Photo Accessory Reviews

If you’ve ever struggled getting a sharp image while seated in your car, you need the new Window Mount Clamp from 3 Legged Thing.

You know the drill: you’re driving through a park or nature center and spot an 8-point buck a hundred or so feet off the road. You stop, turn off the engine, and slowly frame the giant stag by zooming your 100-300mm lens all the way out. Shot looks good until you get home and take a closer look on your computer. Nope. Blurry again.

Shooting from a vehicle is awkward and fraught with limitations, to say the least. 3LT’s Window Mount Clamp is now my go-to tool for the job. It’s not the only car window tripod-like thing ever invented, but it has the best design and construction I’ve ever seen. And the use isn’t limited to cameras. 3LT’s Window Mount Clamp with the right third-party adapter works great with GoPros, binoculars and smartphones, too.

The Window Mount Clamp is available alone or in a kit with a 3LT AirHed Trinity compact pan and tilt head. I’ve been using the kit version. It attaches to a partly-raised car window very securely and delivers an amazing range of movement. The clamp jaws are lined with soft-touch rubber so there are no marks or scratches. The clamp tightens firmly via a large, easy to turn knob. The top fitted with a standard 3/8-16 screw thread so you can attach the tripod head you already own if you choose.

The 3LT AirHed Trinity compact pan and tilt head provides 360° rotation and features a large adjustment handle for fast operation. The combination clamp and head are made predominantly of magnesium alloy and weigh 21.2 ounces (600g). It comes with an Arca-compatible camera mounting plate, and of course accepts other Arca-compatible mounting options, including 3LT’s complete lineup of camera-specific L-brackets.

The 3 Legged Thing Window Mount Clamp and kit are available now in Moss (green) or Darkness (matte black) colorways. The clamp alone costs $49.99 and the kit, which includes the matching 3LT AirHed Trinity compact pan and tilt head, costs $129.99. Both flavors are backed by a 5-year limited warranty.

6 Tips When Using the 3LT Window Mount Clamp
1. This rig is intended for lighter weight cameras. Don’t hang a giant DSLR and 600mm lens on it unless you’re cruising for heartache.
2. Park in a safe and legal place. This goes without saying, but I see some weird driving at our local nature center.
3. Turn the engine off. Even the slightest vibration created at idle can ruin image sharpness.
4. I don’t recommend opening or closing the car door with the camera attached to the clamp.
5. If your driver-side window automatically goes up and down with one button press, either cancel the feature temporarily or use extra caution.
6. If you drive with the camera attached to the window, do so very slowly and watch out for those speed bumps that parks always have hidden where you least expect them.

Want to Become a Better Photographer?
Begin by taking more pictures. Carry a camera everywhere you go and shoot even when you’re 100% sure the picture won't turn out. Review all of your images with a critical eye and share them with others – and that includes posting the best on our Gallery. Subscribe to our free newsletter (see sign-up form on our homepage) and bookmark Shutterbug as a Favorite on your browser so you can check back often. We’re in this for the same reason as you – we love photography, and we're learning more about it every day.

—Jon Sienkiewicz