mediavets wrote:

Interesting mast mounts, radio controlled Mast2x and Mast3x:
http://www.photoshipone.com/Mast2X.php
http://www.photoshipone.com/products.php

Great!

Frederic,

Do you think a version of Papywizard could control one of these?

Without problem! This is exactly the configuration of the Panoduino. It only needs this controller:

http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/727

But I read: unrestricted 360 degrees continuos pan and tilt. I'm not sure to understand; does it mean that both axis can make as many turns as they want? If so, it means there is no position regulation, as usual servos do, but a speed regulation (the more your push the joystick, the faster the servos turns). If it is the case, it is not usable for us

If someone can contact them to be sure...

Well, they are build arround servos, and sell with them; removing servos to put other motors/encoders will be very expensive and complicated...

We need the servos act as classical servos: the position of the servo directly depends on the joystick position of the RC emiter. In such design, the servo can only make a finite angle (wich can be >360°, depending of the gear ratio). But It is possible to remove the closed-loop positioning system of the servo, to have a inifinite turning axis. In this case, the joystick position of the RC emiter gives the speed of the servo. This is not what we want.

To be even more precise, in standard usage, the joystick position of the RC emiter gives the ratio high/low of the signal sent to the servo; the servo also generates such signal, depending of its position (read from a potentiometer glued to the output axis). It then compares this input signal to its own signal, and turn the axis until they are the same.

With the pollulu module, we can generate the external signal from a RS232 line (so, using our BT converter, we can control it from Papywizard), and drive the servos. We can add a special little module to trigger the shutter; this module also read a standard servo signal, but opens a contact if the ratio is less than the middle value, and closes it if > to the middle value.

That "envisiongear" system is cute, but having the camera balanced on it's center of gravity and not the Nodal point could result in poor pano stitching...

Hi friends;

Please, are there anyone working wiith servos + some controller + Papywizard ??

Frederic, do you have any news about the configuration of the Panoduino with Servocity servos ??

Thanks for all. Best,

Joni.

Cute? I haven't heard that one before. 

The nodal point being close to objects is what will throw it off. Since it is on top of a mast most things are not close therefore having no problem stitching.

If you check out Kenny's review and listen to the servo you can tell he's got the camera adjusted rearward to be at or closer to the nodal point. http://www.apoaz.com/Envisiongear.html . Keep in mind that with the camera setting back it throws the balance of the mast off and any sudden movement will result in swaying. To prevent this either the mast would need to be guyed or a counter weight would be needed which may show in the photo, so small errors to fix in photoshop seems easier.

Some masts are quite stable, especially if they use guy wires. I can do 10 second shutter night shots with a 40' wonderpole set at 21' with no guys in a 15mph wind.

The way its shown both axis are 360 unrestricted. Within a few days I will be testing 1/4 scale servos that will only add a few ounces. Direct drive for the tilt and only 360 degrees (or slightly more) on pan. When the stick is released it will point back forward.  Also coming is landscape to portrait and an adjustable zoom for different diameter and length lens. Landscape to protrait looses the auto leveling feature.

It is a goal to test wired setups like is discussed here. I am in the beginning stages of production and these are in the future. I have done a little research but haven't decided exactly what to use yet. If someone would like to help point me in the right direction I am open to suggestions.

Troy

Last edited by Envision (2009-04-06 05:16:29)