show me your DSLR triggers using a servo

[AZ ChopperCam]

I got my GentLED trigger today for my Nikon D40X, but it doesn't work in continous drive mode.

So I will need to either hack the camera switch or use a servo. I think for now I'll go servo.

Show me what you've got! I want to see some ideas on how I might do it.

[Efliernz]

This is how I have done my first attempt with the Canon 640 on my home-made trex600 mount.

It looks rough but it works very well at minimum expense and easy setup

The servo is taped/tied to a vertical aluminium beam which is atteched to the camera suppot frame - not to the camera. The camera is removeable by the 1/4 tripod screw.

The servo travel is adjusted on the TX channel setup. Triggered by AUX2 on the DX7 by the pilot.

I'll splash out on a good USA mount soon ($$$) but at the moment the sucess rate has been very good. Downlink to be fitted this week.

[phil007]

Here's mine, will adjust to any camera in seconds without any tools and all parts were from Lowe's. It works well but a servo will never beat a hacked camera switch.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1351/532629356_c7c5460a33_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/533177302_1afb89aefd_o.jpg

Phil

[rerazor]

I like that!!

[dreslism]

DJ,

Best luck I ever had with a servo was like what helicam does on their mounts.

Mount a bracket that come up over your shutter release.

Mount the servo to it. Drill a hole through the bracket so that the hole is right over the shutter release.

Put piano wire through the hole and put an eraser or something like that on the shutter end, zbend the other end and connect it to the servo.

Now it is like a plunger that moves straight up and down onto the shutter.

Check out picts at helicamsolutions site.

They mount their servo farther away, and use goldenrod or something ( I can't remember what it is called, but it is braided cable for control surfaces on planes inside some sort of slick tubing.)

I did this on mine also, but you have to make sure you secure the tubing all over as if it flexes when the servo pushes, you won't get your full servo travel (which sucks to find out AFTER a 10 minute flight).

[Tonystott]

DJ, Here is one of mine. I used a small link ball with an O-ring for softer touch on the trigger.

[AZ ChopperCam]

ok... here's what I came up with.

My goal was to make the device attachable to the camera itself and not the mount. I need to be able to quickly and easily switch from landscape to portrait position.

I also did not want the device to be invasive (no gluing or taping things to the camera)

So I used some scrap G10 and made a stacked plate mount that slips into the speedflash shoe. Used an old JR 537 servo with a big grommet glued to the end of the servo horn. Works great and works every time. I can overdrive the servo a few percent and the G10 flexes a touch and absorbs it.

The entire thing slides of in about 5 nanoseconds. A little heavier than an rcflysoft switch butI prefer not going into this camera and hacking the shutter button.

My Nikon 10.5mm lens arrives today so it looks like true spherical panos are just around the corner!

http://azchoppercam.com/misc/shutter1.jpg
http://azchoppercam.com/misc/shutter3.jpg
http://azchoppercam.com/misc/shutter2.jpg

[rerazor]

Very clever..

[LoopBaCK]

Here's what I use for my DSLR...

http://www.texasskycam.com/images/wesbrowning-shutter_release-canon20d-700x400.jpg

[bullaculla]

Thats really cool! hows does the remote shutter plug into the Jomar e-switch?

[bladebreaker]

Hey DJ,
I used a cheap IR remote and strapped a servo to it for the same camera. When I hold it on, it does shoot continuously, but not as fast as the camera's continuous mode. I'm going to try it out this weekend. I like your quick servo solution. Lots of good ideas here guys! I hate taping and strapping servos to cameras!

Tip

[LoopBaCK]

Thats really cool! hows does the remote shutter plug into the Jomar e-switch?

It's hard-wired into the switch. I originally bought a cheap remote shutter off eBay then cut the wire and soldered them to the correct terminal inside the e-switch.

Here's an image of the wires just after assembling the switch...
http://www.texasskycam.com/images/e-switch_labels_640x480.jpg

[bullaculla]

Thanks! that helps alot. I'm gonna go that route instead of the servo trigger.

[Brady Longmore]

those are fantastic ideas! Thanks DJ for opening the thread. This is exactly what I needed. My switch leaves much to be desired. I'm gonna have to do some fabricating now that I've seen these. Where do you pick up some G10 by the way?

[AZ ChopperCam]

www.mcmaster.com has any sort of G10 you would want

[bullaculla]

Thats a nice website, thanks!

www.mcmaster.com has any sort of G10 you would want

[pasi]

Here's what I use for my DSLR...

http://www.texasskycam.com/images/wesbrowning-shutter_release-canon20d-700x400.jpg

Hey LoopBaCK,

What is that camera and why you use EP-ex1 on that? Thanks a lot!

-pasi

[LoopBaCK]

What is that camera and why you use EP-ex1 on that? Thanks a lot!

-pasi


Thanks for the question! :D

The small camera is a KX-131 color CCD camera. I mounted it to the Canon EP-EX1 eyepiece and use this harness on a Canon 20D SLR camera. This provides through-the-lens views of what the camera sees while flying it under an RC helicopter.

[pasi]

Hey LoopBacK,

Thanks for quick reply. What lens you got on that KX131? and how much you can see on viewfinder? Can you see also those bottom/right green informations? Where did you get that from?

does that EP-EX1 have someking of magnification? or have you took that "lens" from it away?

I am building similar for my camera. I also take photos with Heli. I got Vario Benzin trainer for that.

Big thanks
-pasi