Show us what you shot.

jes1111

Active Member
I assume you're asking about a controllable servo, as opposed to the "all or nothing" that you tend to get from RC hobby servos. The answer is yes, but it's not simple or straightforward. Sources such as pololu.com (and many other robotics sites) have servo and motor controller boards that will allow such control.
 



DennyR

Active Member
I assume you're asking about a controllable servo, as opposed to the "all or nothing" that you tend to get from RC hobby servos. The answer is yes, but it's not simple or straightforward. Sources such as pololu.com (and many other robotics sites) have servo and motor controller boards that will allow such control.

This camera mount has no motors or servos it just magnetically floats on a small balanced beam. Still needs a little work to stop a strange vibration issue but it's getting close.

 
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JAZCAM

Member
Totally agree on regarding the slanted horizon. Funny thing though, the first was shot during an automatic spherical panoramic shooting rig with an EOS600 and 50mm lens. The Phi Phi shot came from an old canon point and shoot on a tricopter flown from a boat.

For panoramics a fisheye is required. The bad news is that a fisheye shot with a tilted horizon cannot be easily corrected and will not normally work for a panoramic.

My efforts are therefore focused on building a gimbal rig that keeps the rotation axis (on the camera focus plane) vertical for all the shots. One attempt at this is attached along with a shot above my house (which I cannot get the ends to line up...)

The other way is to let the aircraft drift with the wind and take the shots as fast as possible. With an NEX-5 or 7 or EOS 5D (or higher) this is possible since they are capable of over 6 frames per second in raw and support 2 to 2.5 second rotations. For other cameras, the fastest rotation rate is about 4 sec which barely works.

Has anyone else tried automated spherical panoramics? How? With what gear?

View attachment 4545View attachment 4546
 

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jes1111

Active Member
They can keep that lens for that price, would rather use PS to get the same effect!
Ah - if only that were possible ;-) - you'd need something around 10mm rectilinear (full frame), so it would probably be even heavier and certainly more expensive.

This camera mount has no motors or servos it just magnetically floats on a small balanced beam. Still needs a little work to stop a strange vibration issue but it's getting close.
Interesting - but IME what works with a GoPro (weight) doesn't necessarily scale well. By "getting close" do you mean you're going to be offering it for sale?
Totally agree on regarding the slanted horizon. Funny thing though, the first was shot during an automatic spherical panoramic shooting rig with an EOS600 and 50mm lens. The Phi Phi shot came from an old canon point and shoot on a tricopter flown from a boat.

For panoramics a fisheye is required. The bad news is that a fisheye shot with a tilted horizon cannot be easily corrected and will not normally work for a panoramic.

My efforts are therefore focused on building a gimbal rig that keeps the rotation axis (on the camera focus plane) vertical for all the shots. One attempt at this is attached along with a shot above my house (which I cannot get the ends to line up...)

The other way is to let the aircraft drift with the wind and take the shots as fast as possible. With an NEX-5 or 7 or EOS 5D (or higher) this is possible since they are capable of over 6 frames per second in raw and support 2 to 2.5 second rotations. For other cameras, the fastest rotation rate is about 4 sec which barely works.

Has anyone else tried automated spherical panoramics? How? With what gear?
I know little about stitching (except with shots from my TS-E17, which is a doddle). Probably the best rig I saw was PhotoshipOne who had 5 GoPro cameras on a "fixed" mount.
 

JAZCAM

Member
View attachment 4547

Like this? This is my design. Am planning to test panoramic video which is what this rig is designed for.

This is fine for very, very basic panoramics but the exposure will never be right. To do it right everything is manual. Manual shutter, manual F stop, Manual focus. Fixed white balance. Fixed exposure. All the shots have to be done with exactly the same settings and 1 to 2 stops underexposed for it to work.

I intend to use the NEX-7 with Samyang fisheye lens. That should work and be about half the weight of the EOS with 10-22mm zoom that we have been using.
 

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DennyR

Active Member
Interesting - but IME what works with a GoPro (weight) doesn't necessarily scale well. By "getting close" do you mean you're going to be offering it for sale?


I think it is more of a look at some old ideas that I played with a couple of years ago. I don't do much manufacture for other people due to lack of time. It has to be integral with the F1 carbon frame. Weight is not a problem as a 580 gram battery is the transverse counter weight.
 
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Gunter

Draganflyer X4
I think something like this would be better, although at £6500 you would have to be serious about your panoramas.

But...this thing has wifi, control from a tablet, and stitches your images for you in seconds...no more fumbling about with PTGui!

http://www.nctech.co.uk/iSTAR.php


istar.jpg
 

seagee

Member
Hi

I thought I would share the following short (~2.5 minute) water-borne video: a passing visit to New Zealand's Leigh Marine Reserve by sailing catamaran with aerial views flying over water using a quad multirotor launched from the foredeck and freediving glimpses of friendly snapper.


