Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
damn dude: this is really taking off. Guess I better get off my ass and order my parts. Will be extremely useful for a lot of shots.
DIY IndieSlider...
- Thread starter ZazaCast
- Start date
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
Hmm "quick cheap and easy"... and coming from you Zaza... :grin:
In all seriousness everything that's been done with it so far including the modifications looks awesome. Guess I'm still waiting for someone to report using a heavier camera with an adapter setup... unless of course I missed something...
Zaza,
Great thread! I love DIY projects although I have never really made any for camera gear.
Sorry if ths has been posted before but I'm sitting here wondering how to adapt a power drill and a string to pull the cam along at a steady pace or even straight up or down. A small battery powered drill has variable speeds that can be set via the screw on the trigger so it wll remain constant and are reversable. The drill would have to be set on slow with a skinny bit or 1/8 - 1/4 inch rod to wind the string on and fixed to the rail somehow in a whay it can be removed with 1 or two quick screws.
Dunno, just a thought. I might order this stuff and play around with it. I can see it really being usefull for vertical climbs and desents. I'd bet evryone here has a drill and could modify it for $10.
Great thread! I love DIY projects although I have never really made any for camera gear.
Sorry if ths has been posted before but I'm sitting here wondering how to adapt a power drill and a string to pull the cam along at a steady pace or even straight up or down. A small battery powered drill has variable speeds that can be set via the screw on the trigger so it wll remain constant and are reversable. The drill would have to be set on slow with a skinny bit or 1/8 - 1/4 inch rod to wind the string on and fixed to the rail somehow in a whay it can be removed with 1 or two quick screws.
Dunno, just a thought. I might order this stuff and play around with it. I can see it really being usefull for vertical climbs and desents. I'd bet evryone here has a drill and could modify it for $10.
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
First, just let me say...Wiseass!
I used it for almost all of "TWISTED" with my DVX, M2, Nikons and a follow focus. No problems. I use (3) 5lbs. ankle weights, one on each of the spreaders....solid as a rock, sliding right to the very end.
....and yes...you did miss something!
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1603608&postcount=431
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
then dammit: consider me sold! I'll have to order it for this music video in 2 weeks then onto the shoot for Strange Days... I'm psyched now!
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
This is a great idea and I don't think anyone mentioned it before. My only question would be do you think the drill motor would be too loud? Or cause interference with the audio?
I know I shot some stuff in a Tattoo Parlor and the tattoo guns caused a LOT of problems (interference) with the audio.:huh:
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
...that will be $15.00 please...and your first born child (that you know of)!
Oh sweet! You get to pay for his college! Awesome deal!
Yes, there could be a noise issue but for narrated stuff and shots that don't need perfect audio it might be an option.
Are there other small motors that have enough power but are more quiet?
This thing can be turned into a poor mans motin control rig pretty easily, a really slow geared down motor for a moving time lapse etc. lots of possibilities.
I'm going to brain storm on it some more.
I'll be using it for a small light DSLR that shoots video.
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
The best place to put the motor would be on the Camera Block itself.
I'd need to have it in hand to see if this was even possible, but one motor in the center that winches a cable through it, the cables going to either side of the slider... that would be the best solution. It would then be a self-propelled platform.
THat would of course weigh it down and maybe make sliding more difficult with a little more friction, but it's just a thought right now.
Maybe someone else can expand off of it. I really need to have something in my hand to experiment with.
Oh damn. Now I'm going to have to order 2 of them...
I'd need to have it in hand to see if this was even possible, but one motor in the center that winches a cable through it, the cables going to either side of the slider... that would be the best solution. It would then be a self-propelled platform.
THat would of course weigh it down and maybe make sliding more difficult with a little more friction, but it's just a thought right now.
Maybe someone else can expand off of it. I really need to have something in my hand to experiment with.
Oh damn. Now I'm going to have to order 2 of them...
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
...wait a minute, what?
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Eric Kessler added the krank, that's quite. I don't know motors at all. Beuller, Beuller...Beuller?
I agree...please let us know what you figure out...I love this idea!:thumbup:
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
Was the Kessler powered by a motor? I thought that was hand operated with a crank?
I think anything with a motor would have to be for special shots that you plan to either ADR the dialog or for non dialog shots. Can't use evey piece of equipment everytime no matter how cool it is.
Shots that require this level of motion control would be more effects shots in any case... so manually sliding would still be a good option.
My mind is awake now and I'm supposed to be crashing...
I think anything with a motor would have to be for special shots that you plan to either ADR the dialog or for non dialog shots. Can't use evey piece of equipment everytime no matter how cool it is.
Shots that require this level of motion control would be more effects shots in any case... so manually sliding would still be a good option.
My mind is awake now and I'm supposed to be crashing...
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Yes, it's hand operated...but really quiet.
I'll look into some small stepper motors and again my rig will be for a small light DSLR so weight will be minimal. The prob with the stepper motors is you have to buy a battery and a speed controller for them. A power drill already has all of those and is in about everyones house.
I'd want to keep my rig simple and just add a small pully at the end of the rails for the string to be fed to the drill, heck you could even get a 25ft string and put the drill in the other room if noise were an issue, maybe a way to clip the drill onto the tripod, again no need to make two of these, keep it simple.
Anyone have any ideas?
I'd want to keep my rig simple and just add a small pully at the end of the rails for the string to be fed to the drill, heck you could even get a 25ft string and put the drill in the other room if noise were an issue, maybe a way to clip the drill onto the tripod, again no need to make two of these, keep it simple.
Anyone have any ideas?
Could you explain why? If you don't have to attach it to the block or head DON'T, vibrations might come into play, weight, the ablity for a quick dissasemble will be gone. Gotta keep it light and simple with a quick mount option with a string and pully type setup. Mount or clip the drill to the tripod or stand and use a string with a pully, disconnect everything in 2 min and go.
Mrmoe:
Yeah, great job, especially when not panning with the head.
For this motion i think the curved track work best.
I have a phonecall today from Igus, asked where the holes should be on the rail? I say in the very center Cool service!
I receive the pack tomorrow! :thumbup:
Yeah, great job, especially when not panning with the head.
For this motion i think the curved track work best.
I have a phonecall today from Igus, asked where the holes should be on the rail? I say in the very center
Cool service!I receive the pack tomorrow! :thumbup:
mrmoe
Well-known member
You might consider getting a threaded DryLin. Its more expensive but would make it easier to use with servo motor and has option for hand crank. However, keep in mind the threaded rail is more expensive.
Cheers
Mrmoe:
Yeah, great job, especially when not panning with the head.
For this motion i think the curved track work best.
I have a phonecall today from Igus, asked where the holes should be on the rail? I say in the very center
I receive the pack tomorrow! :thumbup:
Thanks Kitty.
Enjoy! It is a fun project and great tool to have. Cheers
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Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
hmm,, hadn't taken vibration into account. I was just thinking of the pure mechanics of it. It's the one place that where a PULL from a gear in one direction or the other would exert the same force. From the center, a cable can be geared through and propel the platform along in both directions.
Having a mechanism on one end only allows it to pull from that end. You would need another motor on the opposite end to pull it back. Cable is only good for pulling, not pushing.
Vibration is an issue and the height of the platform would have to be raised for something like that to work in any case, so it might actually be a viable option... unless you have a much wider platform.
What's the widest platform Igus carries anyway?