Welcome to Synthiam!

The easiest way to program the most powerful robots. Use technologies by leading industry experts. ARC is a free-to-use robot programming software that makes servo automation, computer vision, autonomous navigation, and artificial intelligence easy.

Get Started
Asked — Edited

Dslr Camera Trigger

Hi! This is my first post here!

I have built a robot before using the arduino, but now really want to make something useful. As you can see in the video, my last robot didn't really do much, it was just REALLY big!

Video here

So I am going to try an make a DSLR 360 robotic panorama head, controlled by a smartphone.

The robotics part, I am pretty sure is more than possible with ezrobots hardware / software. But would it be possible to trigger a Nikon d750 with the EZ-B v4/2?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDIT: The final thing is pretty much done! See the videos of it working below.








And here is the mobile phone app interface.


User-inserted image


ARC Pro

Upgrade to ARC Pro

Get access to the latest features and updates with ARC Pro edition. You'll have everything that's needed to unleash your robot's potential!

#35  
Thanks Dave!:D

Printing the final parts now. The camera mounting parts are being printed in ABS. I am printing with 100% infill and think I might give them an acetone vapour treatment to make sure they are as strong as they can be. I hate that part! I will carefully test it all first though.. Down to the last minutes of printing:D
#36  
Adjustable mounting system for the camera works. Had to make it adjustable so I can find the 'no parallax' position for different lenses.

Note the new tripod mount too. It now screws directly onto the tripod.

User-inserted image
#37  
I don't have a battery yet. Have to wait until next weekend to print the electronics / battery housing. Just printing a simple one for the electronics for testing purposes. I hope that by next Sunday I can do an outdoor test! For now, I am plugged into the wall.
#38  
The servos have no problem moving the camera. Just need to find a sweet spot for speed / accuracy now:)
#39  
Off to the electronics stores later to find a better quality potentiometer for the servos. I tested it earlier and it seems to be 5k.

The ones that came with the servo are quite flimsy. Will try and find something metal / stronger design.
#40  
Got these on my lunch break. Both 5k pots. One is a regular pot - just much stronger that the one that comes inside a regular hobby servo. The blue one is a 10 turn pot.

Will try both later and see if I can get better results with higher quality / stronger built pots!

User-inserted image
#41  
The 10 turn pot works so smoothly! Cost $5 each, but WOW! What a massive difference!
User-inserted image
#42  
Still haven't decided on batteries yet.

Some batteries have problems with international travel at the airports. However 6 rechargeable 1.2v aa batteries should make up the voltage, and never had a problem with them at airports.

Have to do more research this week about this.

The plan is to take the final one around Europe this New Year for three weeks, and the UK for two weeks for a proper field test. Not long left!:D

I will take a few spare parts and as many batteries as the airline will permit.
#43  
Just curious, what issues were you having when you were using the old pot? I have an old cheap multi turn pot that I'm using for feedback and am not happy with it smoothness I'm getting from my control system for this motor. Maybe I'll follow your lead and get a better quality feedback device.
#44  
Because I had it geared down so it would make a quarter turn for every one turn of the pan axis, I am guessing this was going the wrong way about it. Now I have the pot turning 2 times for every quarter turn of the pan axis. The 10 turn pot is just a geared pot as you know, I guess the factory manufactured gears are much higher quality than anything I can print.

It's really nice now! Busy for a couple of days but will put a video up before the weekend with any luck.

I may had damaged the old pot too. I had the shaft of the pot inside a 10mm shaft, supported by a bearing, but I think it still had a bit of strain on it.. I am just not good with the fiddly little things >__< damn sausage fingers! haha
#45  
Been refining some ideas of the code this morning.

My code is so simple compared to most projects here! No ai for a start.

Looking at what people have achieved here is really inspirational! There really are some clever people around.

I would love to build another robot. I was working with air muscles a while back. Trying to figure out a decent control system using valves controlled by servos.

Might have to come back to that when i'm done with this!
#46  
Off to an RC shop in Gangnam tomorrow morning for battery shopping. This evening I will be testing all the routines I set up, routing the wires, and having a general tidy up.

Sunday I can do my first field test if weather permits! Then back home for processing the photos!
#47  
Got the battery and charger this evening as can't wait haha. I went with a 1300 7.4v for now. See how it goes with power consumption.
User-inserted image
#48  
I was just getting into the coding yesterday evening when my workstation motherboard died!

So I'm on my backup now while I wait for a new motherboard. Damn!

Anyway!

The battery is working great and seems to last a long time too.

Now I have to print a few final parts for housing the electronics and battery.. Tidy the cables etc..
#49  
This battery has lasted all day so far with a full day of testing indoors!

The releaseall() command was a stroke of genius.. Thank you for making it so easy!
#50  
As my old app is on my busted PC, made a new one. This time I have a lens selection too. Different lenses need different amount of pictures.

Added a time exposure button too. Might add a slider for changing the timed exposure setting..
User-inserted image
#52  
In action this morning.

Bit noisy during morning prayer at the local temple! They were lovely and brought me some coffee out:)



#53  
And this is taking the final vertical shot, then resets back to the home position.



#54  
I gave myself 6 weeks. 5 Weeks later and it is 95% done. One more week to refine everything and do some more test shoots and it will be ready for my trip!

Thanks so much to the community / management for all the help. Your help was just the right amount to guide me in the right direction.

The ezrobot is a great piece of hardware. The software helps make it so easy to turn your ideas into something real!

Thanks!:D