I have an idea for a zoom controller...

A

aerosolcheese

Well-known member
I've been wanting to build a zoom controller. I don't like the idea of not having it "spring loaded" so, I called Panasonic to get part numbers for the pieces that make up the zoom button on the actual camera. They would total just around $40. Do you guys think this will work? Is it a simple Potentiometer just like the one in the plans floating around here? Thanks in advance...
 
aerosolcheese said:
I've been wanting to build a zoom controller. I don't like the idea of not having it "spring loaded" so, I called Panasonic to get part numbers for the pieces that make up the zoom button on the actual camera. They would total just around $40. Do you guys think this will work? Is it a simple Potentiometer just like the one in the plans floating around here? Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...

I have made a bunch of zoom controllers for people and its no big deal to not have a spring loaded controller.

In fact I like it better without. Mostly because there is only 3 zoom speeds and there is plenty of "dead" space between the 3 zoom points... So you set it and forget it.

but to each his own. Zoom Buddy is a great inexpensive zoom controller, you can PM me if you dont feel like building your own.

Ben
 
Hey thanks... Actually I am currently building my own spring-loaded zoom controller, but not with the real DVX parts... I'll post pics once I'm done.
 
rocketscience - I made mine a couple months ago, almost exactly to your plans (thanks for those by the way).... although I didn't like the feel of the 50k pot..... it tops out at a point and stops dead.... because the dvx doesn't read anything from about 20k to 50k therefore it works like this with a 50k - if you are zooming in, it is like this - in this order (50k) -- zoom in (slowest), zoom in (mid), zoom in (fastest) and then when you reach somewhere past 20k it would stop dead....stops dead from the fastest zoom!.....that kills your shot.... if you are using a zoom controller for features this might be ok, because you can work around it and do it over......but not for events....... Because radioshack doesn't sell a 20k and I would have had to order one off the net......I converted my 50k pot into a 20k (actually more like 19.988 something with a 33k resistor..... I like it much better.... Just thought I would share what i've found......
 
TJIsACoolGuy, yeah I remember seeing that when I tested without the spring. However, with the spring there, I actually can't hit those dead spots. Unless I push so hard I feel like I am going to break something. Interesting that you were able to go that far even with the spring in place.

And you're very welcome :)
 
yeah that is true.... but even if you were able to put a stop to it going dead with the spring I felt that it was too sensitive for me. Note that this is a personal preference of course and everyone likes different settings for sensitivity. I felt that the amount you had to turn the pot to reach differnet ranges as far as "slowest zoom" to "mid zoom" etc... was not very much. Barely bumping it brought you into the second range even if you wanted only the slowest zoom. Remember this is my own experience with it.... others want it that sensitive... this is just how I felt with it.
 
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