3D Printed Motorised DSLR Camera Slider With Pan/Tilt Head (Arduino/Stepper Driven) 2020

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Project Overview:
This is a continuation of the pan tilt mount project I designed for my DSLR Canon EOS 250D. (If you haven’t seen that video you should watch it first: • 3D Printed DSLR Camera... ) Here I have designed and added a slider to the pan tilt mount which allows for more complex camera movements. This project is open source and links to the design files and code are provided below.
The slider is made from mostly 3d printed parts, M3 nuts and bolts and 2020 V-slot aluminium extrusion. It uses the same PCB I created for my pan tilt mount which is why I included an extra stepper driver and breakout for another Hall effect sensor. As the same PCB is used it has all the features of the pan tilt mount, such as Bluetooth communication to the Arduino Nano, the RGB status LED, auto homing and the ability to trigger the cameras shutter.
The 2GT timing belt, 20 tooth timing pulley and 16th microstepping allow the slider to move with a precision of 0.0125mm. The movement speed can be set extremely slow for time-lapses or up to about 200mm/s (in full step mode).
Code, schematics and parts list:
github.com/isa...
Project CAD files:
Linear Slider: www.thingivers...
Pan Tilt Mount: www.thingivers...
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DIY motorized Camera Slider with oled controller | Full build
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DIY Motorized Camera Slider! - The Mechanics
Stephen Hawes: • DIY Motorized Camera S...
Build your own Arduino-controlled camera slider!
Thomas Sanladerer: • Build your own Arduino...
DIY Motorized Camera Slider with Pan and Tilt Head - Arduino Based Project
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Links:
KZbin: / isaac879
Instagram: / isaac879
GitHub: github.com/isa...
Thingiverse: www.thingivers...
Website: isaacchasteau....
Credit:
Written by: Isaac Chasteau
Directed by: Mr I Chasteau
Hosted by: Isaac C
Filmed by: I Chasteau
Edited by: Isaac A D C
Produced by: Mr Chasteau
Technical Director: Isaac Alexander Donald Chasteau
Lighting technician: Mr I A D Chasteau
Sound technician: Isaac A D Chasteau
Lead Engineer: Mr Isaac Chasteau
Music:
Retrograde - Spence
Right Here Beside You - Spence
Juno In The Space Maze - Loopop
Recording Equipment Camera:
Body: Canon EOS 250D
Lenses: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
Huawei Honor 8 (Smartphone)
Razer Seiren X Microphone

[@Nathan660]

Sir, the belt running under the track guide wheels is absolutely genius! i love it

[@diegoG21]

a random latinoamerican channel named "Un Poco De Todo" showcased you on one of their last videos and made you kinda famous I guess. Great work sir, keep doing amazing things.

[@isaac879]

Thank you! They actually dropped me an email to ask if they could use my video a little while ago :)

[@FolkeFox]

I've been working on this exact same design for a while, you beat me to it! only i'm not an engineer but a visual artist. One feature i planned on adding to my version is the ability to control speed and acceleration curves (i still have no clue how but the concept is there), that way it would be possible to emulate the "camera robot" look from really fancy ads. I will 100% build your pan tilt head and adapt it to my dedicated slider. Amazing Project!

[@jvsonyt]

This is incredible. Awesome build, dude

[@SarojaTheRobot]

So far the best diy slider I've seen

[@jochemvredeveld]

Amazing work! I was planning to design something like this myself, but I am going to save myself the time and build yours. ordering parts right now.

[@mechee1747]

Really beautiful design! Well done! I was going to recommend TMC stepper drivers when I heard the A4988 driver noise in the beginning but you addressed it at the end. I learned it the hard way building a motorized slider myself using the A4988. As for the turning and twisting of the wires, I'd recommend looking into slip rings like the ones offered by Sparkfun.

[@mommekreitling4763]

You are so underrated!!! Great Work and thank you for sharing ;)

[@michael.knight]

Cool project. Thought the footage might end up looking a bit mechanic/robotic, but it actually looks really smooth! The repeatability aspect is great as well, that's really a unique advantage over normal sliders

[@jakobgarde6769]

This is just so cool! I wish you were making more videos! 🙏

[@bot5am]

This is such a great design, brother.

