Zoom-Focus-Iris control

BrianMurphy

BrianMurphy

Veteran
Thanks to everyonewho linked me up with the specs a while back. I finally bought a six pack and sat down with the soldering iron. Here is what it looks like.
Cost:
Box-2.50
Contact switch -1.49
2-20K linear mini pots- 4.99 each =9.98
1-30K linear pot-2.99
2-female 3.5mm stereo jacks .79 pk of 2
1-2.5 male stereo jack-.79 pk of 2
1-3.5 male stereo jack-.79 pk of 2
Knobs-1.50
wire I had on hand.
Total:about 20 bucks
It works like a charm,though I am going to try a couple more pots on the zoom, the iris and focus work fine with 20k, just would like a bit more gradual control on the zoom which could also be because the pot is so cheap.
I will use a bicycle bracket to attach it to the tripod arm and probably epoxy the screw to the bracket and use wing nuts to make it easy to take off.
It is an easy build, the biggest problem is finding a box that is small enough and then getting jacks that will go through the walls of the box. I had to hot glue my jacks in place from the inside because they were too short.
 

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does the zoom control spring back to zero when you let go of it? if so, how? this has been my only complaint about DIY solutions.. i want it thumb-controlled and i want to return to zero when i let go
 
FiddlerMD said:
does the zoom control spring back to zero when you let go of it? if so, how? this has been my only complaint about DIY solutions.. i want it thumb-controlled and i want to return to zero when i let go
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No it is just a regular pot. I looked at the spring soloution, but decided against it just because of space. I have also used a large know and a 30k pot which in initial tests at home lets me control the zoom with my thumb since the box is so small but it is NOT ideal. I do however completely agree with you, I wish I could find a better zoom /pot setup and I will probably pick up a Libec down the road for $109.00 US. I may see if I can modify it to include minature 20k pots for focus and iris.
But for the meantime and for 20bucks I will use this one. I am going to use it next week to shoot a couple of speeches and stuff at an awards dinnner. So for the slow zoom in and out from one shot to another over the course of an evening I think it will be fine.
 
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koala said:
are there any detailed plans so that a notech like me can handle it? or try to :)
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Try this page, it give you the basic plans for a zoom.The iris and focus use the same principal, just a cable with a miniplug and 2 more 20k pots(linear) But you could start by getting all the components together and I would be happy to help you through building it via pm's. You should be able to use or learn to use a soldering iron. Not hard with a bit of practise.

http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/remote/
In non-technical terms you are connecting a wire which is the same as a mini stereo jack to what is essentially a volume control and a momentary contact switch (like a door bell switch) and that is it.
 
Will the zoom, focus and iris control work on the DVX100A? If not I may make the zoom/record controller. I'm planning on building a crane and this would be nice.
 
Yup.

External control port connections:
DVX100: Zoom, Start/Stop
DVX100a: Zoom, Start/Stop
DVX100b: Zoom, Start/Stop, Focus, Iris
HVX200: Zoom, Start/Stop, Focus, Iris


- Mikko
 
Tony B said:
Will the zoom, focus and iris control work on the DVX100A? If not I may make the zoom/record controller. I'm planning on building a crane and this would be nice.
Click to expand...
I own a "B" and I don't think Panasonic put an access jack for Focus and Iris on th the 100 or the 100A model. But there certaily is one for Zoom and Start/Stop record. Sorry I just saw Mikko's reply. There you have it.
 
thanks brian!
i´m looking forward to some free time to try a little with only the zoom from the artikle and would really like to come back to you then! thanks! :)

is the focus in your setup with start and end - so if you turn it, it is repeatable? or is it like the endlessring at the cam? (sorry for the english - do you understand what i´m trying to say? :))
 
The Focus and Iris inputs on the control port are "Absoloute". Meaning that a certain resistance value is always coupled to a fixed focus distance or F-stop.
So yes, Focus and Iris through the controller port are 100% repeatable.

Zoom however is a "Relative" control. Meaning that it controls speed and direction, it's not absoloute or repeatable.

- Mikko
 
koala said:
thanks brian!
i´m looking forward to some free time to try a little with only the zoom from the artikle and would really like to come back to you then! thanks! :)

is the focus in your setup with start and end - so if you turn it, it is repeatable? or is it like the endlessring at the cam? (sorry for the english - do you understand what i´m trying to say? :))
Click to expand...
You are very welcome and let me know if I can do anything to help you out.
Cheers
Brian
 
All of the pots are 20k. Also, you should note that the circuit for the iris controller is more complicated than in needs to be. I was just drawing up what I used and it was just some bits I had on my bench. I'll post a simple schematic shortly.

Bob Hill
 
Here are both the circuits

1164815358.jpg


Bob
 
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