Submitted by NewMonarchy on Tue, 07/06/2010 - 22:50
Posted in
Hey, I have a Canon 5D Mk II that I'm using for a timelapse sequence in a corporate branding video. We're going to have Zacuto attachments on the camera (for mattebox, etc.) mounted on a MiLapse Head. I was wondering what would be the best motor to dolly the camera across a pocket dolly (or similar track) that is both non-continuous (shoot-move-stop-shoot-move) and cost efficient (We're on a budget).
Does anyone have any suggestions?
It really depends on how much
It really depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. Just remember the production triangle: good, fast, cheap pick 2.
You could always buy a slider and add a stepper and belt drive. You can build all sorts of rigs but things you need to decide, some of which you have decided already.
• Real Time or Time Lapse
• How long a move
• How long a time period
• Continuous or shoot/move
• Buy something or Build
• How much money/time do you want to invest
• When do I need the rig to work, time frame
Check out Timescapes.org for more info on dolly rigs of all sorts. Also check here as well. Church and Milapse have a rig they are offering for sale but they are not delivering yet but soon from what I understand "Stay tuned". Building a rig does have a learning curve so it does take time and money. If you want a prebuilt rig camBlock is pretty cool looking but it's 12-15K for a turnkey 3 axis rig. It's real time as well as timelapse. It's best to do a lot of investigation before you dive in. If it's just a few shots then maybe hiring a guy and moco rig might be the best course.
Good Luck
Do you already have the
Do you already have the Pocket Dolly? If so, Kessler does make a continuous motion offering for it that can come in around $600 additional. I don't know what your costs would be to try and adapt something new to it.
If you don't already have a dolly, there are lots of routes to take for the dolly hardware, but the motors - for steppers, one can find cheap steppers online, either on ebay or through several resale sites that get rid of overstock and used motors. However, for new steppers, there's always anaheim automation, who I like dealing with quite a bit. Motors can be had for affordable amounts through them, though there is sometimes a wait for out-of-stock items.
Additionally, I will be announcing in the next few days, hardware, software, etc. for a DC-motor based engine. It will be what we are going to be selling as part of our inexpensive dolly kit, but will provide S-M-S, continuous, etc. control integrated w/ camera for DC motors at a cost that's highly competitive with other offerings (well, cheaper if you look at features =) It'll be open-source, so you'll be welcome to (and have all of the info needed) create the same circuit yourself, if you can do it for less and have the soldering skill required.
Also, all of RC's points are spot-on, and it's worth taking the time to consider each of them - it will save you money and heartache down the road. Have you already selected the motor type (stepper, dc, servo, etc.) that you need for your project?
!c
timelapse it would be nice
As of yet I was looking at a stepping motor, for consistency and price. But if there is a better fit, I'm open to suggestions.
A stepper will be fine for
A stepper will be fine for your needs, and will allow you to use the existing OpenMoco engine to run it. You would need to make some modifications to it... For all the trouble, you might skip straight to the drylin source. (It's either made using drylin, or made based on the exact design of drylin =)
Igus offers all of the mechanical connections you need to make a complete motion system based on the same design as the pocket dolly. (Well, vice-versa, I'm sure!)
http://www.igus.com/wpck/default.aspx?pagename=drylin_w
http://igus.bdol.com/pdf/drylindrive.pdf
Alternatively, you can just machine out the parts you'll need to attach a belt and motor to the setup, but I fear that the cost may be higher here, especially if you don't have the machining capacity, due to the design. The motor, belt, pulley, etc are cheap - getting everything to fit together is the hard part.
For help in selecting a specific motor, we'll need to know the load (camera weight) you want to push. Then, I can offer some suggestions as to a specific motor at a low price.
!c
The camera is a Canon 5D Mk
The camera is a Canon 5D Mk II (Approx. 28.6 oz)
and it will be fitted with a variety of lenses (Approx. 1 lb. or less)
The links you sent me wouldn't load for some reason, I'll try them again here in a little bit.