[@MikeMcRoberts]

Excellent project Isaac. Following this project with interest as I would love to build one of these.

[@jezjoseph]

from the project itself to the way In which you shoot your videos I was very impressed , one subscription well earned I will look forward to seeing this and other projects develop , an electronic engineer myself with a desire to learn more coding and also the mechanical design side of things. thanks very much

[@loicktoupin912]

Soo many people un the credits, good team !

[@jellehelmond]

Great build! I really love your progress so far.

[@geripapaable]

Thats outstanding! Really nice project and awesome implementation! Great job! Keep goin' pal!

[@isaac879]

Thank you! I'm not stopping yet!

[@LegoStein13]

Beautiful work! Thinking about building one for upcoming stop motion projects with complex green screen work. Amazing!

[@isaac879]

Thanks! That sounds like a great use for it! I haven't tried any stop motion with it yet...

[@jfairplane8520]

Very great. Did one about already 21yr ago.. but only with pot to move the motor. And the whole head in alu frame with some wire to act as counterbalance.

[@clevetbs123]

this is exactly what i am looking. i need pan tilt for my telescope to make it more sturdy.

[@ddrmaxb]

Man, this work its amazing! Great stuff! Regards from Perú

[@WayneStakem]

That's awesome! Liked, subscribed, and looking forward to more! 👍 I'm still stuck on Python programming 😅 ADHD holding me back a little. Hopefully I can start learning C, C++, and then Arduino language once I great treatment. Arduino is epic! And I've only found out about modular aluminium extrusions fairly recently and my creative imagination won't stop flooding my mind with an endless stream of ideas ever since 😵 Can't wait to progress so I can put some of those ideas to use and start experimenting! The more I learn about this the more motivated I am. This stuff beats Lego any day! 🤗

[@milobio7741]

If you like arduino try esp8266 or 32. Also, as someone with similar concerns id suggest being aware of what parts of a project weigh you down and work around those. Dopamine detox before you start at least for a week. Pick a simple project so you get some quick neurochemicals flowing and seeing what you're learning connect. It will give you mental energy, you're going to need it. Good luck

[@user-ld8fn7tm1i]

This is actually epic 0_0

[@neponel]

this is awesome! thank you. would love to see the version the whole thing can move on X and Y axis. would love to do timelapses of plants on our shelfs.

[@frankyb702]

Sick!

[@TheWayneStevenson]

Man I absolutely love that!!!!

[@isaac879]

Thank you!

[@betuinseattle7532]

Good see your video I’m glad share and support you 👏🛎👍

[@alessandrofonseca7796]

I think you could put the linear moving motor outside the round gantry and combine it with some pulleys so you could take that weight from the moving element. Sorry about my english.

[@Googaliemoogalie]

Very Nice!

[@HarryCpok]

Amazing!

[@Excalibur32]

Great project!

[@gregorymompezat2261]

great job man keep it up

[@WoutScheper]

Awesome! Might try this with my ender 3

[@WoutScheper]

Looks hard to make tho :)

[@raul7293]

I'm subscribing.

[@Nachmed]

Awesome, dude!!!

[@sidharthap]

Ya know, more than anything else I like your video editing style and choice of music. At all the video clip transitions, you've used this wind blowing kinda sound that's real nice and apt. Where do you get that sound clip / these sort of clips from? Cool project, real nice shots too!

[@isaac879]

Thank you, I have been working my editing. I actually created that noise myself by blowing on my microphone through a tube! I do often use the KZbin audio library for sound effects and music as well.

[@sidharthap]

@@isaac879 whoa, who would have thought, blow... thru a tube 👍 fantastic!

[@1spire108]

Great job! Liked and subscribed

[@isaac879]

Thank you!

[@tyldarprod1399]

Great job!!!

[@raul7293]

I'm want to see the 20 x 40 aluminum extrusion. I'll be building that model.

