First attempts on terrain testing my DIY Motorized Camera Sliders. Was too big and heavy for backpacking, plus the battery and the controller. Because that the center 3/8 screw mount is not enough to keep well balanced and steady on a 3047 manfrotto head, needing extra support in one of its ends.
Some pictures from the first attempt and the materials, 1"x2"wood lumber, ball bearing pulleys, zinc-plated angles, metal plates, etc.
Many years ago I built a camera crane by recycling and repurposing different objects, it was a sturdy and heavy tool capable of supporting a sizeable vhs camera.
Now, I started to do some time lapses and needed to add some movement to the shots. It also allowed me to make some doll-like movements with more control when I’m working on product shots in my studio.
Ater buying a long camera slider (40”/100cm) I realized how hard it is to produce a smooth displacement of the carriage with the camera by hand, because of that I was scouring, month after month, through DIY websites and Video tutorials, taking notes, analyzing the best solutions and prices for the different parts.
Once I gathered all the necessary parts, pieces, and information, I started doing some technical sketches about possible solutions, like position of the motor, pulleys and belts, while also thinking about power solutions like the battery or power outlet.
I spent a couple of weeks cutting, drilling, soldering. In the end the final product ended up being quite useful for time lapse and product shots. The high torque motor works at 30 rpm, but is diminishable with an electronic motor controller, able to displace a regular Ball Head and DSRL Camera with a 70-300mm from 0 to 90 degrees inclination.
In the near future I’m planning to have 2 interchangeable motors, one of 120rpm and other of 5rpm.