Rig Design
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Rig Design
While the discarded security camera mount I've been using as a table top rig is ok, it's pretty tall and probably introduces movement, which I think I've seen since I started using my Wemacro.
This morning I drew up a [very] rough design for an alternate in Corel Draw.
It's a heavy wood/plywood/MDF base with four 3/8" threaded rods at the corners. Onto these goes another platform, adjustable for height using nuts and washers. A ball [or geared] head would go on the upper platform.
Does anyone have any comments on its suitability?
This morning I drew up a [very] rough design for an alternate in Corel Draw.
It's a heavy wood/plywood/MDF base with four 3/8" threaded rods at the corners. Onto these goes another platform, adjustable for height using nuts and washers. A ball [or geared] head would go on the upper platform.
Does anyone have any comments on its suitability?
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What I've found in building many systems is it's most important to ensure the subject stage/holder is tightly-linked mechanically to the camera/lens assembly. Vibration control of the whole system is less important. If the camera and subject both move together, it doesn't matter so much if both are moving relative to the rest of the system/bench.
I don't really understand what it is you're trying to show in the drawing. Where is the subject stage, and where is the camera/lens mounted? Maybe a more complete system drawing would help.
I don't really understand what it is you're trying to show in the drawing. Where is the subject stage, and where is the camera/lens mounted? Maybe a more complete system drawing would help.
I thought perhaps M.C. Escher drew your design
Four posts like that will be very difficult to adjust. They will have to be perfectly aligned or they will bind. What part of the setup will this be used for?
I used a 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate for the base and various pieces of 8020 extrusions for adjusting subject and camera height.
Four posts like that will be very difficult to adjust. They will have to be perfectly aligned or they will bind. What part of the setup will this be used for?
I used a 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate for the base and various pieces of 8020 extrusions for adjusting subject and camera height.
Base mass and camera/lens/subject stiffness are your friends.
If it's heavy it's harder for vibration to move anything as Elf has indicated. If it's rigid from the subject to camera/lens, these move in unison (called common mode) under vibration influence as Ray has indicated.
BTW I've always liked Escher's work!!
Best,
Mike
If it's heavy it's harder for vibration to move anything as Elf has indicated. If it's rigid from the subject to camera/lens, these move in unison (called common mode) under vibration influence as Ray has indicated.
BTW I've always liked Escher's work!!
Best,
Mike
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The bottom piece would be a heavy piece of wood/plywood/MDF, perhaps with a simple metal plate underneath for added weight.ray_parkhurst wrote:I don't really understand what it is you're trying to show in the drawing. Where is the subject stage, and where is the camera/lens mounted? Maybe a more complete system drawing would help.
If the camera were mounted on the top piece, perpendicular to the long axis, the stage would be separate. If mounted parallel, there would be room for the subject on the top piece.
I haven't used Corel Draw X3 in a long time, so I was lucky to get what I have there.
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The posts themselves are stationary.elf wrote:I thought perhaps M.C. Escher drew your design
Four posts like that will be very difficult to adjust. They will have to be perfectly aligned or they will bind. What part of the setup will this be used for?
The top part on which the camera (and possibly the subject) rests on nuts and washers on the posts that can be adjusted up and down to raise and lower the camera. Nuts and washers on top would fix it in place.
The idea is to give a decent range of vertical movement for the camera so that it can shoot parallel to the top of the table or downward. I don't want to limit myself to one or the other, while giving myself a wider base than my current rig (a security camera wall mount with a ballhead attached).
The posts are for gross adjustments in height, not fine focus.
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So the top piece is intended to allow tilt/tip adjustment? There are easier ways to accomplish this.Deanimator wrote:The bottom piece would be a heavy piece of wood/plywood/MDF, perhaps with a simple metal plate underneath for added weight.ray_parkhurst wrote:I don't really understand what it is you're trying to show in the drawing. Where is the subject stage, and where is the camera/lens mounted? Maybe a more complete system drawing would help.
If the camera were mounted on the top piece, perpendicular to the long axis, the stage would be separate. If mounted parallel, there would be room for the subject on the top piece.
I haven't used Corel Draw X3 in a long time, so I was lucky to get what I have there.
If the stage were mounted on the top piece, doesn't this negate the purpose of the top piece? Or is there some reason you want to tilt/tip the entire system? I have never found having the system level to earth very important.
edited to add: I responded while you were writing.
So if you're just looking for height adjustment, it is only useful if the stage is separate. Something like this can be useful if you change equipment often, though the method of adjusting 4 screws would be tedious. It might be simpler just to make some thick shims or intermediate spacers, and swap them out when you change equipment.
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No, just gross height adjustment. The ballhead (not shown) allows changes in elevation.ray_parkhurst wrote:So the top piece is intended to allow tilt/tip adjustment? There are easier ways to accomplish this.
It's not so much for changes of equipment, but of camera to subject angle. Sometimes I want to shoot on the same level as the subject, sometimes from above.ray_parkhurst wrote:So if you're just looking for height adjustment, it is only useful if the stage is separate. Something like this can be useful if you change equipment often, though the method of adjusting 4 screws would be tedious. It might be simpler just to make some thick shims or intermediate spacers, and swap them out when you change equipment.
Your idea of shims/spacers has merit.
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Eventually I'll be using microscope objectives.elf wrote:Ballheads are very difficult to adjust at macro ranges.
What magnification are you planning on using? Designs for 100X need to be considerably more rigid and precise than 5X.
Right now, I'm using various combinations of 100mm macro lens, 50mm manual reversed, extension tubes and teleconverter.
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Now that I have a drill press, I was able to throw together a better rig than the one I had in an evening and part of this afternoon. It's composed of a remnant board from Home Depot and a square tapered furniture foot (a truncated pyramid).
I will probably add some rails along the long edges of the board into which will be mounted 1/4" threaded sleeves into which I can screw my magic arms without fear of them rotating and falling.
I may yet add a simple metal plate underneath for more mass.
I'm not sure it would work for microscope objectives, but I'm certain it's more stable than the rig it just replaced, being both shorter, more solid and having fewer joints.
I'll post pictures when I get a chance.
I will probably add some rails along the long edges of the board into which will be mounted 1/4" threaded sleeves into which I can screw my magic arms without fear of them rotating and falling.
I may yet add a simple metal plate underneath for more mass.
I'm not sure it would work for microscope objectives, but I'm certain it's more stable than the rig it just replaced, being both shorter, more solid and having fewer joints.
I'll post pictures when I get a chance.
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