[@yayser]

Thanks a lot for the inspiring great video! I have just designed and made a 3d camera slider on my own but as I am not as good on the software side I am planning to upgrade my rig with your controller software. Though, watching these videos I realize you don't emphasize much on how you control the whole thing via a smartphone (or an xbox controller for that matter). For instance, fixing the camera at a point in space (2:40) feature is amazing but how do you do that with your rig? Please make another video where you talk about the UI (xbox or a smartphone app) to get things done.

[@coverbandcomeback1078]

Hello Isaac, congratulations .... great development. I have a question about the components. There is a difference in the parts list and the schematic sheet. What are the values ​​of the resistors R1 to R6? Would a BC548 be possible instead of the 2N3904?

[@isaac879]

Thank you! I just checked and the schematic is correct - I'll update the parts list soon. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I had a look at the BC548 and I believe it should work although the resistor (R5) will need to be changed to 1k as the current limit to the base is only 5mA.

[@ELECTROALL]

wow°° I want one of this

[@dorkchocolate.]

This is great Isaac! Would it work on of a Konova K2 slider?

[@davidmasseybooks]

One last thing. The iostream string and fstring libraries are throwing up errors - am I missing something, because I can't locate those libraries? Otherwise everything is going well - the JDY-31 module was a little challenging lol...

[@JeremyCook]

Nice reversed footage technique at 1:08 ;-). That is a great build. Still using A4988 drivers here?

[@isaac879]

Thanks! For this video I only used the A4988s but I have tested my TMC2208s and they work brilliantly! I'll probably do another update video when I get the 2040 extrude and new stepper motors.

[@JeremyCook]

@@isaac879 Very cool!

[@worms32]

how did you overcome vibration of steppers. i thought it was because of a4988 but your footages are very good.

[@dhtech2016]

There are a few issues with this design, the bearing is not great, too much play up and down I ended up printing 3 different versions and all had the same inherent fault, the tilt can't take very much weight and is too narrow for most cameras. A Good project but ultimately a disappointment.

[@xpixer]

Maybe you watch my last three videos, its in german but u can switch on the translation. I use polulu micro geared mozors and will realize ur design with this motors, u can control these motors via magnetic encoder and a very small additional pcb. If u want we can discuss about it, send me a message or email. Great idea and super video!!

[@sim2bil]

Hey man great job.I like you`r pan end tilt head design,and the simple way to program multi point move only with a game controller.I make a similar 3 axis moco system.And i`m consider to use your code.And i have a question.Is there a acceleration and de acceleration in your code for smooth move between key point (like star point,and end point)?

[@isaac879]

In my newest version I have added some acceleration to the keyframes but you don't have much control over them. To properly implement acceleration controls would have required me to pretty much rewrite all the code...

[@sim2bil]

I understand.i will try your code to see how it works.Thanks again

[@manavmuthreja1898]

Hi Isaac, Im new to all these electronics, but i got to know that nema 23 is more strong than 17, what if i use 23 on the rail, can i make it pan even faster? something like the super expensive robo arms ?

[@3dmedia912]

You are a super hero man :) can you make a gimbal bro pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :):):):):):):)

[@gameworn1820]

Isaac, I built your wonderful creation and am using my phone and the Arduino/Bluetooth app which you recommend to control the pan/tilt part ( slider to come later). I want to use an XBOX wireless controller, but I don't know how to interface that with the blue tooth module. I see the main.cpp file but can't put them all together. I think the main.cpp is a Visual code file, but I'm drawing a blank on how to use it. Is there a way to press and hold a controller button and have the tilt/pan continually move? I am using the array functions and increment the movement in 10 degree increments to build an 18 position array. I then use the > key and have to press it repeatedly to keep the steeper advancing to the next array. I think I'm missing something here as well. Any help would surely be appreciated

[@ColinMakes]

Hi, I've made a Python application which you could try out here: github.com/cbradburne/Pan-Tilt-Mount/tree/TMC2208-Drivers/Python%20Controller%20App%20for%20Pan%20Tilt%20Mount You'll need to install Python3 and a few libraries, as documented in the GitHub. You'll also need to run the app from within VSCode. I'm yet to compile it for Windows - I'll try and get on that! Before running the application, connect the computer to the Pan Tilt mount via BlueTooth, and connect your controller to the computer, then run the app. Your controller name should appear in the box, top right, now select the serial port (bluetooth Pan Tilt connection) from the dropdown list. be able to control the Pan Tilt mount by either dragging the red dot around, or using your controller. I'm currently running it with macOS and a PS4 controller, but it should be cross-compatible. I would really like to hear how you get on.

