Automated stacking

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

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Guido
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:02 am

Post by Guido »

Wow Elf, Interestings things in these forms.
Like the, Tx & Text box like the arduino serial monitor.


Gues you are right using an arduino and windows togheter is a good thing.
But it needs combining two languages, C++ and Visual basic. Quitte a challenge.

Do you work with two steppers? (bellows & subject)

elf
Posts: 1416
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:10 pm

Post by elf »

Yes, I use a stepper for the camera/bellows and another for the stage. The Arduino runs the entire stack routine, the frontend just sends it the necessary parameters.

C++ can be a little intimidating when starting, but fortunately, there is lots of example code for the Arduino and the support forums are very good. I can do a code review for you when you get a little further along, just send a PM.

Guido
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:02 am

Post by Guido »

Thx Elf.

GemBro
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: Surrey [UK]

Post by GemBro »

Guido ... are you intending to use that cheap Chinese stepper motor for your stage/rail control? ...

I personally wouldn't as they are not strictly steppers because of the internal plastic/metal gearing ... they will fall over in time ... a proper stepper would be a lot better ... :)

I bought 5 of these (complete with the boards) for £6 from China, to be used for my Barn Door Tracker project so they're fine for timing but not reliable for precision steps and large loads ... ;) ...

Gem
Canon 550D(T2i) ML (Nightly Builds) | Canon 5D MKII | Raynox 250 | Palinar 35mm f2.8 (reversed) | EL-Nikkor 50mm f2.8 N | EL-Nikkor 50mm f4 N | EL-Nikkor 50mm f4 | Bellows | Objectives: LOMO 3.7x 0.11 : 8x 0.20 : 40x 0.65
RiG II - 'Bamboo': Olympus CH Focus Block with Inverted Arca/Swiss | Canon 430 EX (x2) | Olympus T20 flash (x2) | Youngnuo YN-622C Wireless triggers (x3) | Ikea Jansjo 3W LED Lighting (x3)
Stepper Motor Focusing System (Helicon Remote)

Guido
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:02 am

Post by Guido »

Gem I have a shoebox full of stepper motors.
But I bought this thing because it's cheap and you hear good and bad things about it.

I found out that a data sheet or other manual for this motor is useless because there are lots of different versions of this stepper, so finding the right way is a matter of trial and error. Not only that but you have 12v versions running wel on 5v and 5v version that need at least 9v.

GemBro
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:20 pm
Location: Surrey [UK]

Post by GemBro »

Understood ;) ... but these little puppies have slack associated with them (due to the mechanics inside) so will not be precise if you need to step back and forth in µm movements ... but for things like timing (hence timing the night sky) it's perfect ...

I actually like them for the small projects I build and the basic driver board is fine for that also ... I have the 5v versions ... and for the money, they are a steal, for sure :) ...
Canon 550D(T2i) ML (Nightly Builds) | Canon 5D MKII | Raynox 250 | Palinar 35mm f2.8 (reversed) | EL-Nikkor 50mm f2.8 N | EL-Nikkor 50mm f4 N | EL-Nikkor 50mm f4 | Bellows | Objectives: LOMO 3.7x 0.11 : 8x 0.20 : 40x 0.65
RiG II - 'Bamboo': Olympus CH Focus Block with Inverted Arca/Swiss | Canon 430 EX (x2) | Olympus T20 flash (x2) | Youngnuo YN-622C Wireless triggers (x3) | Ikea Jansjo 3W LED Lighting (x3)
Stepper Motor Focusing System (Helicon Remote)

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by AndrewC »

One thing perhaps to be aware of if you are using USB communication along with a VB program for critical timing of movement, shutter and flash is that the timing is not guaranteed. Depends what else you are doing with your computer - mine might be driving a 3D printer as well as a macro stage over USB.

I tend to use USB communication to talk to the camera and movement controllers but then use my camera flash trigger to fire my flashes so they are synchronised with the camera rather than my control program. As Vb can only control down to millisecs anyway I use an external pulse controller to fire/quench my flashguns or drive a high current pulse through LEDs.

ControlMyNikon is an easy way to interface with your camera but there is also a very nice C# wrapper for the Nikon MAID which is very easy to include in VB programs and let you take advantage of live view and most camera functions.

http://sourceforge.net/p/nikoncswrapper/wiki/Home/

I've lost focus on it recently, but I've been working on a way to control a set of leds both for low current continual illumination and/or as a short duration high current strobe.

r/Andrew
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

Guido
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:02 am

Post by Guido »

Combining visual basic with arduino is the solution to this.

Parameteres are set from the computer into the arduino via usb.
As soon as the autostack command is given only the arduino is running the sequence. The PC is not involved anymore. But you are right to controle the flashes by the camera. Its a sure guarantee for a good sync.

3dreal
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 2:27 am

Automatic bellows

Post by 3dreal »

a company is offering an automatic-bellows-system for under 500 usd. but i have lost the link. maybe i will find again or a friend will find it. could be that is was mentioned in dpreview-forum.

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