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3axis Gimbal and Canon 550

Discussion in '3 Axis Gimbal' started by Pavlos Antoniou, Oct 22, 2012.

  1. Pavlos Antoniou

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    Hello guys i am new to this gimbal..

    I am trying to balance roll without cam..! i balanced with a lipo on in order not to put extra weight.!

    In order to achieve this as you say on your videos i have to go a little up the booms of the rolll!... And i did it , if i dont do that then the roll is balanced only for the center..! Now it stays where you leave it :):)

    OK then i put the camera to balance titlt and roll with cam on..! BUT the cam cannot rotate because the cam lay on the top of the mount..!

    So i am asking on your videos you say that from 2 axis to 3 axis i have to change the vertical boom to a smaller one is this standard?? can i leave the big boom??

    Thank you!
     
  2. Pavlos Antoniou

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  3. Arthur Vieira

    Arthur Vieira Flight Squad

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    PaNt,

    I don't fully understand you question, and Andy is the best person to answer you, but in the meantime....

    To balance the camera on the Roll you have 2 things to consider, first lateral balance (right and left of the camera) and vertical balance (up and down of the camera). I would start with the lateral.

    Remove the belt from the roll servo, so the gimbal moves freely. Install the camera and loose a little the camera shoes screws that holds it on the gimbal tube, so you can move it from one side to another. Try to balance the camera so the gimbal stays horizontally. If needed more movement you can move the hole roll part of the gimbal by loosing the screws that hold the other horizontal tube.
    Once you have balanced it horizontal, you will probably end up with a gimbal that, when you let it run free the camera goes back to center. This is not the ideal situation, this mean the gimbal is bottom heavy. The same screws that I mentioned before, the ones that hold the horizontal tube near the roll pulley. Loose them a little and "elevate" the camera a little, now put the camera a little rolled to the side and leave it. It should stay in the position you left it, if it goes back to center you should elevate it a little more, but if the camera rolls even more than lower it.
    I use a Canon T3i (600D) that has the same size as the 550 and with this setup I can control the camera freely without hitting anything on the gimbal.
    The bad news is: You have to balance the gimbal (Roll and Tilt especially) for each camera/lens combination you have to achieve a good footage.

    If the above explanation is confused, please let me know and I'll elaborate a better text with photos.

    Good luck
     
  4. Pavlos Antoniou

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    First of all thank you for your interest..!

    I did what you told me but i did it without cam...!

    On the vertical balance i had to move the roll booms up ... And when i try to put the cam the cam lay on the upper side of mount when i tilt down..!

    SO one think i can do is to change the veltical boom and put the one that use on 2 axis gimbal..!
     
  5. Arthur Vieira

    Arthur Vieira Flight Squad

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    What lens are you using?
    I'll try to simulate your setup and make some photos.
     
  6. Pavlos Antoniou

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    I have the 18-200.. its big i know but i will go for GH3 that why i dont buy a new one and i sold my TOkina 11-16 that i had..!

    Its not that big its locked on 18...!

    Also i know how to do it..! But is there a problem to put the bigger boom??! Thats what i am asking..!

    Check this photo here...! Its from a guy here that did a pdf..!
    This angle is bigger on mine in order to balance the roll on all points..! And the cam lay on the gimbal thats all..!
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi PaNt:
    Thanks for posting the image -- that explains everything.

    Yes, you have to tilt the side-booms of the gimbal upwards like that to bring the camera's center of gravity (well, actually it's the combined C of G of the gimbal and the camera) into line with the roll axis -- the imaginary line that extends forward from the bearing about which the gimbal rolls.

    If the C of G is below this line, the camera will act like a pendulum and always return to center. If the C of G is above this line, the camera will roll to one side or the other.

    What you may have to do is order up two 200mm booms from Quadrocopter -- these will allow you to balance the camera but have it further forward so that you can tilt the camera down without the rear of the camera (the battery) hitting the back of the gimbal.

    Hope this helps.
    Andy
     
  8. Pavlos Antoniou

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    i am in hurry... i have to do it asap becaue i have to do some job..!

    Can i put the bigger vertical boom..! that you use on 2 axis gimbal?? is that a problem??

    Also the camera plate must be vertical to the tilt??? or i can have as i want..! if go this a ittle back then the cg is ok..!
     
  9. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I dont see any reason why you cannot use the longer vertical boom -- other than you might have lower ground clearance beneath the camera.

    The camera plate can be at any angle on the front transverse boom as long as you can balance it.

    Andy.
     
  10. Pavlos Antoniou

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    ok i am uploading a video of my balancing to tell me if everything is ok..! :) :)

    But why freefly say to change the boom?? there is enough clearance..!!
     
  11. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Oh....I misunderstood. You do not have to change the boom -- I thought you were saying that you needed to change it.

    There is a saying the United States: If it is not broken, do not fix it!

    Andy.
     
  12. Pavlos Antoniou

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    Yeap but i if i change it wont be a problem right?? apart form the clearance...!???

    W8 the video will be up in 15 mins.. :) :)

    i wish i have it ok..!
     
  13. Pavlos Antoniou

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  14. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    It looks fine to me. The real tests are:

    1. Does it balance correctly?
    2. Does the camera have the necessary clearance for the range of motions that you want?
    With that in mind, there is no prohibition on changing the boom if you want. The two tests above remain the same.

    Hope that helps.
    Andy.
     
  15. Pavlos Antoniou

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    IT does balance as you see on the video... isnt it good... it stays where you leave it...!!!

    And the camera can move more than i want...! it can turn about 280-300?...!

    So the only think i have to do now is to parralel the radin with the camera mount right??
     
  16. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    [Edits shown in red.]

    Yes. The Radian sensors need to be mounted as shown in the documentation.

    Note that the tilt Radian sensor does not need to be parallel to the optical axis of the lens -- you can set the tilt Radian sensor so that it the front of the sensor is tilted up 10 degrees (which is the maximum to which it will rotate under stabilized slew mode) and then set the camera mounting plate to the maximum tilt that you want (to avoid getting a boom in the frame).

    Hope this helps.
    Andy.
     
  17. Pavlos Antoniou

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    W8 i cannot undestand what you say can you make it more clear??

    Also i cannot move the mounting plate as it balances only there..! if i move the camera mount then i cannot balance the tilt without the camera laying on the upper side of the gimbal..!
     
  18. Pavlos Antoniou

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    I undestood but i cannot do that because if i loosen the camera plate and change the angle it wont balance the tilt

    Ok i understood when you say cam mount you mean the mount with the boom not only the carbon plate :):) right??
     
  19. Pavlos Antoniou

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  20. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi PaNt:
    I'm afraid I don't know the answer to the question. I suspect it is because Tabb is just showing a good starting set up because if the camera is correctly balanced in tilt, the servo cannot "know" that the tilt bars are not vertical -- it only can sense imbalance.

    Perhaps if Tabb reads this post he can expand on the topic.

    Andy.
     

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