Automatic Camera Pan Adapter

[Mike Sinclair <sinclair@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I posted a few years ago the description of a low-cost automatic pan'n'snap
attachment for a tripod. This is more convenient than most panoramic
adapters on the market as it takes a lot of the guess work out of panoramic
image generation via still cameras. I've been using this continuously for a
few years for the pan'n'snap panoramas (QTVR/PhotoVista, etc) as well as
some continuous digital and DV based pan cameras. It was used during the
1996 Olympics to capture a number pans and posted on the Olympic Village web
site. A picture of it can be seen at
http://www.oip.gatech.edu/imtc/html/low_cost_digital_pano_camera_p.html. The
unit also doubled as the digital PanCam controller described at this web
site. My cost to build was about $240. 

If there's enough interest, I'll be glad to spruce up and post my
schematics, program and brief instructions. This project is only for those
familiar with electronic circuits, some computer use and some hand building.
If there isn't enough interest (and I won't be offended) I won't spend the
time as this is in short supply lately.

A brief description of the Automatic Pan'n'Snap adapter is as follows:

- Small, self-contained, battery operated

- Easily changed control program that's permanently stored in the unit
(until changed).

- Upon actuation, automatically steps by N degrees, pauses to stabilize,
snaps a picture, and repeats until a full 360 is swept, then rewinds 360 (to
unwind the shutter cable).

- The unit initializes to N=12 equal steps per 360 degrees (this can be
changed). Simple button presses can increment or decrement this number.

- Rehearse mode steps and pauses but doesn't take any pictures.

- CW and CCW slew buttons to initially position camera.

- Manual camera mode that has an extra pause between steps to allow manual
camera trip via shutter release. 

- Able to adjust to nodal point on 35 as well as other cameras.

- Able to tilt camera up or down for creating a full spherical coverage (360
x 180 degrees) via a number of horizontal pans.

- Uses all off-the-shelf parts, including low-cost Radio Shack rechargeable
battery pack.

Note: for completely automatic mode, the camera must be able to be
shutter-tripped and auto-advanced via external switch closure (most modern
cameras do this and some electronics do also)

-Mike-