t unscrew the desk clamp to use it as a regular camera monopod away from home (or at least I couldn’t unscrew it – I assume by design, and not just because I have weak arms). That limits where you can fix it if your desk is bolted to the wall, like mine is. Even with the auxiliary arms I couldn’t get the position I wanted for Twitch streaming. Freestanding desks won’t have any issues, though.
3 Legged Thing doesn’t include any sort of storage bag or carry case, but it’s hard to grumble given the price. An Elgato Master Mount L will set you back £60, before you pick up any accessories; here you can get the full Kit 2A and still have cash left over for an extra auxiliary arm. If you do anything with a camera and haven’t yet invested in any sort of mounting system, it’s an exceptionally good value option.
The entire Camera Desk Mount line-up is available now, directly from 3 legged thing and from all the usual photography retailers.
The basic kit will set you back $35/£26; Kit 1A $50/£38; Kit 2A $60/£47; Auxiliary Arm 1A $23/£18; and Articulated Auxiliary arm $30/£30.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