[@migueldiaz8669]

@isaac879 Great Job. Very Impressive. I am trying to adapt this to work on an ESP32 with PS4 remote. I am trying to create a PCB whose pins to work with the ESP32. I am new to this stuff so I was hoping you could look over my PCB design to see if it looks ok to you.

[@DorfyBoi]

I wish you showed actual assembly instead of doing silly transitions

[@nunosousa154]

with this project is it possible to use the slider as a vertical slider?

[@isaac879]

I would not suggest it. It can just lift the weight but if there is any small knock to it the motor can skip steps and come crashing down.

[@nunosousa154]

@@isaac879 thank you

[@MikeMcRoberts]

What is causing the up/down movement on the flower shot from 2:36?

[@isaac879]

The code calculates the target point in 3d space so the tilt axis will also move to keep the target centred.

[@MikeMcRoberts]

@@isaac879 Should it not then be only moving in one direction?

[@isaac879]

@@MikeMcRoberts Maybe I'm missing something but to me it just looks like the tilt axis is just angling up slightly throughout the movement. I think in this shot it should only be moving in one direction but depending on the position of the target it is possible it would angle both up and down.

[@MikeMcRoberts]

@@isaac879 I am referring to the slight jiggling up and down as it moves along. it's only subtle but it is there.

[@adyprasetyo7077]

isaac879 I've tried all the tutorials on KZbin but it doesn't work, do you guarantee this tutorial will work if I try? and has anyone tried? and can the xbox controller be replaced with another one? because the xbox controller is too expensive. thank you

[@nmprathap]

how much this

[@Animace]

Where do 5mm_to_8mm_shaft_spacer and 3mm_to_5mm_wheel_bearing_spacer_centred belong to?

[@isaac879]

The 5 to 8mm spacer if for the slider motor timing pulley. You only need it if the pulley has an 8mm bore and not a 5mm one though. The 3 to 5mm spacers are for the V-Slot wheels. The bearings they use have a 5mm internal diameter so they need a spacer to fit the m3 bolts.

[@Animace]

@@isaac879 Thank you. One more question. Clamp lever has very large hole but is hold by m3 bolt. How does it hold the belt?

[@Animace]

F623ZZ Flange Bushing Ball Bearings rigth?

[@isaac879]

@@Animace Yes you got it - the bearings. I thought I also put a version of the leaver with an 3m hole if you didn't want to bother with the bearings.

[@Animace]

@@isaac879 I can modify it myself, thank you. Strange thing, my carriage was riding better without spacers. Hmmm. And why there is so strange end at the spacers?

[@994pranav]

16 times microstepping can still move the load of the camera ?

[@isaac879]

Yes it can!

[@994pranav]

My setup of camera would be around 2kgs for night photography, will have to include gears and to cover up the torque loss with microstepping I Guess, which motors were u mentioning to switch to in this video?

[@isaac879]

@@994pranav Ideally the camera should be mounted about it's centre of mass so shouldn't require any holding torque. Weaker motors would limit the acceleration but I'm imagining for night photography you won't be requiring fast movements. I switched from Nima 17 42x42x40mm steppers to 42x42x23mm ones (you can see pics on my insta).

[@nmprathap]

sir I want to buy this

[@isaac879]

Unfortunately I'm not selling any, sorry!

[@avi_banon]

Hello i would like to know if you can sell me one unit please?

[@cesarcraft3141]

I want it

[@DOLA1DOLA]

can you upload gear design . please the two type .

[@isaac879]

All the CAD files should be on the Thingiverse page. What exactly do you need that's not on there?