claudevh wrote:

Andrew,

I will come back on your questions about Merlin modification for your material.
Doyou intend to use the Nikon D40 with the optics mentonned on the bottom of yours posts ?

Claude

OK.

Yes - I will and do use these now on NN5 head.

That said I'm not sure there's a lot of point in using a Merlin head for shooting sphericals using the Sigma 8mm or Nikkor 10.5mm FEs. I feel that it's as quick and easy to use the NN5 for that and I'll get a smaller nadir 'footprint' too. But time will tell.

I got the Merlin setup partly on a whim - cos it sounded like fun - and also to experiment with higher res. partial panos which is where IMO the Merlin should really become very useful. I did a 36 shot pano on the NN5 and it nearly drove me mad - I kept forgetting whether or not I'd taken the shot after repositioning.

I may 'play' with using an old Nikon CP5000 5MP compact on the Merlin too. Unfortunately my much newer Nikon P5100 12MP compact doesn't support any form of remote shutter release so unlikely to be using that on the Merlin.

The D40 was the cheapest DSLR that would do what I needed to be able produce sphericals cable of fullscreen on-line display - I hope to upgrade that body at some point but I'll be keeping the Sigma 8mm and Nikkor 10.5mm FEs.

Last edited by mediavets (2008-10-28 13:28:30)

Sure, but I could shoot in Mnaula mode and press the shutter button myself - he was seeking to fire two cameras at once IIRC.

I expect one could rig up some servo mechanism triggered by the camera release port on the Merlin - similat to that on the Gigapan unit? But I don't have the mechanical or electronics skills and is it really worth it?

I have forgetted the images !

Last trial !!!!!

claudevh wrote:

Ok Andrew !

If you want to use the Nikon D40, I can confirm to you that "no mechanical modification" for the Merlin head is needed !
In fact the "A" quote of the Nikon D40 is only 40 mm and this is exactly what the Merlin have without modification ...

The only thing, that you have to do, is to dismantle the original holder in 2 pieces and use only the piece with the screw... this original screw is a little big and as allready said it is recommanded to remove the big rotating knob or to replace the original screw with a flat one (type Manfrotto i.e.)
I case that you should use a camera with a higher "A" quote, you can increase the Merlin possibility by approximatively 9 mm by dismantling the vertical part and the horizontal part of the Merlin but without major modification, but this is another story ... see picture herafter of my Merlin adapted to a Canon D40 where the "A" quote is 48 mm.
C:\Users\Claude\Desktop\Interface Merli … ration.jpg

Claude

Claude,

Thanks for confirming that I need not modify the rotator for use with a D40.

When I get my replacement Merlin head - the battery holders were missing on the one I was sent and supplier insisted on replacing the whole unit - I shall give it a try.

I don't think there is a way of removing that clumsy large original screw without cutting it off - or is there?

It's comforting to know I don't need to make modifications right away to use the Merlin with the D40 but I may consider replacing the rotator later because then I could fit a QR which might be 'nice'.

.........

I would like to see the modifications you have made to accommodate the Canon 40D.

That was another photo that was too big to be displayed it seems.

Regards,

Thanks Claude, I will let you know as soon as I get my Merlin head back.

First, ask what is expensive. I guess it is not the aluminium...

The hole at the center could be a reall circle; this can lower the price.

fma38 wrote:

First, ask what is expensive. I guess it is not the aluminium...

The hole at the center could be a reall circle; this can lower the price.

No, not the aluminium - I saw UK mail order metals company who offered 100mm of 76mm diamter aluminium rod for about GBP 15. Engineering plastic 90mm diameter rod was about GBP 13 per 100mm.

If one has circular hole in centre would it not tend to slip? I guess there's some reason they designed a keyed shaft? But yes I can imagine it would be cheaper to machine.

Paul wrote:

mediavets wrote:

I think I could find someone locally to make me a crown like this.
Well I got a quote and they offered to make this new 'crown' for GBP 88.50!
How much have others paid to have this item made?

May be I am only a few days away to have the necessary equip to make those crowns.
My son just told me, he ordered a lathe and is waiting for the shipment. His mill is just 1 m away from his bed :-))

Sounds good to me - perhaps he will make some for us?

Paul wrote:

fma38 wrote:

Yes, it can slip. A simple solution is to add a screw (without head) to lock the crown on the shaft

I propose: an additional lateral drill with a grub screw to fix the crown on the shaft

http://www.schiffsmodellbau-onlineshop. … 029404.jpg

Sounds good but looking at the drawing I wonder if it could be done.

The lateral grub screw would be at the bottom of a 27mm hole and there's only 4mm to drill down through?

Yes, a grower and a thin nut is better than the nystop nut.

You don't need to tighten it while in position; just set it so the crown can't turn on the shaft; even if there is a little gap, allowing you to shift the crown on the shaft, this is fine.

Hello,
someone could help me how to test a IR Gentled for Nikon D70 without heads Merlin?
Thank you

Bonjour,
Quelqu'un pourrait m'aider pour tester une commande IR Gentled pour Nikon d70 sans la tête Merlin?
Merci d'avance

Jean-Pierre