Flying off the deck while anchored off Goat Island was an exercise in operating from a confined space; and a slightly different take on the concept of an aircraft carrier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbT_e2dmCoA

Cheers,

Colin
 

JAZCAM

Member
Waterborne videos... ok, this was a production shoot of the Phuket Race Week regatta last year done with several MikroKopters flying FPV off of boats. The attached video is a 12 min highlights cut. We shot over 10 hours of raw footage in 5 days.


I apologize for the edit.... it was done in house. The pro videos from the shoot can be found on youtube by Ants Media from Hong Kong.
 
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JAZCAM

Member

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JAZCAM

Member
This camera mount has no motors or servos it just magnetically floats on a small balanced beam. Still needs a little work to stop a strange vibration issue but it's getting close.

There is no physical connection between the camera gimbal and the aircraft? Is that what you are saying?

The vids are quite good but you do have a bit of jello which usually comes from prop or motor can vibration. Common with GoPro shots. If isolated this is a bit strange.
 

DennyR

Active Member
JAZCAM
Yes the root cause was found in the prop combination. Now fixed. Changed the RPM and the natural frequency. The beam is attached to the model at the central ball joint only.
The mount is totally stabilized by mechanical balance with magnetic drives to center it. Experimental technology, although that is the principal behind many stabilised lenses.

These rushes will be reshot with the Zenmuse/S800 and the Zenmuse/TDR in the coming weeks for Above Cyprus-2. Also used will be my old 2 meter carbon blade which is a motor glider which has a mil spec. 3 axis gimbal and has been the mainstay of my work for a few years now. (2 hrs endurance).

Even now it is working ok the GoPro cant deliver the quality that I typically am required to use. Too much lens distortion. But it does have a use for cheap survey and inspection work where cost, safety and endurance is the priority.
 
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JAZCAM

Member
JAZCAM
Yes the root cause was found in the prop combination. Now fixed. Changed the RPM and the natural frequency. The beam is attached to the model at the central ball joint only.
The mount is totally stabilized by mechanical balance with magnetic drives to center it. Experimental technology, although that is the principal behind many stabilised lenses.

Any chance you could send me some pics or drawings of your ball joint mounting. That might be the best way to go for our panoramic gimbal. Right now we are using a driven u-joint which works to a point, but it could be better.
 

jappie911

Member
JAZCAM
These rushes will be reshot with the Zenmuse/S800 and the Zenmuse/TDR in the coming weeks for Above Cyprus-2. Also used will be my old 2 meter carbon blade which is a motor glider which has a mil spec. 3 axis gimbal and has been the mainstay of my work for a few years now. (2 hrs endurance).

@DennyR, can you please tell me more, or give a link, about the TDR with Zenmuse ?

I have a TDR "laying around" but I don't use it for my AP business, only use my multirotors.

But still thinking about going to use my singlerotor heli's like Logo and TDR more to get the dynamic video shots..
 


DennyR

Active Member
@DennyR, can you please tell me more, or give a link, about the TDR with Zenmuse ?

I have a TDR "laying around" but I don't use it for my AP business, only use my multirotors.

But still thinking about going to use my singlerotor heli's like Logo and TDR more to get the dynamic video shots..
My stuff is all custom made and i am still waiting for the Zenmuse to arrive. I think UAV Products also have one in the pipe.
 

DennyR

Active Member
Any chance you could send me some pics or drawings of your ball joint mounting. That might be the best way to go for our panoramic gimbal. Right now we are using a driven u-joint which works to a point, but it could be better.

The ball joint mounting has just been changed, it now has several layers of EVO rubber between it and the frame. I am planning to release the pictures and video next week. The stabilizing part of the balanced beam only moves about ten degrees the pitch movement is on a separate drive

I was in the process of adjusting some parameters on the Naza a few mins ago and the Mini USB developed a bad connection on the Power Unit. I doubt that I can get that thing apart to re-surface mount the connector again. So I could be grounded with that one until DJI can send me a spare one. A word of warning when using the cable in the field. You can easily damage that connector socket if it accidentally gets a tug.
 
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JAZCAM

Member
I was in the process of adjusting some parameters on the Naza a few mins ago and the Mini USB developed a bad connection on the Power Unit. I doubt that I can get that thing apart to re-surface mount the connector again. So I could be grounded with that one until DJI can send me a spare one. A word of warning when using the cable in the field. You can easily damage that connector socket if it accidentally gets a tug.

I saw a shop online that sold just the BEC/USB module separately. I forget where but just take a look around. They are available.
 

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