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Articles discussing issues related to photography or motion control.

Introducing nanoMoCo, MoCoBus, and the new Motion Engine

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nanoMoCo boards and the OpenMoCo Development Framework are now available!  nanoMoCo is a complete single-axis stepper driver/controller that is compatible with the Arduino IDE and development framework.  Want more than one axis? MoCoBus allows real-time synchronization with up to 253 total devices - which can be other nanoMoCo devices, or anything which can speak the MoCoBus protocol.  

eMotimo TB3

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Project Chronos


Project Chronos, a DIY motion control platform for timelapse.

Project Chronos 1.0 is no longer supported and replaced by Project Chronos 2.0

Please check my project page on sourceforge.net for more information on this DIY full featured timelapse system
https://sourceforge.net/p/projectchronos/home/Project%20Chronos%20Home/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectChronos2/photos_stream
Website
http://thechronosproject.com/



   

Shutter Expander: 4:1 Camera Bulb Splitter

The Shutter Expander is a simple design that allows you to hook up four cameras (or 8 by using two boards) to a single remote shutter control, like an intervalometer, while still retaining complete isolation between all cameras and the shutter control circuitry.  This small design runs on its own 3V power supply, and allows for control of wired shutter and focus lines.

 The Shutter Expander

 

MiniE - 2x16 UI - Version 1.1

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miniE is an engine sketch to provide control over a single stepper motor and camera, using an Arduino and DFRobot LCD Keypad shield. It is an open design providing all the necessary features to do shoot-move-shoot or continuous timelapse with a built-in UI. The 1st version of the code was inspired by the OpenMoCo Engine by C.A. Church and is basically based on it - Thank you for your great work and help! The project has evolved since its first version and is now a standalone software/hardware solution. The aim of the system is to be as flexible as possible. For this lightweight engine, full system control is possible out in the field without extra hardware. 

Version 1.1 (fully non-blocking)

eMotimo PT (Pan and Tilt) is here

My name is Brian Burling and I am starting a new company called - eMotimo

The first product, eMotimo PT, a two axis motion control device that sits between your tripod and your DSLR or Video Camera. Right now, it does point A to Point B time lapse shots with a simple 3 minute setup. It will trigger DSLR shutters or move video cameras in smooth profiles.

eMotimo PT's design criteria were to be:

    User Friendly - You use a Nunchuck and LCD screen for prompt driven setup. No computer is required.
    Portable and Lightweight - Without a battery, the unit weighs in at around 5 lbs.

Other Open-Source Photography, Video, and Motion Control Projects

Other Open-Source Projects for the Motion Control and Camera Hacker

 

This is a non-exhaustive list of other open-source projects for DIY motion control, photography, and videography.  If you know of a project that's missing here, drop us a line in the forums and let us know about it.

Note: Sorry for such a short list, but outside of the CHDK world, there don't seem to be a lot of "complete" projects out there.  I'm interested in more than just another "shoot, delay, shoot" sketch for an arduino - i.e. being-fully featured, or having some capability/design element that sets it out from the pack.  Especially interested in other MoCo projects.  If you find something out there, let me know! -cc

 

Open-Source Cameras

 

Selecting Gearing for Your Motion Control Rig


After you've selected the motor type appropriate for your project, it's time to move to the next stage of building your first motion control rig: gear selection.  Unless you've bought a motor with an attached gearbox (and even if you have, in some cases), it's time to figure out exactly how you intend transfer power from the motor into your final motion.  Just like the process of selecting a motor, you'll need to first examine your requirements, and how they might change over time.  In this article, we'll walk through the basic process of selecting the proper gear train, and the different factors that should affect your decision.


 


The basic factors to consider are: building vs. buying, complexity, gear ratio, precision, and braking requirements.


 

Online Sources for DIY Hardware

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The following vendors either have online ordering, or list enough information online to make ordering decisions.  Vendors are grouped by their primary types (Electronics, Motors, etc.) and most, if not all have been verified by one or more members of the site.

This list is a first take at creating a comprehensive list of vendors, it is a work in progress and will update regularly

 

United States


Electronic Components

These vendors sell electronic components, microcontroller boards, or related items.

SIGGRAPH 2010 Presentation

I've been out at SIGGRAPH 2010 for the past few days, and have had a lot of time to talk to a lot of great people about different technologies, open-source motion control, and to be honest, I've spent a lot of time on my feet!  I want to thank the all of the guys from xRez Studio for inviting me out and introducing me to lot of people, and introducing the OpenMoco project to a larger audience.  

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